Mel Bonisaus impressionism + romantic

Mel Bonis painting by Charles-Auguste Corbineau (1835-1901), French artist / Public domain

Mélanie Hélène Bonis (* 21 January 1858 in Paris; † 18 March 1937 in Sarcelles) was a French composer. Her works were mostly published under the pseudonym Mel Bonis.

Life

Bonis was born to a Parisian lower-middle-class family and was educated according to the strict norms of Catholic morality. Endowed with great talent and musical sensitivity, she taught herself to play the piano. Initially, her parents did not encourage her music, but when she was twelve they were persuaded by a professor at the Conservatoire to allow her to receive formal music lessons. In 1874, at the age of sixteen, she began her studies at the Conservatoire, and attended classes in accompaniment, harmony, and composition, where she shared the benches with Claude Debussy and Gabriel Pierné and received tuition from César Franck. Due to the difficulties encountered by women who wished to compose, she adopted the more androgynous form of her first name, “Mel”.

At the Conservatoire, she met and fell in love with Amédée Landély Hettich (5 February 1856 – 5 April 1937), a student, poet, and singer, setting some of his poems to music. Her parents disapproved of the match and withdrew her from the Conservatoire. In 1883, when she was twenty-five, they arranged for her to marry the businessman Albert Domange (4 April 1836 – 31 March 1918). Domange was twenty-two years her senior, and twice a widower with five children from his previous marriages. After marriage, Bonis immersed herself in domesticity, bearing three children with Domage: Pierre (1884 – 1969), Jeanne (1888 – 1987) and Édouard (1893 – 1932). For Bonis, it was not an ideal marriage, as Domange did not like music.

In the 1890’s, Bonis re-encountered Hettich, who was by then a respected vocal teacher and writer on music, married to a Polish harpist. Hettich encouraged Bonis to return to composition and was able to introduce her to some of the major publishers, after which her career began to succeed. Bonis and Hettich embarked on an affair, which led to the birth of an illegitimate child, Madeleine (Jeanne-Pauline-Madeline Verger), on 8 September 1899. Madeleine was put into the care of a former chambermaid; she inherited musical talent from her parents.

Bonis then devoted all her energies to composition. Her piano quartet was performed in 1901, and when he heard it, Saint-Saens exclaimed, “I never imagined a woman could write such music!”. On 22 April 1905, she received an ‘honourable mention’ for her (now lost) Suite pour harpe chromatique et deux instruments à vent. In 1907, she became a member of the committee of the Société des compositeurs de musique (sic) and, from 1910 to 1914, its secretary. Some of her works were published by Éditions Alphonse Leduc.

In 1912, after the death of his wife, Hettich acknowledged that he was Madeleine’s father. Domange died on 31 March 1918, when Bonis assumed care of Madeleine, whose foster mother had also died. Upon his demobilisation from service in World War I, Édouard fell in love with Madeleine, his half-sister, forcing Bonis to reveal their familial relationship, on pain of strict secrecy. In 1923, Madeleine married Pierre Quinet.

Bonis was too modest for self-promotion, and even her admirers at the time could not overlook her gender. After the First World War, her music fell into obscurity, and she became bedridden from arthritis. She continued to compose through the late 1920s, until her death in 1937, aged 79. Hettich died a month later. Bonis died in Sarcelles, Val-d’Oise, and is buried in Cimetière de Montmartre, Paris.

An eighty-four-page autobiographical book of personal reflections, “Souvenirs et Réflexions”, was published by her daughter, Jeanne Brochot (née Domange), through ‘les éditions du Nant d’enfer’, Évian, in 1974.

