Adam: Le Retour a la Montagne for soprano, oboe and piano

Code: JP1080
ISMN: 979-0-3019-0357-5

Adolphe Charles Adam (1803–1856) was a French composer and music critic. He composed primarily for the opera and ballet. By 1830 he had already completed twenty-eight works for the theater. He is probably best remembered for the ballet Giselle (1841). The role of Giselle has become one of the most sought-after roles in ballet. Adam's Christmas carol (1847), 'Cantique de Noel,'translated to English as 'O Holy Night,'is also an international favorite.

In 1849 Adam became professor of composition at the Paris Conservatory, where one of his most prominent students was Leo Delibes, who achieved fame writing for opera and other stage productions. Adam died suddenly in 1856, only seven years into his tenure at the Conservatory.

"Le Retour a la Montagne" is for Voice, Oboe and Piano. The voice part has a 1.5 octave range from F (bottom of treble staff) to B-flat (above treble staff), with one phrase that includes notes to low F (an octave below the treble staff). This phrase is marked to be optionally sung an octave higher. The text is in French. The oboe part is used both contrapuntally to the voice and in harmony with the singer as a duo.

The duration is slightly over 3 minutes.