Havanaise Variee (Theme populaire), VWV 1019 (C Major) [Mezzo-Soprano or Alto Voice and Piano]

Pauline Viardot-Garcia (1821-1910) came from an entirely musical family and is credited with influencing many of the greatest composers of the 19th century with her encouragement and weekly salon concerts. A great vocalist, she performed in many of the great roles of the era. And while an accomplished performer, she also wrote many compositions, though her friends found it exceedingly difficult to persuade her to let them hear what she had written despite their quality, the only explanation for which is that this admirable artist had a horror of publicity. The HAVANAISE VARIEE: THÈME POPULAIRE was originally published in 1880 as the seventh and final song in the collection Six Melodies et Une Havanaise Variee a 2 Voix. "Havanaise" is the French equivalent of the Spanish "habanera," a slow syncopated Cuban dance in duple meter. "Theme Populaire" indicates that it was based on a popular melody of some sort. And the word "variee" refers to the variations of the music Viardot provided as this seduction song progresses. Recently, this HAVANAISE has become popular through recordings, videos, and live performances of the mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, and this edition by Michael Kaye puts the work in the lower key of C, reflecting the mezzo-soprano range in which Viardot herself was most comfortable.