Songs from ''Les Misérables''

Les Misérables is a sung-through musical based on the novel Les Misérables by French poet and novelist Victor Hugo. Premiering in Paris in 1980, it has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, original French lyrics by Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, with an English-language libretto by Herbert Kretzmer. The London production has run continuously since October 1985 – the longest-running musical in the West End and the second longest-running musical in the world.

Performance

There have been several recordings of this material, including ones by the original London cast and original Broadway cast. However, no recording contains the entire performance of songs, score and spoken parts as featured on stage; The Complete Symphonic Recording comes closest, but a pair of songs that were cut from the show following the initial London run, as well as one song only present in the Original French Concept Album, are not included.

Characters

The characters who sing solos or duets are:

Songs

Prologue

Overture / Work Song

The "Overture" is the opening song and a dramatic instrumental introduction that establishes the setting as Toulon, France, 1815. The "Work Song" flows from the "Overture", the former opening with a choir of imprisoned men singing a melody later used in "Look Down" but eventually becoming a dark duet between the prisoner Jean Valjean and the guard Javert. In early versions, such as in the Original London Recording, the "Overture" was essentially just a minor version of the beginning of "At the End of the Day," but is now almost exclusively played with part of the same melody as the "Work Song" and "Look Down".

French Versions

On Parole

"On Parole" is the second song in the Prologue.

French Versions

Valjean Arrested, Valjean Forgiven

The song contains two parts, the first in which Valjean is invited in by the Bishop and steals the silver, the second, where Valjean is caught by two constables. The former is often cut out of recordings. When the both parts are played, the song is usually known as "The Bishop of Digne".

French Versions

Valjean's Soliloquy – What Have I Done?

"What Have I Done?" is the fourth and final song in the Prologue, sung by the main character, Jean Valjean.

French Versions

Act I

At the End of the Day

The music of "At the End of the Day" is fast and intricate, with different melodies coinciding as sung by various groups of poor women and men, female workers, solos by certain workers, and repetitious instrumentation.

French Versions

I Dreamed a Dream

"I Dreamed a Dream" is a solo sung by Fantine during the first act and the play's most famous number. Most of the music is soft and melancholic, but towards the end becomes louder and taut with frustration and anguish as she cries aloud about the wretched state of her life and her unfair mistreatment.

Other uses

French Versions

Lovely Ladies

"Lovely Ladies" is a song from the first act. It is followed by "Fantine's Arrest" and sometimes the two are counted as one song. Fantine, now unemployed, wanders to the docks where she eventually turns to prostitution to survive.

French Versions

Fantine's Arrest

"Fantine's Arrest" is a song from the first act. It follows "Lovely Ladies" (the two are sometimes counted as one song). Valjean's appearance in the song is sometimes referred to as "Valjean's Intervention". This song is followed by "The Runaway Cart".

French Versions

The Runaway Cart

"The Runaway Cart" is a song from the first act, divided into two parts. The chorus, Fauchelevent, and Valjean sing the first with instrumental parts. Valjean sings the second one and Javert on a medium-paced tune often picked up by Javert or other policemen (first sung in "Valjean Arrested, Valjean Forgiven"). The song is cut heavily or left completely out in most recordings. It is known in the School Edition as "The Cart Crash".

French Versions

Who Am I? – The Trial

"Who Am I?" is a song from the first act, a solo sung by the main character Jean Valjean. It is rather slow-paced, and shares a melody with Valjean's solo in "One Day More," as well as the ten-years-later sequence after the Prologue.

French Versions

Fantine's Death

"Fantine's Death", also known as "Come to Me", is a song from the first act. It is followed by "The Confrontation". It is slow-paced and the tune is very soft. It has the same melody as the more famous "On My Own".

French Versions

The Confrontation

The main opposing characters Jean Valjean and Javert sing "The Confrontation". It follows "Come to Me" and is followed by "Castle on a Cloud". The song is low and slow-paced. The instrumentation behind the vocals is the same as in the "Work Song", the melody partly also picks up that song. The song's highlight is Javert and Valjean singing in counterpoint, with the lead alternating.

