georges bizet

Georges Bizet
born Alexandre César Léopold Bizet
(25 October 1838 – 3 June 1875)



This French composer was a child prodigy who struggled for success during his short life. His father Adolphe Bizet was a singing teacher and his mother Aimée Delsarte was an accomplished pianist. His early aptitude for music led his parents to enroll him at the Conservatoire de Paris just two weeks before his tenth birthday. While there he won many awards for his virtuosic piano skills and began composing in several different musical forms. His award of the Prix de Rome included a five year grant and involved studies in Rome, Germany, and Paris. When his grant expired, he found it difficult to support himself with his own compositions and scraped a living together by transcribing the music of other composers. In 1869, he married Geneviève Bizet, the daughter of his late mentor from the Conservatoire de Paris Fromental Halévy. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, Bizet served in the National Guard; but fled the city during the civil uprest of the Paris Commune that followed the conflict. His celebrated final work, the opera 'Carmen' was troubled by opposition from the conservative Opéra-Comique over the content and ambitious score and took seven months of rehersals and compromises before the orchestra and singers were comfortable with it. The debut of 'Carmen' was not considered a success and only three months later, Bizet died of a heart attack at the age of thirty-six. His works have gained increased prominence and appreciation in the decades that have followed. Bizet once remarked: "Ah, music! What a beautiful art! But what a wretched profession!"






'Carmen'
Habanera: L'amour est un oiseau rebelle
(love is a rebellious bird)




'Carmen' was his final work. It's controversial themes of love, betrayal, and murder delayed its release for years.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaypJ4kmYCE







L'Arlesienne (the girl from Arles)
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1: I. Prelude
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KA76yUSK44

L'Arlesienne Suite No. 2: Farandole
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2y09pD1r-Qs







Les pêcheurs de perles  (the pearl fishers)







His 'Symphony in C' was composed when he was only seventeen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3Dv5aPZrAQ