Bourgault-Ducoudray - Rhapsodie cambodgienne (1882)

Rhapsodie cambodgienne (1882)

1. Introduction - Légende [0:00]
2. Fête des eaux [8:39]

An orchestral work by French composer Louis-Albert Bourgault-Ducoudray (1840-1910). Winner of the 1862 Prix de Rome, Bourgault-Ducoudray became interested in the folk music of different cultures. While he compiled numerous folk-songs from his native region of Brittany, he was also fascinated by musics of Central and East Asia, and his own compositions reflect these interests. For instance, his opera "Tamara" is set in Baku, Azerbaijan. In 1878, he was appointed a professor at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he often championed contemporary Russian music, particularly that of Balakirev and the Mighty Handful. Bourgault-Ducoudray's 1882 "Rhapsodie cambodgienne" (Cambodian Rhapsody) is subtitled "Khénh Préavossa", or "The Feast of Water" in the Khmer language. In the introduction, the earth-god Préa Thorni addresses the water-god Préa Congkéar, begging him to restore fertility to the flood-stricken land. In the second movement, the inhabitants of the land celebrate as the floodwaters withdraw and the harvest is miraculously recovered.

Conductor: Adriano
Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra