Ruy Blas Overture

Mendelssohn, in common with the other composers featured today, was a child prodigy.  Although born in Hamburg, his family was forced to flee to Berlin on account of his father’s anti-French activities at a time when Napoleon imposed severe financial and territorial reparations on Prussia. The family converted from the Jewish faith to Protestantism and the name Bartholdy was added to their birth name of Mendelssohn.

At the age of 10 yrs he began to study theory and counterpoint with Carl Friedrich Zelter, who had been brought up in the tradition of Bach and therefore championed the tradition of fugue and counterpoint. Mendelssohn’s  earliest compositions date from about this period.

By early 1824, he had learnt all that he could from Zelter and began further piano studies with Moscheles, who instructed him in contemporary technique. Following a visit to Paris, he entered the University of Berlin and was introduced to the works of Goethe, Jean Paul and Shakespeare. This resulted in the three concert overtures “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (1826), “Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage” (1828), based on Goethe’s poem and “The Hebrides “ (1830).

Mendelssohn then immersed himself in the choral masterpieces of the past and was then given a copy of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion by his great-aunt, Sarah Levy, who had studied with W.F. Bach. Mendelssohn’s performance of the Bach Passion was given in Berlin on 11 March 1829 and was an unqualified success, signalling a Bach revival throughout Europe. Mendelssohn himself was struck with a Romantic Wanderlust and undertook extensive travels around Europe.

He died in Leipzig on 4 November 1847. He had never really recovered from the death of his beloved sister, Fanny Henselt, a pianist and composer in her own right. His mourning for her is expressed in his final String Quartet in F minor, op.80.

The present work, Ruy Blas, is based on a play by Victor Hugo, which opened at the Theatre de la Renaissance in November 1838. Mendelssohn, after reading (and hating) the play, was commissioned to write a Concert Overture based on it, his opus 95.

The plot is rather tortuous: it is set in Madrid during the reign of Charles II (1699). Apparently, it is a cry for political reform.

Don Salluste de Bazan has been scorned by the queen, Maria de Neubourg, and resolves to get his revenge. Knowing that one of his slaves, Ruy Blas, has secretly fallen in love with this lady, Don Salluste disguises Ruy Blas a nobleman and takes him to court. Blas is so good at his role that he is appointed prime minister and begins useful political and fiscal reforms, whilst managing to conquer the queen’s heart. He makes a very long political speech about political corruption at court. Don Salluste resolves to take revenge. The queen and Ruy Blas are caught in a compromising position. Salluste commands Blas to close a window and pick up his handkerchief, while explaining the condition of Spanish politics (!) Blas kills him, then commits suicide. The queen says she loved him!

See if you can spot the references in the music!