Méditation from "Thaïs"

Jules Émile Frédéric Massenet (12 May 1842 – 13 August 1912) was a French composer of the Romantic era best known for his operas, of which he wrote more than thirty. He also composed oratorios, ballets, orchestral works, incidental music, piano pieces, songs and other music.

He composed only a few organ works, but since many students at the Conservatoire went on to substantial careers as church organists. With that in mind Massenet enrolled for organ classes, but they were not a success and he quickly abandoned the instrument.

Like many prominent French composers of the period, Massenet became a professor at the Conservatoire. He taught composition there from 1878 until 1896, when he resigned after the death of the director, Ambroise Thomas. Among his students were Gustave Charpentier, Ernest Chausson, Reynaldo Hahn and Gabriel Pierné.

By the time of his death, Massenet was regarded by many critics as old-fashioned and unadventurous although his two best-known operas remained popular in France and abroad. After a few decades of neglect, his works began to be favorably reassessed during the mid-20th century, and many of them have since been staged and recorded. Although critics do not rank him among the handful of outstanding operatic geniuses such as Mozart, Verdi and Wagner, his operas are now widely accepted as well-crafted and intelligent products of the Belle Époque.

The "Méditation from the opera "Thaïs" is certainly one of Massenet's most famous works. Based upon the "purity" of the music, I always assumed that Thaïs was a simple peasant girl praying in the temple. Well, that's NOT it! Please see the First Comment for more information and a link.

In short, she was a prostitute who liked to start fires...

The fine transcription was done by English organist, Alfred J. Silver (1870-1935). He is known for his own organ and choral works, as well as for his excellent transcriptions.

The score is below as well as photos of Massenet & paintings of Thaïs.