The Brickdust Man

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composer

Charles Dibdin (1745-1814)

1772; A Musical Dialogue; orchestrated by Roger Fiske and Peter Holman

author of text

Isaac Bickerstaffe (?1733-?1808)

The Brickdust Man and The Grenadier belong to a group of short 'musical dialogues' written by Dibdin in the 1770s for Sadler's Wells, then a summer resort outside London. Spoken plays were also forbidden at Sadler's Wells which specialised at the time in popular variety shows with dancing, conjuring, songs and aquatic displays designed to appeal to a middle-class audience. So they have recitative rather than dialogue, and in them the world of the commedia dell'arte is transformed into contemporary London. The scene of The Brickdust Man is a street in the West End of London, then a fashionable residential area. There are references to St Giles's Church (near the present Tottenham Court Road tube station) and Tyburn Road (now Oxford Street). It concerns John, a street trader who sells powdered brick (used as a scourer, for making rouge, and for several other purposes) and Molly, a milkmaid. They believe each other to have been unfaithful, and after Molly has sung a rage aria (another parody of the opera seria type), they are reconciled in a gentle and melodious duet.

The Brickdust Man et The Grenadier font partie d'un groupe de brefs 'dialogues musicaux' composés par Dibdin pendant les années 1770 pour Sadler's Wells, qui était alors une station estivale en dehors de Londres. Les pièces parlées étaient également interdites à Sadler's Wells qui se spécialisait à l'époque dans des spectacles de variétés populaires avec des danses, des prestidigitateurs, des chansons et des spectacles aquatiques calculés pour plaire à un public de la classe moyenne. Le récitatif remplace donc le dialogue et le monde de la commedia dell'arte est transporté dans le Londres contemporain. La scène de The Brickdust Man est une rue du West End de Londres, qui était alors un quartier résidentiel à la mode. Il y a des allusions à l'église de St Giles (près de la station de métro actuelle de Tottenham Court Road) et à Tyburn Road (maintenant Oxford Street). C'est l'histoire de John, vendeur des rues, qui offre de la brique pilée (utilisée comme poudre à récurer, pour la fabrication de fard à joues, etc) et de la laitière, Molly. Chacun croit que l'autre lui a été infidèle et Molly chante un air de rage (autre parodie du genre de l'opera seria), puis ils se réconcilient avec un duo doux et mélodieux.

extrait des notes rédigées par Peter Holman © 1992
Français: Madeleine Jay

The Brickdust Man und The Grenadier gehören einer Gruppe kurzer 'musikalischer Dialoge' an, die Dibdin in den 1770er Jahren für Sadler's Wells, in der damaligen Zeit eine Sommerfrische außerhalb Londons, schrieb. Stücke mit gesprochenen Rollen waren damals bei Saddler's Wells verpönt, das Theater war auf volkstümliche Varietés mit Tanz, Zauberkunst und Wassershows spezialisiert, die bei einem bürgerlichen Publikum viel Anklang fanden. Diese Operetten haben daher ein Rezitativ statt eines Dialogs, die Welt der commedia dell'arte ist in das damalige London verwandelt. The Brickdust Man spielt in einer Straße im West End, das damals eine vornehme Wohngegend war. Es werden Anspielungen auf die St. Giles Kirche (in der Nähe der heutigen U-Bahnstation Tottenham Court Station) und Tyburn Street (heute Oxford Street) gemacht. Die Oper handelt von John, einem Straßenhändler, der Ziegelmehl verkauft (das damals als Scheuermittel, Rouge und für allerart andere Zwecke verwendet wurde) verkauft und Molly, einer Melkerin. Sie sind von ihrer gegenseitigen Untreue überzeugt und nachdem Molly eine Zornarie gesungen hat (eine weitere Parodie auf die opera seria) findet die Versöhnung in einem zarten, melodiösen Duett statt.

aus dem Begleittext von Peter Holman © 1992
Deutsch: Eike Hibbett

Recordings

Dibdin: Ephesian Matron, Brickdust Man & Grenadier

Opera Restor'd, Peter Holman (conductor)

CDA66608Archive Service

‘Three delightful pocket operas’ (The Penguin Guide to Compact Discs)
‘An hour of unmitigated pleasure. Another splendid addition to Hyperion's English Orpheus series’ (Classic CD)» More

Details

No 1: Overture: Allegro – Gavotte

Opera Restor'd, Peter Holman (conductor)

Track 12 on CDA66608 [3'27] Archive Service

No 2. Air: I am a lad, by fortune's spright (John/Molly)

Kevin West (tenor), Yvonne Barclay (soprano), Opera Restor'd, Peter Holman (conductor)

Track 13 on CDA66608 [2'07] Archive Service

No 3. Air: Oh, Molly, I'm charmed when I come in your sight (John/Molly)

Kevin West (tenor), Yvonne Barclay (soprano), Opera Restor'd, Peter Holman (conductor)

Track 14 on CDA66608 [3'14] Archive Service

John: Oh, Molly, I'm charmed when I come in your sight,
Your neck than your milk is more soft and more white.
And the pails that you carry, though both made of tin,
Are less bright than your eyes and less smooth than your skin.
Both your trade and mine in your person I see:
Your lips and your cheeks with my brickdust agree.
So red is their colour — but oh! to my smart,
No brickbat was ever so hard as your heart!

Molly: Think not, base monkey, to cajole me so,
When at St Giles's church, full well you know,
Our banns were called above three months ago.
And if so be as how
We are not married now,
That was my fault, can you say?
Willing as the flowers in May!
What brought I this brass ring for, pray?
You came dressed out upon the day!
I too was dressed — a silly toad!
But, frightened at the man in black,
At the church door you turned your back,
And ran away down Tyburn Road.

No 4. Air: Get you gone, you nasty fellow! (Molly/John)

Yvonne Barclay (soprano), Kevin West (tenor), Opera Restor'd, Peter Holman (conductor)

Track 15 on CDA66608 [2'32] Archive Service

No 5. Air: In short, dearest Moll, you alone were in fault (John/Molly)

Kevin West (tenor), Yvonne Barclay (soprano), Opera Restor'd, Peter Holman (conductor)

Track 16 on CDA66608 [3'52] Archive Service

Air (Andantino): In short, dearest Moll, you alone were in fault:
Ill tongues put it into my head you were naught.
With Darby O'Shannon I heard you were seen
At the Three Jolly Topers on Bethnal Green.
And could I in honour accept of a heart
Where a great Irish chairman laid claim to a part?

Molly: Lord, John, as for that, you have no right to talk.
With Betty MacGregor you oft took a walk,
And at the Red Lion you did not much think
To treat her with hotpot as long as she'd drink.
You may coax me and turn the thing off with a laugh,
But I'll give her the whole since the hussy has half.

John: One day, having gotten a sup in my eye,
I frolicked with Betty, I cannot deny;
But if ever I touch her again, may I die.

Molly: And if with O'Shannon I went (put the case),
I was tipsy myself; but the very next place
I meet him, I'll give him a slap in the face.

No 6. Duet: Then let us agree (both)

Yvonne Barclay (soprano), Kevin West (tenor), Opera Restor'd, Peter Holman (conductor)

Track 17 on CDA66608 [1'01] Archive Service

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