Starting at the dialogue before “Et je sais votre nom”

Duet from Manon by Jules Massenet

Massenet perfectly captures the French style of opera in Manon. One of the best
examples in the opera is the duet between Manon Lescaut and Des Grieux. They find each other
at the end of act one as they are departing for different destinations. Once they see each other, the
duet begins. Contrary to other French opera, there is quite a bit of dialogue in this scene. It is
underscored with a theme that will be returned for the two singers but further into the piece.
It is Des Grieux that initiates the singing conversation with Manon. This is not a
recitative section as one might expect. The music is very through composed. Even though the
two are singing together they are maintaining a lyrical line. However, Massenet creates a syllabic
phrase with in the lyric line.
The theme that was played at the beginning is reintroduced again and again. Overtaking
the atmosphere with its long phrases. It is constructed by moving stepwise with a big emphasis
on the strong beat. There is a feeling of fluidity among the sixteenth notes that ornament the
scene and the musical idea altogether. The two continue conversing with each other in their
melodic lines that are extremely conversational. It is not long before Massenet starts to double
Des Grieux and the orchestra. Massenet does this to emphasis the love Des Grieux has for
Manon. He also does this to emphasis the melodic line. It is not long until the doubling ends,
bringing in a new section for the lovers.
This new section is brought in with a meter change. The meter is now in twelve-eight,
which Massenet does to provide a measure for Des Griuex to have a declamatory phrase. This
phrase is unlike what the tenor has sung thus far in the duet. It is very syllabic as it is declarative.
He sings it over a suspended F major chord in second inversion. Towards the end of the phrase
Des Grieux lands on a fermata, which is setting the drama between the two. There is also tension
in this as it is carried over into the previous musical idea. The orchestra picks up where the
characters left off, and the scene carries onward with the lyrical lines.
At this point in the scene, the two are given one phrase to express their love for one
another using their name. Massenet composes this line in a downward, stepwise motion. This is
to capture the idea of a sigh of love for the other character. After their loving sigh phrases, the
two sing together in harmony. Des Grieux takes the melody for the few measures that they sing
together. There is only an alteration of a major second, but it feels as a little melodic line. This is
contrary to Manon’s line which is only one repeated note. This was composed to create the
feeling of infatuation for Des Grieux. They will sometimes be very dissonant in their harmony
with only a major second being in between them. It is important to mention that the orchestra is
doubling them during this small phrase.
Once they cut off from the harmony section, they sing together in unison on a C.
Underneath them is a very fluid ascension in the scale by violins in the orchestra. Massenet is
clearly ornamenting the scene by providing a texture of wind like patterns. It is almost as if
Massenet is wanting to show that they are sweeping each other off one another’s feet. The music
takes a brief pause on a fermata, where there is nothing but silence. Then Des Grieux sings
acapella, with a change in meter to three four. After he sings Massenet sets a melodic idea in the
orchestra that is then doubled by Manon as she responds to Des Grieux.
The following section is extremely conversational between the two. There is a
continuation of the same musical ideas, but there are more instances of vocal phrases
unaccompanied. The orchestration is clearly just an addition to the drama of the scene. There is
no melody between the orchestra and the characters. The scene is much more focused on the
drama rather than a melody. It is not long thought that the drama gets more intense. Des Grieux
is now singing a more dramatic, declamatory phrase. The orchestration emphasizes this by
pulsating chords on the off beats of the measure. This highlights the vocal line and the emphasis
on Des Grieux text.
There is now a common characteristic of simplification shared throughout the ensemble.
Manon is now responding to Des Grieux dramatic line but with a contrary idea. She moves more
stepwise; however, the rate of which she moves is completely different from the way Des Grieux
moved. He stayed on one note for a couple of beats, with syllabic phrases. It’s the pitch variance
that separates the two characters in this section. The orchestration is also significantly less
complex. There are octave quarter notes repeated on every beat of the common time section.
However, there is a melodic line being played in the lower instruments of the orchestra.
This next section gets complex very quickly. It is drastically different than the previous in
its harmonic structure. The main harmonic structure is presented in the bass line, with thicker
chords. There is also a more rhythmically complex treble part. The vocal line is sung over this
section in a less complicated manner, as the majority of it is on one note. After long high F sung
by Des Griuex, the orchestra starts a new idea of pulsating eighth notes. This plays a significant
role for the tenor, as he is now singing the beginning of his phrases on one note followed by an
ascension upward. The orchestration doubles him in this section which emphasizes the melodic
line.
This is continued and shared between the two characters. It is not long until there is a
heavy shift in the music with complexity. First, there is a meter change to the complex meter of
nine-eight. Second, the orchestration gets incredibly complex with more chromaticism and
syncopations. This also requires a larger sound for the orchestra to convey the thought that
Massenet wants to bring across. This is followed by the two characters singing in unison as they
end this section.
The duet is very categorical, meaning the way it is laid out in its sections. These sections
are then brought back by Massenet whenever he feels it is necessary to bring them back
Massenet does this for the dramatism by which he composes. He composes with a sense of
realism rather than focusing on the separation of music and text.
With that in mind there are a few pages that are filled with similar sections to the
beginning of the opera. They are conversational with highlights from the orchestra. A new
section is added when the two characters start getting excited about Paris. The two start the
section by singing adjacent to one another, it is only when they sing together do they sing in
unison. This is section is followed by more conversation, and then a repeat of their unison vocal
lines. There is an addition to this section which is tremolos. They are there to enhance the sense
of excitement of the two characters.
As they are departing for Paris, they hear the three women singing off stage. They have a
faster, syllabic line that is sung in harmonies generally a third apart. There is also dialogue that
happens between Manon and Des Grieux while the women are singing off stage. There is some
exchange in the vocal line between the two lovers, that plays to the dramatism of the scene. Then
there is a repeat of the trio of women singing. Once they hear this again they make the solidified
decision to go to Paris. Manon has a deep thought before she goes, but she looks past it and
decides to live life by pleasure. Massenet conveys this idea by having her finish the duet on a
high A, and then joined by Des Grieux as they conclude the section on a high B flat. They do this
over a roaring orchestra that continues to play to the next scene. Manon is composed so that there
is a natural flow into the next scene without any stopping.
 Throughout this scene the audience can hear characteristics indicative to Massenet’s
compositional style. The whole scene is based off of a sense of realism, and the dramatism found
within it. It is this main compositional idea that influences the entirety of the music. There are
not necessarily any extremes, it is all reserved for the climatic sections. That is what Massenet
captures so well in this scene, is his reservation for drama

Hartmann. Pages 92-110. IMSLP.