Cantata for the Wedding of Emperor Napoleon and Marie-Louise of Austria

Cantate pour le Mariage de l'Empereur Napoleon avec Marie Louise d'Autriche (Cantata for the Wedding of Emperor Napoleon and Marie Louise of Austria) is a wedding cantata for orchestra, choir and soloists composed by Johann Nepomuk Hummel in 1810.[1] The piece was performed at the wedding ceremony of Napoleon Bonaparte and Marie Louise of Austria in March, but was not published in the composer's lifetime. It received a first performance in the UK in 2016, with instrumentalists and singers from Clare College, Cambridge conducted by Toby Hession.[2]

Form

The work lasts approximately 35 minutes and consists of 22 movements in total.

  • 1. Introduction (Orchestra only)
  • 2. Chœur Général (Orchestra with choir)
  • 3. Récitatif (Bass)
  • 4. Récitatif (Bass)
  • 5. Duo (Soprano and Tenor)
  • 6. Quatour (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Bass)
  • 7. Récitatif (Soprano)
  • 8. Chœur Général
  • 9. Récitatif (Soprano and Tenor)
  • 10. Quatour sans instruments (unaccompanied Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Bass)
  • 11. Récitatif (Tenor and Bass)
  • 12. Duo (Soprano and Tenor)
  • 13. Chœur Général
  • 14. Air (Tenor)
  • 15. Récitatif (Mezzo-Soprano)
  • 16. Romance (Soprano)
  • 17. Chœur Général
  • 18. Récitatif (Tenor and Bass)
  • 19. Chœur Général
  • 20. Récitatif (Tenor and Bass)
  • 21. Quatour (Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Tenor, Bass)
  • 22. Chœur Général

Instrumentation

The work is scored for a standard classical orchestra of strings, double woodwind, horns and timpani, along with double choir and four solo singers: a soprano, a mezzo-soprano, a tenor and a bass.

The second movement is set for double choir; in the original performance, the first choir consisted of French singers and the second of Austrian singers. Similarly, the Soprano and Tenor soloists were French, and the Mezzo-Soprano and Bass soloists were Austrian.

References
  1. Kroll, Mark (2007). Johann Nepomuk Hummel: A Musician's Life and World. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 378. ISBN 978-0-8108-5920-3.
  2. "12 February Clare College Music Society (CCMS) Marriage of Napoleon Concert". Clare College, Cambridge. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
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