Hector Berlioz.(Review)

Hector Berlioz. Prix de Rome Works. Edited by David Gilbert. (New Edition of the Complete Works, 6.) Kassel: Barenreiter, 1998. [Gen. pref. in Eng., Fr., Ger., p. vii; foreword, p. viii--xxxiii; score, 223 p.; crit. notes, p. 225--31; facsims., p. 232--36; appendixes, p. 237--42. Cloth. ISMN M-006-49501-6; BA 5446. DM 345.] Contains: Fugue (1826); La mort d'Orphee; Herminie; Fugue a 3 sujets (1829); Cleopatre; Sardanapale.

Hector Berlioz. L'enfance du Christ. Edited by David Lloyd-Jones. (New Edition of the Complete Works, 11.) Kassel: Barenreiter, 1998. [Gen. pref. in Eng., Fr., Ger., p. vii; foreword, p. viii--xxii; score, 210 p.; crit. notes, p. 211--19; facsims., p. 220--23; appendixes, p. 225--28. Cloth. ISMN M-006-49502-3; BA 5451. DM 320.]

Hector Berlioz. L'enfance du Christ: Trilogie sacree. Reduction piano/chant oriente a l' original de la Nouvelle Edition Berlioz de Eike Wernhard. Barenreiter Urtext. Kassel: Barenreiter, 1999. [Ensemble, notes in Fr., Ger., 2 p.; vocal score, 127 p.; afterword, 1 p. ISMN M-006-50529-6; BA 5451a. DM 28.]

Hector Berlioz. Cleopatre: Scene lyrique. Partition chant et piano d'apres le Urtext de la Nouvelle Edition Berlioz par Martin Schelhaas. Kassel: Barenreiter, c1999. [Pref. in Fr., Eng., Ger., p. iii--v; vocal score, p. 2--27. ISMN M-006-50530-2; BA 5787a. DM 24; duration: ca. 25'.]

Hector Berlioz. Herminie: Scene lyrique. Partition chant et piano d'apres le Urtext de la Nouvelle Edition Berlioz par Martin Schelhaas. Kassel: Barenreiter, c1999. [Pref. in Fr., Eng., Ger., p. iii--v; vocal score, p. 2--32. ISMN M-006-50532-6; BA 5789a. DM 24; duration: ca. 20'.]

Hector Berlioz. La mort d'Orphee: Monologue et Bacchanale. Partition chant et piano d'apres le Urtext de la Nouvelle Edition Berlioz par Martin Schelhaas. Kassel: Barenreiter, c1999. [Pref. in Fr., Eng., Ger., p. iii--v; vocal score, p. 2--24. ISMN M-006-50531-9; BA 5788a. DM 24; duration: ca. 14'.]

Quite by coincidence, the two newest additions to Barenreiter's splendid New Berlioz Edition (NBE), the Prix de Rome Works (vol. 6) and L'enfance du Christ (vol. 11) present works that stand at opposite ends of Berlioz's career and, when examined side by side, afford us an example of the remarkable stylistic continuity that runs throughout this composer's music. Published concurrently are vocal scores of L'enfance du Christ and three of the Prix de Rome works: La mort d'Orphee, Herminie, and Cleopatre.