French Versions

Castle On A Cloud

"Castle on a Cloud" is a solo for the part of young Cosette. She sings about a castle where she does not have to sweep floors and a lady all in white looks after her. It is followed by a tag that breaks away from the main melody, involving the first entrance of Mme Thénardier, which is cut from many recordings. Mme Thénardier verbally abuses Cosette, orders her to fetch some water from a well, praises her daughter young Éponine (a silent role), and again refers to Cosette (after Éponine points to her to show she did not leave), warning that she never asks twice.

French Versions

Master of the House

"Master of the House" is one of the better-known songs of the musical and one that provides comic relief. It introduces the Thénardiers and the crooked way that they operate their inn. The song is preceded by a lengthy introduction sung largely by regulars at the inn and Thénardier himself, which is cut from almost all recordings.

French Versions

The Well Scene

"The Well Scene" is sung by Valjean and Young Cosette. Cosette is walking alone in the woods with a bucket of water. Valjean arrives and Cosette sees him. Valjean tells her to not be afraid. He asks for her name and Cosette tells him. He takes the bucket for her and walks her back to the inn. (only in the new video production in 2013)

The Bargain / The Waltz of Treachery

"The Bargain" and "The Waltz of Treachery" are two intertwined songs. Much of the number is often cut from recordings. The latter part of "The Waltz of Treachery" is largely instrumental. It flows directly into "Look Down".

French Versions

Suddenly

"Suddenly" is a song created for the 2012 film. The song "explains what happens when Valjean takes Cosette from the inn and looks after her".[6] The song appears only on Les Misérables: Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack.

Look Down

"Look Down", sometimes referred to as "Paris: 1832", or in the School Edition as "The Beggars", involves one of the best-known themes in the musical, imitating that which is first heard in the "Work Song". It is important for plot, introducing Gavroche, Enjolras, Marius, the adolescent Éponine, the adolescent Cosette, and the plight of the working poor; it flows directly into "The Robbery". The song comes after "Stars" in the Original London Recording and the 2012 film.

French Versions

The Robbery / Javert's Intervention

"The Robbery" is a lesser-known song from the musical. The young adults Eponine, Marius, and Cosette are introduced (though Cosette's part in the scene is silent). Marius and Cosette bump into each other and fall in love at first sight. Thénardier attempts to rob Jean Valjean, whereupon realizing Valjean is the one "who borrowed Cosette," a brawl breaks out. Éponine cries out as Javert arrives on the scene, (a segment of the song commonly known as "Javert's Intervention") but, because Javert does not immediately recognise Valjean, the latter escapes; Thénardier then convinces Javert to let him go and pursue Valjean instead.

French Versions

Stars

"Stars" is one of the two chief songs performed as a solo by Javert. It is among the better-known songs from the musical. It comes before "Look Down" in the Original London Version and the 2012 film.

French Versions

Éponine's Errand

"Éponine's Errand" is an important scene in the show in which Marius asks Éponine to discover where Cosette lives and then take him to her. It is clear that Éponine is reluctant to encourage the brewing romance between Marius and Cosette, but because of her love for Marius, she cooperates. The first part follows the same melody as L'un vers l'autre (Towards One Another), a solo for Éponine that appeared on the original concept album but did not make it to the current version. This tune appears throughout the show.

French Versions

The ABC Café – Red and Black

"The ABC Café – Red and Black", on most recordings referred to as simply "Red and Black", introduces the group of young student revolutionaries, who have formed an organization called the Friends of the ABC. The song name is a mixture from the Café Musain, which was their favourite meeting place in the book and their name, "La Société des Amis de l'ABC" (literally in English, the Society of Friends of the ABC). The name is a pun, as in French "ABC" when pronounced one letter at a time is "abaissé", which is also the word for "lower" (therefore, "Friends of the Lower Class or the Poor"). The song consists of many different changing parts. The song involves a tag, in which Gavroche enters and announces to the students that General Lamarque is dead; Enjolras then sings a solo about how this is a sign for the beginning of the revolution, transitioning directly into "Do You Hear the People Sing?"

French Versions

Do You Hear the People Sing?

"Do You Hear the People Sing?" is one of the principal and most recognizable songs from the musical, sometimes (especially in various translated versions of the play) called "The People's Song". A stirring anthem, it is sung twice: once at the end of the first act, and once at the end of the musical's Finale. Instrumentally, the theme is also prominent in the battle scenes. In the 2012 movie, it is performed after "One Day More".

