Description

Mel Bonis (1858–1937) was born into a modest Parisian family. As a child, her musical talent was reluctantly supported by her family after her teacher – César Franck – convinced them to allow her to study at the Paris Conservatoire. She was never able to complete her studies as her parents ordered her into a marriage with a music-averse businessman, which resulted in a prolonged break from composing as she became burdened by the domestic expectations placed upon her. 

Several years later, she returned to composing and wrote over 300 musical works. Almost all of her compositions were published during her lifetime, a testament to the high regard she was held in as a musician.

Mélisande, inspired by the character created by poet Maurice Maeterlinck, is one of the nine works by the Bonis that explore extraordinary destinies. She notably marked it as “my favorite” in her manuscript catalog next to the title of the piece. 

Bonis skillfully captures Mélisande’s delicate and ethereal nature, as well as her shifting and unpredictable moods. The melodies are often broken into short, expressive fragments that follow an erratic and capricious path. This unpredictability is driven by changes in tessitura and frequent tempo shifts. It mirrors the symbols Maeterlinck associates with the character, such as her flowing hair, water, and doves.