Source Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mélanie_Bonis

List of opera

Violinsonate fis-moll

Discography

Sheet music

Score for choire

Le Ruisseaufor Frauenchorwomens choir;
Edition: Orchesterpartiturorchestral score

for Frauenchorwomens choir;
Edition: Orchesterpartiturorchestral score

Score for chamber music

L'oeuvre pour orgue 1for Orgelorgel

for Orgelorgel

L'oeuvre pour orgue 2for Orgelorgel

for Orgelorgel

L'oiseau bleu (Dornröschen)for Klavierpiano

for Klavierpiano

Klavierquartett D-Durfor Cellocello, Klavierpiano, Violaviola, Violineviolin

for Cellocello, Klavierpiano, Violaviola, Violineviolin

Suite pour violon et piano op. 114 (1926)for Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

for Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

Cellosonate F-Dur op.67for Cellocello, Klavierpiano

for Cellocello, Klavierpiano

Selected Pieces by Mel Bonisfor Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

3 pièces impressionnistesfor Harfeharp

for Harfeharp

Chant Nuptialfor Cellocello, Orgelorgel, Violineviolin

for Cellocello, Orgelorgel, Violineviolin

Sérénadefor Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

for Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

Pièces (6)for Klavierpiano

for Klavierpiano

Suite Dans Le Stale Ancienfor Flöteflute, Klavierpiano, Violaviola, Violineviolin

for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano, Violaviola, Violineviolin

Six Valses-Caprice op. 87for Klavierpiano

for Klavierpiano

Piece für Flöte und Klavier op.187for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

Quartett B-Durfor Cellocello, Klavierpiano, Streicherstrings, Violaviola, Violineviolin

for Cellocello, Klavierpiano, Streicherstrings, Violaviola, Violineviolin

Noël de la vierge Marie op. 54/2
Edition: Orchesterpartiturorchestral score

Edition: Orchesterpartiturorchestral score

Septett - Septuor Fantaisie Ou Concertofor Cellocello, Flöteflute, Klavierpiano, Kontrabassdoublebass, Violaviola, Violineviolin

for Cellocello, Flöteflute, Klavierpiano, Kontrabassdoublebass, Violaviola, Violineviolin

Carillons Mystiques op. 31for Klavierpiano

for Klavierpiano

Mélisandefor Klavierpiano

for Klavierpiano

Scènes da la forêtfor Flöteflute, Hornfrench horn, Klavierpiano

for Flöteflute, Hornfrench horn, Klavierpiano

Sonatefor Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

for Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

Air Vaudoisfor Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

Album pour les tout-petitsfor Klavierpiano

for Klavierpiano

Sonate op. 67for Cellocello, Klavierpiano

for Cellocello, Klavierpiano

Andante et allegrofor Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

Klaviermusik 9for Klavierpiano

Scherzo op. 40
Variationen op. 85

for Klavierpiano

Drei ausgewählte Klavierstückefor Klavierpiano

Pensées d’automne
La Cathédrale blessée
Carillon mystique

for Klavierpiano

Piecefor Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

Serenadefor Cellocello, Klavierpiano

for Cellocello, Klavierpiano

Klaviermusik 7for Klavierpiano

Ariel op. 129
Au crépuscule („In der Abenddämmerung“) op. 111
Cinq pièces pour piano à Madeleine Quinet
Dolorosa op. 138
Echo op. 89
Il pleut („Es regnet“) op. 102
L’ange gardien („Der Schutzengel“) op. 102
Narcisse op. 90
Près du moulin („Bei der Mühle“) op. 115

for Klavierpiano

Klaviermusik 11for Klavierpiano

Black Pearl, op. 70
Boléro, op. posthume 177
Bourrée, op. 62,1
Mazurka-Ballet, op. 181
Pavane, op. 81,1
Sarabande, op. 82,1

for Klavierpiano

Scherzo (Final) op.posth.187for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