At the special Les Misérables 10th Anniversary Concert in 1995, "Do You Hear the People Sing?" was sung as an encore by seventeen different actors who had played Jean Valjean around the world. Each actor sang a line of the song in his own language (except for Jerzy Jeszke, who being Polish himself sung a line in German as he'd performed the role of Valjean in Germany), and the languages sung including French, German, Japanese, Hungarian, Swedish, Polish, Dutch, Norwegian, Czech, Danish, Icelandic and English.

French Versions

Rue Plumet – In My Life

"Rue Plumet – In My Life", referred to on most recordings as simply "In My Life", is among the better-known songs from the musical. It largely involves a duet between Cosette and Valjean, though Marius and Éponine also sing near the end. In the Original London recording alone, it plays alongside a Cosette solo, "I Saw Him Once", (Te souviens-tu du premier jour ? in the original 1980 French production) cut out of all other recordings.

French Versions

A Heart Full of Love

"A Heart Full of Love" is sung by Cosette, Marius, and Éponine, immediately following "In My Life".

French Versions

The Attack on Rue Plumet

"The Attack on Rue Plumet" is a three-part song, the first part of which plays in only two recordings: a long version in the 1980 Original French recording and a much-shortened version only on the Complete Symphonic Recording and added into the beginning of "The Attack on Rue Plumet". The second is best known and is played in all recordings while the third is again more important for plot than music. On the London Original Cast recording, it is called the "Plumet Attack". Éponine, bringing Marius to Valjean's house to see Cosette, stumbles upon her father Thénardier and his gang Patron-Minette preparing to rob the house; Éponine screams, dispersing the robbers, while Valjean is led to believe that Javert or his minions have discovered his whereabouts at last, and so prepares to leave at once with Cosette.

French Versions

One Day More

"One Day More" is a choral piece with many solos: all of the main characters (except for Fantine and The Bishop - both of whom have died by this point) sing in it in a counterpoint style known as dramatic quodlibet, as well as parts by the ensemble. It is the finale to Act 1. The song borrows themes from several songs from the first act.

Each character sings his/her part to a different melody at the same time (counterpoint), before joining for the final chorus:

Other uses

The song was used by Bill Clinton in his successful 1992 campaign for the presidency of the United States.[7] Another version was used by Barack Obama supporters during his successful 2008 election campaign. It was also used as a finale to the 25th Anniversary concert of Les Misérables at The O2, sung by the OLC with Ramin Karimloo singing the part of Enjolras.

French Versions

Act II

Upon These Stones – Building the Barricade

"Building the Barricade" is the entr'acte of the musical and features a new music theme, which transitions into Éponine's appearance at the barricade, and her sung dialogue with Marius and later with Valjean as she passes to him a letter from Marius intended for Cosette. It is often cut out of recordings in part or completely. On the Complete Symphonic Recording, this song is mislabelled "At the Barricade".

French Versions

On My Own

"On My Own" is a solo part for Éponine. The refrain of the song is the same tune as that of "Fantine's Death (Come to Me)", although it adds a bridge and the tune of the verses are different. Beginning in the key of D, modulating to B♭ (even though the song does not actually change key), then ending in F, this is her most important song. In the film adaptation, the song comes after A Heart Full of Love and before One Day More.

Other uses

"On My Own" has appeared in many famous events outside of Les Misérables, for example:

French Versions

Upon These Stones – At the Barricade

"At the Barricade", also called "Back at the Barricade", begins with an instrumental reprise of the "Red and Black" and a sung reprise of the "Upon These Stones" musical themes. It is also the first of the two times that a National Guardsmen sings a warning to the revolutionaries. On the Complete Symphonic Recording, this song is mislabelled "Building the Barricade".

French Versions

Javert's Arrival

"Javert's Arrival" or "Javert's Return" involves Javert's return to the barricade to report on the enemy's plans; however, he is interrupted by Gavroche's exposing him as a spy in "Little People".

French Versions

Little People

"Little People" begins as Gavroche proudly and merrily uncovers Javert's identity as an undercover police inspector.

