Psyché. Tragi-Comédie et Ballet

The piano score of the Tragédie-Ballet Psyché, which forms part of the complete Lully edition, includes in addition to the music introductions to and descriptions of the work in three languages. The latest score to be published in the edition of Lully’s complete works contains the tragédie-ballet Psyché. “The libretto of this last collaboration by Molière and Lully involved three of the most famous theatrical writers of French classicism: the excellent dialogues were by Molière and Pierre Corneille, the sung text by Philippe Quinault, later Lully’s main librettist. [.] Musically, the work’s prologue and five intermezzos contain some of the best vocal and dance music ever composed by Lully, e.g. the Italian lament scene with vocal and instrumental movements, wonderful choruses in the prologue and the finale of the fifth act, ensembles and solo songs. Among the dances, minuets and expressive pantomimic pieces (dances for Cyclopes and Furies, military and comical dances) are particularly prominent. Psyché is a work of powerful contrasts, ranging from deep mourning to military spectacle. Many of its musical pieces were among the ‘hits’ of their day.” Herbert Schneider in [t]akte 1/2008