Meditation from ThaïsJules Massenet1rank/position

Jules Massenet – Meditation from Thais for Violin and Piano

A celebrated piece by the French Romantic composer Jules Massenet.

This beautiful intermezzo from the opera Thaïs was written for solo violin and orchestra.

Premiered at the Paris Opéra in 1894, the work expresses the spiritual awakening of a courtesan named Thaïs.

It has been performed by many artists and exists in arrangements for various instruments.

Massenet himself arranged it as an Ave Maria in 1894.

It is also popular as background music for graduation ceremonies; its gentle, beautiful melody is perfect for scenes celebrating new beginnings.

Evoking a moving atmosphere, this work is well suited to mark the start of graduates’ new lives.

The Promised LandJules Massenet2rank/position

Jules Massenet – La Terre Promise Oratorio [After The Vulgate] (1897-99)

Jules Massenet, the French composer known for having many celebrated operas and for the frequently performed Méditation from Thaïs with its beautiful violin solo, also wrote several oratorios.

This oratorio is based on the episode in which the God of the Old Testament promises a land to the people of Israel.

It opens with an overture of grand and tragic character.

The work is a three-part oratorio with a French libretto based on Sylvestre de Sacy’s French translation of the Vulgate Bible.

Méditation from the opera ThaïsJules Massenet3rank/position

Massenet: Méditation from Thaïs

Known as the violin solo masterpiece Méditation from Thaïs, this piece is an intermezzo from the opera Thaïs by the French composer Jules Massenet.

In opera, not only overtures and arias but also intermezzi like this can become famous; another well-known example is the Intermezzo from Cavalleria rusticana.

The secret to this piece’s popularity lies in the violin’s beautiful, delicate melody and the fact that, as a solo, it’s actually relatively approachable to play, making it a staple in the repertoire of many violinists.

Even those unfamiliar with the opera Thaïs often know this piece, so why not explore the rest of Thaïs starting from this work?

Méditation from the opera ThaïsJules Massenet4rank/position

Méditation from Thaïs

Here is a piece composed by the French composer Jules Massenet, born in 1842.

It was written as an intermezzo between Scene 1 and Scene 2 of Act II in the opera Thaïs, which premiered in 1894.

Although the piece was created with a religious connotation, its sweet, characteristically French melody possesses a different kind of charm from what is generally considered religious music.

Also popular as a violin solo, this famous piece is likely one that even those who are not classical music fans have heard at least once.

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Hirakawa Masako (Bōkarisuto: Sakata Mizumako)

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MeditationJules Massenet5rank/position

Meditation de Thaïs — Thaïs Meditation — Violin Fuminori Shinozaki

It is the intermezzo between Scenes 1 and 2 of Act II of the opera Thaïs, originally performed by orchestra with a solo violin.

Known as a staple encore piece, it also exists in arrangements for instruments other than the violin, and is frequently performed by soloists on cello, flute, euphonium, and trumpet.

Autumn ThoughtsJules Massenet6rank/position

Blandine Staskiewicz – Massenet – Pensée d’automne

The French composer Jules Massenet was highly acclaimed for his operatic works.

Born in 1842, he wrote more than 30 operas, leaving masterpieces such as Manon and Werther.

His 1888 song Pensée d’automne (Autumn Thought) explores themes of autumnal stillness and melancholy.

Based on a poem by Armand Silvestre, the piece delicately expresses longing for lost love and nostalgia for days gone by.

With a piano accompaniment that lends a sentimental color and vividly evokes autumnal scenes, it is a piece well suited for a quiet, reflective autumn night.