Versions

The Original London Recording included a much longer version sung by Gavroche, sung in the first act, between "Look Down" and "Red and Black." This original version was related to Gavroche being able to be useful even though small, rather than the uncovering of Javert. For later versions of the musical, the song was halved to its current length. Gavroche's gleeful uncovering of Javert is sung to an entirely different melody, already used in the Original French Version and is much shorter, before leading to the musical bit that was left in.

French Versions

A Little Fall of Rain

"A Little Fall of Rain" is the song of Éponine's death. It features Marius and Éponine, the eldest daughter of the Thénardiers, as she tells him that she loves him and dies in his arms. Marius's reaction to her death in the musical is quite different from that in the novel; in the book, Marius does not really care much about Éponine, whereas in the musical they are portrayed as best friends, and he and his fellow students mourn her death, "fighting in her name", Marius being quite devastated by his best friend's death, even crying while holding her in his arms, and refusing to let go when his fellow students try to take her body away, and refusing the comfort of Enjolras, and continuing to cry over his best friend being gone forever. The title lyric is often misinterpreted; she thinks she is wet because of rain, Marius sees it's blood from her wound(s) that's "everywhere".

French Versions

Night of Anguish

"Night of Anguish" is a musical interlude scene. The exact definition of this song and the following are hazy; sometimes the few lines following Éponine's death are named "Night of Anguish", sometimes it is the scene directly after the first attack that includes the dialogue between Valjean and Javert, that receives this name.

French Versions

The First Attack

"The First Attack" begins as a largely instrumental number with only some short lines of singing; there also several lines shouted by revolutionaries during the attack. Depending on the definition of the song, it includes the scene in which Valjean sets Javert free. This scene, even though musically relatively uninteresting, is very important for the plot.

French Versions

Drink with Me

"Drink with Me" is the revolutionaries' mellow song as night falls and they await their enemy's retaliation.

French Versions

Bring Him Home

Valjean begs God to save and return Marius to Cosette. In a documentary on the Blu-ray of the film adaptation, Claude-Michel Schönberg revealed that the song was written specifically for Colm Wilkinson.[9]

French Versions

Dawn of Anguish

"Dawn of Anguish" is another minor interlude in which Enjolras and the revolutionaries come to the realisation that the people of Paris are not joining their revolution. Without the masses rising up to support them, they accept that the uprising's failure is inevitable and so Enjolras tells all the women and fathers of children to return to their homes, since they will only die if they remain at the barricades.

French Versions

The Second Attack

"The Second Attack" or "Death of Gavroche" is important to the plot. Gavroche runs into the enemy line of fire to retrieve ammunition for the revolutionaries, but is killed during a reprise of his "Little People" solo.

James Fenton had written another song for Gavroche's death, called "Ten Little Bullets", using the melody of Gavroche's solo in "Look Down".[10] The song did not make it past recordings, probably not even there. Only the Broadway Revival version restarted using it in 2006.

French Versions

The Final Battle

"The Final Battle" is a mostly instrumental number, often omitted from recordings. It repeats the first bar of the theme from "Do You Hear the People Sing?" with some variations and key changes, before erupting into a final reprise of the "Red and Black" theme, ending on a discordant chord instead of the major chord of that theme.

French Versions

The Sewers / Dog Eats Dog

"The Sewers" is mostly a lengthy completely instrumental reprise of "Bring Him Home", though it also incorporates "Dog Eats Dog", a solo performed by Thénardier. In it, Thénardier describes his robbing the dead bodies from the battle at the barricades and justifies his actions by saying that somebody has to "clean them up...as a service to the town". He also declares that God is dead and that the only thing looking down from the heavens is the harvest moon. It is one of the darkest songs of the musical.

The song was notably absent in the 2012 film adaptation, which instead featured a shorter chase-action sequence, scored primarily to "Look Down", in its place. The omission of the song allows Thénardier's character in the film to remain somewhat comical, though he is still shown in the sewers robbing dead bodies.

French Versions

Javert's Suicide

"Javert's Suicide" is the second and last chief song performed solely by Javert. It is preceded by a repeat of the beginning of "The Confrontation" theme (which is sometimes cut from recordings or incorporated into "The Sewers"), in which Valjean asks Javert for one hour to bring Marius to a hospital, a request to which Javert, this time, agrees. After Valjean leaves, Javert contemplates the paradox of hunting the man who has spared him his life; he proceeds to jump to his death in the river. The song is instrumentally an exact reprise of Valjean's Soliloquy, though sung by Javert with changed lyrics. Part of an instrumental from Stars is heard at the end of song as he is falling.

