This
scene opens Act II in the opera. And what an opener!
What
can one say about it? It is difficult commenting on this music without resorting
to superlatives that appear to be OTT. However, here goes . . .
This
is musical (and Come Dancing!) seduction par excellence. The measured evocative
start and carefully controlled build up lead to a climax which comes very close
to sheer wild abandon.
The
Vocal Score coolly describes it thus:
'Lillas Pastia's inn. When the curtain rises, Carmen, Frasquita, and
Mercedes are discovered seated at a table with the officers. Dance of the
Gypsy-girls, accompanied by Gypsies playing the guitar and tambourine'.
Can
you hear them in the music?!
This
thrilling, beautifully crafted piece is the epitome of colouring and timing in a
musical score. Five-and-a-half minutes of mounting exuberance. So structured by
Georges, that sometimes it is easy to forget it is in 3/4 (waltz) time and generally in the key of E
minor (sailing up to E major at the end - An extremely cleverly contrived Tierce
de Picardie?). Enjoy! French first . . . ?
Gypsy
Song
(Intro: Dance for 48 bars)
(Wait for it!)
Carmen: Les
tringles des sistres tin-taient . . .
A-vec un é-clat mé-tal-lique,
Et sur cette é-trange mu-si-que
Les Zin-ga-rel-las se le-vaient . . .
Tam-bours de Bas-que-allaient leur train,
Et les gui-ta-res for-ce-né-es
Grin-çaient sous des mains ob-sti-né-es
Méme chan-son mé-me re-frain,
Mé-me chan-son mé-me re-frain . . .!
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Frasquita, Mecedes (with dance) : Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Carmen: Les
anneaux de cuivre et d'ar-gent . . .
Re-lui-saient sur peaux bi-stré-es
D'o-range et de rou-ge zé-bré-es;
Les étof-fes flottaient au vent . . .
La
danse au chant se ma-ri-ait . .
La danse au chant se ma-ri-ait . .
D'a-bord in-dé-cise et ti-mi-de,
Plus vive en-sui . . te_et plus ra-pi-de.
Ce-la mon-tait, mon-tait, mon-tait, mon-tait . . .
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Frasquita, Mecedes (with dance) : Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Carmen: Les
Bo-hémiens à tours de bras
De leurs in-struments faisaient ra-ge,
Et cet é-blou-is-sant ta-pa-ge
En-sor-ce-lait les Zin-ga-ras . . .
Sous le rythme de la chan-son,
Sous le rythme de la chan-son,
Ar-den-tes, fol-les, en-fié-vré-es,
El-les-se lais-saient, en-i-vré-es,
Em-por-ter le tour--bil-lon . . .!
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Frasquita, Mecedes (with dance) : Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Tra
la la la . .
Tra la la la . .
Tra la la la . .
Tra la la la . . . . .
Dance
. . . 21 bars
Whheee!!
What a magnificent romp, after such a sedate start. Did you hear the gypsy
violin, and that recalcitrant percussion section who appeared to lose the plot
occasionally?
Would
you like to sit down for a few minutes now?
OR
Would
you prefer to sing (dance) it again?
In English perhaps?
Gypsy
Song
(Intro: Dance for 48 bars)
(Wait for it!)
Carmen: The stillness at the end of day . . .
Is broken by a lazy jingle,
The sleepy air begins to tingle.
The gypsy dance is under way . . .
And soon the tambourines of Spain,
And strumming of guitars competing,
Continue on and on repeating
The same old song, the same old strain,
The same old song, the same refrain . . .
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Frasquita, Mecedes (with dance) : Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Carmen: The
copper rings the gypsies wear
Against their dusky skins are gleaming . . .
With red and orange colours steaming,
Swirling skirts_ billow through the air . . .
The
music guides the dancing feet . . .
With ever more compelling beat . . .
Quite timid first but soon the master,
It drives them on and growing faster,
It starts to rise and rise to fever heat . . .
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Frasquita, Mecedes (with dance) : Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Carmen: The
gypsy men play on with fire.
Their tambourines are loudly whirring.
The pulsing rhythm fiercely stirring
Enflames the gypsy girls' desire . . .
Their
passion carries them away.
Their agile bodies turn and sway
In burning frenzy and abandon.
On and on they dance madly driven
Like a whirlwind no force can stay . . .
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Frasquita, Mecedes (with dance) : Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la . . .,
Tra la la la la la la la . . .
Tra
la la la . .
Tra la la la . .
Tra la la la . .
Tra la la la . . . . .
Dance
. . . 21 bars
Hope
you enjoyed Georges' magnificent song as much as we did arranging it. And then also,
of course, there's the dance . . .!!
Next, the most heart-rending, thrilling solo - The
Flower?
