| Description: | Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. He also composed oratorios, ballets, orchestral works, incidental music, piano pieces, songs and other music.
He composed only a few organ works, but since many students at the Conservatoire went on to substantial careers as church organists. With that in mind Massenet enrolled for organ classes, but they were not a success and he quickly abandoned the instrument.
Like many prominent French composers of the period, Massenet became a professor at the Conservatoire. He taught composition there from 1878 until 1896, when he resigned after the death of the director, Ambroise Thomas.
By the time of his death, Massenet was regarded by many critics as old-fashioned and unadventurous although his two best-known operas remained popular in France and abroad. After a few decades of neglect, his works began to be favorably reassessed during the mid-20th century, and many of them have since been staged and recorded. Although critics do not rank him among the handful of outstanding operatic geniuses such as Mozart, Verdi and Wagner, his operas are now widely accepted as well-crafted and intelligent products of the Belle Époque.
Today, August 15th, is the Feast of the Assumption. It is the day when the church commemorates the assumption of the Virgin Mary, Body and Soul, into heaven. The day is also called the Dormition or "falling asleep" of the Virgin.
This gentle, almost childlike work portrays the scene for us. There is no tension or stress, just the gentle process of the BVM's departure from earth and elevation into heaven.
The effective transcription was done by English organist, William Joseph Westbrook (1831-1894).
I've tried to portray this in the style of a French parish church performance.
The score is attached below, as well as photos of Massenet, and art works of the Dormition of the BVM. |
Ranked #7 in Most Listened.
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