Blog Post Title One

Lili Boulanger first competed in the internationally acclaimed Prix de Rome competition in 1912, but withdrew before the final round due to chronic illness. She was encouraged to apply again by her sister, Nadia Boulanger. So, at 19 years of age, she wrote Faust et Hélène for Soprano, Tenor, Bass and Large Orchestra over four weeks, in a villa with no piano, as required for the final round of the competition. With this work, she became the first woman to win. Lili Boulanger is often considered one of the great tragedies in classical music because her music was gaining much success and momentum, but she died when she was only 24.

In the Suite, many of the main themes are included from the first major sections of the original work. Generally speaking, the Oboe plays much of the material from the role of Faust, while the English Horn performs the roles of both Méphistophélès and Hélène. The Piano takes the role of the rather large orchestra employed by Boulanger. This arrangement concludes at the end of the major climactic love duet between Faust and Hélène and before the story takes a downward turn.