- 229
Méhul, Étienne
Estimate
6,000 - 8,000 GBP
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Description
- Méhul, Étienne
- Autograph working manuscript of two choruses from the one-act opera Uthal,
- ink,paper
the complete full score of the choruses for voices and orchestra, together with shorter drafts of the opening aria, notated without violins, written in dark brown ink, with many deletions, revisions and alterations, some in pencil, including:
1) [Larmor's air "Ombres de mes ayeux"], four short-score drafts for the opening of No.1, the instrumental parts, notated on four systems of up to five staves each, with Larmor's vocal line (without words) added on the fifth stave of the first two systems, 1 page, folio
2) [Chorus of Bards] "Uthal No3 Choeur: Nous aimons les combats", the full score notated on 12 staves per page, the opening two bars deleted ("Nous bravons les tempêtes"), with instrumentation: "quintes [ie violas], fl[utes], h[autbois], cl[arinettes], cors, b[assons], b[asse], timb[ales] en ut"), 6 pages
3) [Chorus of Morven's soldiers] "No8 [Choeur] Réjouis-toi Morven", the full score notated on 15 staves per page, in a similar orchestration without violins, 16 pages
23 pages, folio (c.35 x 26cm), 20-stave paper, some browning, uncut with minor tears to edges
1) [Larmor's air "Ombres de mes ayeux"], four short-score drafts for the opening of No.1, the instrumental parts, notated on four systems of up to five staves each, with Larmor's vocal line (without words) added on the fifth stave of the first two systems, 1 page, folio
2) [Chorus of Bards] "Uthal No3 Choeur: Nous aimons les combats", the full score notated on 12 staves per page, the opening two bars deleted ("Nous bravons les tempêtes"), with instrumentation: "quintes [ie violas], fl[utes], h[autbois], cl[arinettes], cors, b[assons], b[asse], timb[ales] en ut"), 6 pages
3) [Chorus of Morven's soldiers] "No8 [Choeur] Réjouis-toi Morven", the full score notated on 15 staves per page, in a similar orchestration without violins, 16 pages
23 pages, folio (c.35 x 26cm), 20-stave paper, some browning, uncut with minor tears to edges
Condition
Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
Catalogue Note
RARE: autograph music by Méhul (1763-1817) is very rare at auction: the only other example was in 1983 (another fragment of Uthal). Méhul was the most important opera composer of the French Revolution and the first to be described as "Romantic". He composed Uthal in 1806 to a libretto based on the poems of James Macpherson, evoking the mythical Gaelic World of Ossian and its imaginary Bardic culture (which, though completely bogus, had gained great popularity in France). There are no violins in the score of the opera, only violas ("quintes") - an adventurous orchestration which impressed Berlioz. The passages in Méhul's manuscript can be found in the contemporary Chérubini full scores (plate 462) on pages 18, 40-44 and 130-139.