Johann Paul Aegidius Martini

Plaisir d'Amour

Plaisir d'Amour (The Joys of Love), orchestrated by Hector Berlioz, originated as a romance composed in 1784 by Jean-Paul-Égide Martini (1741-1816), a song that became one of the most enduring melodies of the late 18th century, a bittersweet refrain contrasting fleeting pleasure with lasting sorrow. Deeply embedded in French popular and salon culture, Plaisir d'Amour was frequently sung and adapted across generations. Hector Berlioz (1803-1869), ever attentive to the expressive potential of earlier French music, later orchestrated the song in the mid-19th century. Today Plaisir d'Amour remains a beloved classic of French song, and Berlioz's orchestral version occupies a special niche in the repertoire. Instrumentation: 2.0.2.0: 2.0.0.0: Str (9.8.7.6.5 in set): Solo Bar. The parts are reprints of the original 1859 publication of the Berlioz orchestration, while the score has been further edited by Charles Malherbe and Felix Weingartner. The original French text, along with German and English translations, are included in the score.