L'Enfance du Christ : Note Perfect, Learn the Notes for Choral Music the Easy Way

L'Enfance du Christ, (The Childhood of Christ) Opus 25

L'enfance du Christ is an oratorio loosely based on the Holy Family's flight into Egypt to escape the wrath of King Herod who killed all the males 2 years or younger in Bethlehem. (Matthew 2:13) Berlioz wrote the libretto. It also incorporates an earlier work La fuite en Egypte (1850).

Listen to samples selected from Berlioz L'Enfance du Christ Rehearsal Aids.

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Part 1. Le Songe d'Hérode (Herod's Dream)
1.0 Narrator (Tenor)
Dans le crèche, en ce temps
At this time Jesus Christ was born

Scene 1: Marche nocturne (Nocturnal March)
1.1 Centurion (Tenor) Polydorus (Bass)
Qui vient? / Rome
Who’s there? / Roman

Scene 2: Air d'Hérode (Song of Herod)
1.2 Herod (Bass)
Toujours ce rêve!
That dream still haunts me

Scene 3:
1.3 Polydorus, Herod
Seigneur! / Lâches, tremblez!
Oh, Sire! / Coward, avaunt.

Scene 4: Hérode et les Devins (Herod and the Soothsayers)
1.4.1 Herod, 10 Basses
Les sages de Judée
The wise men of Judea

1.4.2 Les Devins font des évolutions
Cabalistic processions

1.4.3 Herod Soothsayers (Tenors and Basses)
La voix ddit vrai, Seigneur
Now thou hast heard the truth

Scene 5: L'étable de Bethléem (The manger in Bethlehem)
1.5 Mary (Soprano) Joseph (Baritone)
O mon cher fils
Sweet holy babe

Scene 6:
1.6 Mary, Joseph Angels (10 Sopranos and 10 Altos)
Joseph! Marie!
Joseph! Mary!

Part 2. La fuite en Egypte (The Flight to Egypt)

2.1 Ouverture

2.2 Choir
Il sen va loin de la terre
Must thou bid farewell

2.3 Narrator Choir (Sopranos and Altos)
Le repos de la sainte famille
The repose of the Holy Family

Part 3. L'arrivée à Saïs (The Arrival at Saïs)

Track 1 3.0 Narrator:
Depuis trois jours
Now three whole days

Scene 1: L'intérieur da la ville de Saïs (Inside the town of Saïs)
3.1 Mary, Joseph, Choir (Basses)
Dans cette ville immense
In this enormous city

Scene 2: L'intérieur de le naison des Ismaélites (Inside the Ishmaelites' house)
3.2.1a Ishmaelite Father (Bass)
Etrez, pauvres Hébreux!
Come in! poor wanderers

3.2.1b (from bar 26) Ishmaelite Father, Choir
Grand Dieu
Oh sorrow!

3.2.2 Trio for two flutes and harp

3.2.3 Ishmaelite Father, Mary, Joseph, Choir
Vous pleurez, jeune mère
Thou art weeping, young mother

3.3.1 Narrator
Ce fut ainsi que par un infidèle
And thus it came to pass

Scene 2:
3.3.2 Narrator Choir
O mon âme
Oh. my spirit

It is scored for Soloist and Choir