“Finale” (Act 4) from Andrea Chénier ... Umberto Giordano (1867-1948)Transcribed by James Curnow

Emma Waters, euphonium, and Matthew Phillips, trumpet
French poet and political journalist André Chénier (1762-1794) was
born in Istanbul and educated among the French elite in the Collège
de Navarre of the University of Paris. He attempted a short-lived
career in the French military and held a two-year post in the French
embassy in London before returning to Paris in 1789. The French Revolution (1788-1799) was in the early stages and Chénier began
to write political journalism along with poetry. During “The Reign of Terror” (1793-1794), through a series of events, he became a
hunted man, was eventually uncovered, arrested, tried, and
executed, becoming one of the 16,000 victims of revolutionary
executions. Twenty-five years after his death, the first collection of
Chénier’s poetry was published, and his works became influential to the French Romantic movement of the 1800s. Andrea Chénier,
Umberto Giordano’s opera in four acts, was first performed in 1896,
and is loosely based on Chénier’s story. The opera is known for its dramatic intensity and emotional impact, fueled by Giordano's lush
and sweeping melodies. The opera opens with Chénier and his confidant Gerard attending a
soirée of the nobility during which he is called on to improvise a poem. He speaks of the misery and suffering of the poor, angering the crowd. The power of his poetry captures the intense admiration
of Maddalena di Coigny, the daughter of La Comtesse di Coigny, but brings him to the attention of Bersi, a spy of the revolutionaries.
In the second act, Chénier is united with Maddalena at a Paris café,
they sing of their love, and he is discovered by the spy. In a sword fight, Gerard is wounded and seemingly dying, and he tells Chénier
to flee from France. In the third act, Chénier is arrested and stands
before the Revolutionary Tribunal. Maddalena, desperate to save him, pleads with the tribunal to spare his life. As the Finale (Act IV) begins, Chénier, sentenced to die, is now imprisoned at the Saint-Lazare Prison. On the night before his execution, he pens
what became his final poetic outpouring and sings of his death, “Come un bel dì di Maggio” (“Like a beautiful day in May”). As he
finishes, Maddalena and Gerard arrive and plead with the jailer to
allow her to take the place of a young condemned female prisoner.
Maddalena successfully bribes the guard with gold and jewels, the lovers are reunited, and they sing of their eternal love and their
impending death. With the dawn, their names are read and in a final
earthly embrace, they are taken to the guillotine. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, the opera explores themes of politics, love, and sacrifice.
In this beautiful transcription, the solo euphonium represents
Chenier and solo trumpet represents Maddalena. Composer James
Curnow was commissioned by Dr. Harry Begian of the University of Illinois Bands to prepare this transcription in memory of
euphonium virtuoso Leonard Falcone.
A Moorside Suite ......................................................

[@LauraMadison-c3j]

Great Job!!❤