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Méditation (Thaïs)
Méditation (pronounced: [meditasjɔ̃]) is a symphonic intermezzo from the opera Thaïs by French composer Jules Massenet. The piece is written for solo violin and orchestra. The opera was first premiered at the Opéra Garnier in Paris on March 16, 1894.
Description
The Méditation is a symphonic entr'acte performed between the scenes of Act II in the opera Thaïs. In the first scene of Act II, Athanaël, a Cenobite monk, confronts Thaïs, a beautiful and hedonistic courtesan and devotée of Venus, and attempts to convince her to leave her life of luxury and pleasure and find salvation through God. It is during a time of reflection following the encounter that the Méditation is played by the orchestra. In the second scene of Act II, following the Méditation, Thaïs tells Athanaël that she will follow him to the desert.The piece is in D major and is approximately five minutes long (although there are a number of interpretations that stretch the piece to over six minutes). Massenet may also have written the piece with religious intentions; the tempo marking is Andante Religioso, signifying his intention that it should be played religiously and at walking tempo.
Performers and adaptations
The Méditation from Thaïs is considered to be one of the great encore pieces; world-class violin soloists such as Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Maxim Vengerov have performed the piece as soloists with major orchestras throughout the world. The Méditation has been transcribed for violin and piano and for other instruments as well. The cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott have recorded a version for cello and piano by Jules Delsart; the flautist James Galway and trumpeter Sergei Nakariakov have also performed and recorded separate versions on their respective instruments, each with orchestral accompaniment.
Notable recordings
1993 – Anne-Sophie Mutter – Vienna Philharmonic – Deutsche Grammophon
1996 – James Galway – National Philharmonic Orchestra – RCA
2001 – Maxim Vengerov, Vag Papian – EMI
2002 – Sarah Chang – Berliner Philharmonic – EMI
2003 – Yo-Yo Ma, Kathryn Stott – EMI
2004 – Joshua Bell – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra – Decca
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