Miocheriesfor Klavierpiano

Première solitude
Air connu
Ronde
Le moulin
Fifille sage
La lecon de solfège
A pas de loups
Patineurs à roulettes
Croquemitaine
Plutôt une vieille danse francaise
Joyeux scouts
La toute petite s’endort
Les noces de Polichinelle

for Klavierpiano

Klaviermusik 10for Klavierpiano

Diamant noir op. posth 186
L’escarpolette op. 52
Orientale op. 32
Soirs d’anant op. 34
Viennoise op. 8

for Klavierpiano

Klaviermusik 3for Klavierpiano

Barcarolle en si bémol majeur op. 41
Carillons mystiques op. 31
La chanson du rouet op. 24
Le Moustique op. 66
Marionnettes op. 42
Méditation op. 33/1
Papillons op. 28
Romance sans paroles en la bémol majeur op. 29
Sorrente op. 61

for Klavierpiano

3 Piècesfor Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

for Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

Scenes De La Foretfor Flöteflute, Harfeharp, Violaviola

for Flöteflute, Harfeharp, Violaviola

Klaviermusik 5for Klavierpiano

Eiolles (Valse) op.2
Les Gitanos (Grande Valse espagnole) op.15,2
Mazurka op.26
Suite en forme de valses op.35-38

for Klavierpiano

Une Flute Soupirefor Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

Werke für Orgelfor Orgelorgel

for Orgelorgel

Klaviermusik 6for Klavierpiano

Pavane op. 81/2
Six Valses Caprice op. 87
Le Songe De Cleopatre op. 180/1

for Klavierpiano

Klaviermusik 4for Klavierpiano

Ballade op. 27
Barcarole op. 71
Barcarolle-étude op. 43
Etude op. 136
La cathédrale blessée op. 107
Prélude op. 51
Romance sans paroles op. 56
Sévillana op. 125

for Klavierpiano

Sechs Valses-Caprices für Klavier zu vier Händen op.87for Klavierpiano

for Klavierpiano

Klaviermusik 2for Klavierpiano

Aux champs op. 13
Berceuse op. 23/1
Eglogue op. 12
Gai printemps op. 11
Impromptu op. 1
Menuet op. 14
Pensées d’automne op. 19
Près du ruisseau op. 9
Prélude (en mi bémol majeur) op. 10
Rondo dans le genre ancien op. 7

for Klavierpiano

Suite en triofor Flöteflute, Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

Suite orientalefor Cellocello, Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

for Cellocello, Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

Klaviermusik 8for Klavierpiano

Suite en forme de Valses op. 39: Ballabile, Valse lente, Scherzo-Valse, Danse sacrée, Interlude et Bacchanale
Les Gitanos: Valse espagnole op. 15/2

for Klavierpiano

Cinq piècesfor Klavierpiano

for Klavierpiano

Soir / Matin (1907)for Cellocello, Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

for Cellocello, Klavierpiano, Violineviolin

Klaviermusik 1for Klavierpiano

Desdémona
Mélisande
Omphale
Ophelie
Phœbé
Salomé
Viviane

for Klavierpiano

Sonatefor Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

for Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

Flötenmusik von Komponistinnenfor Flöteflute, Klavierpiano

Vorwort
Biographische Notizen
Anna Amalia von Preußen (1723-1787): Sonate F-Dur für Flöte und b.c.
Anna Bon di Venezia (um 1740
nach 1767): Sonate G-Dur für Flöte und b.c. op. 1/6
Leopoldine Blahetka (1809-1887): Variationen für Flöte und Klavier op. 39
Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944): Sérénade aux Etoiles für Flöte und Klavier op. 142 (1911)
Mélanie Bonis (1858-1937): Pièce für Flöte und Klavier op. 189
Germaine Tailleferre (1892-1983): Forlane für Flöte un Klavier (1972)
Lili Boulanger (1893-1918): Nocturne für Flöte und Klavier (1911)
Barbara Heller (geb. 1936): Parlando für Flöte und Klavier (1993)
Gloria Coates (geb. 1938): Phantom für Flöte und Klavier (1988/2004)
Dorothee Eberhardt (geb. 1952): Träume für Flöte und Klavier (2002)
Caroline Ansink (geb. 1959): Epitaph für Marius für Flöte und Klavier (2002)
Annette Schlünz (geb. 1964): tastend, tränend für Flöte und Klavier (2001)
Christine K. Brückner (geb. 1967): Tsetono für Flöte und Klavier (2004)