David: Le Désert

Day 313

Félicien David: Le Désert

Soloists

Choir of St Hedwig’s cathedral Berlin

Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra

Guido Maria Guida

Félicien David is largely forgotten as a composer these days, though his name is familiar to collectors of old vocal recordings because a few extracts from his operas were regularly features in the catalogues. But he was an important figure in his time and Le Désert is a key piece. It is scored for male chorus, tenor soloist, orchestra and a narrator and is one of the first pieces of orientalism in 19th century French music. As such it was huguely influential throughout the rest of the century. 

The key musical influence is probably Gluck, although there are also some hints of Spontini and, to a lesser extent Auber. Berlioz also lurks in the background. He is known to be an admirer of David’s music and one can see how Berlioz took some of the David’s ideas further than the composer himself.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the score is the Muezzin’s call. This is highly evocative and foreshadows much that it is to come - I was particularly reminded of the similar passages in The Barber of Baghdad.   Indeed much of the whole late 19th century French interest in the exotic can be traced back to David’s score. It may not be the most inspired score but without it much of what followed could not have happened.