French Versions

Turning

"Turning" features the women of Paris mourning the loss of the students and their own hopeless cycles of childbirth and misery. It is set to the melody of "Lovely Ladies." It is also the only song in the musical not sung by a major character.

French Versions

Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

"Empty Chairs at Empty Tables" is a solo sung by the character Marius, who is mourning the death of all of his friends who were killed at the barricade. Part of it is to the tune of "The Bishop of Digne".

French Versions

Every Day

"Every Day" or "Marius and Cosette" is a two-part song sung by Cosette, Marius and Valjean. The second part is often known as "A Heart Full of Love (Reprise)". Gillenormand sings part of the song in the 2012 film.

French Versions

Valjean's Confession

"Valjean's Confession" is sung by Valjean and Marius. Though important for the plot, the music is more important as an introduction to "Who Am I?".

French Versions

The Wedding

"The Wedding" is a very brief song, also known as the "Wedding Chorale", and is sung by the guests on Cosette and Marius's wedding. The second part is a dialogue-heavy song that is often abridged or cut, sung by Marius and the Thénardiers. This part is sometimes called "The Waltz of Treachery (Reprise)" as it is sung to a similar melody.

French Versions

Beggars at the Feast

"Beggars at the Feast" is the second big musical number sung by the Thénardiers, in which they proclaim how through their treacherous ways they always manage to come out on top before waving the audience goodbye with the mocking line "When we're rich as Croesus, Jesus, won't we see you all in hell". It is a reprise of the "Master of the House" theme.

French Versions'

Epilogue

Valjean's Death

"Valjean's Death" is the penultimate (or last, depending on the song organization) musical number in Les Misérables. This and the "Finale", into which it flows without pause, are sometimes counted as one song. The combination is often known as "The Epilogue" (as the musical also has a Prologue). Fantine and Éponine come to welcome him into salvation. "Valjean's Death" borrows the tune from "On My Own", and towards the end, "Bring Him Home".

French Versions

Finale

"The Finale", also known as "Do You Hear the People Sing? (Reprise)", is the last song in the musical; it is often incorporated with "Valjean's Death" into a single track on recordings, simply entitled "Epilogue".

French Versions

Song appearances in recordings

Key

  •  – All or almost all of song included
  •  – Part of song included
  •  – Song excluded
Song Original London Recording Original Broadway Recording 10th Anniversary Recording Complete Symphonic Recording Original French Concept Album Paris Revival Recording School Edition[a] Motion picture (2012)[d]
Overture / Work Song
On Parole
Valjean Arrested, Valjean Forgiven
Valjean's Soliloquy (What Have I Done?)
At the End of the Day
I Dreamed a Dream
Lovely Ladies
Fantine's Arrest
The Runaway Cart
Who Am I?
Come to Me (Fantine's Death)
The Confrontation
Castle on a Cloud
Master of the House
Suddenly
The Bargain
The Waltz of Treachery
Look Down
The Robbery
Javert's Intervention
Little People (original)
Stars
Éponine's Errand
The ABC Café / Red and Black
Do You Hear the People Sing?
I Saw Him Once
In My Life
A Heart Full of Love
The Attack on Rue Plumet
One Day More
At the Barricade (Upon These Stones)
On My Own
Building the Barricade
Javert's Arrival
Little People
A Little Fall of Rain
Night of Anguish
The First Attack
Drink with Me
Bring Him Home
Dawn of Anguish
The Second Attack (Death of Gavroche) [b]
The Final Battle
The Sewers
Dog Eats Dog
Javert's Suicide
Turning
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
Every Day
Valjean's Confession
Suddenly (Reprise)
The Wedding Chorale [c]
Beggars at the Feast
Valjean's Death
Finale

Notes

References

  1. ↑ "I Dreamed a Dream". discogs.com. Retrieved 18 April 2009.
  2. ↑ "Aretha Franklin – I Dreamed A Dream – Clinton Inauguration". YouTube. 30 June 2007. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  3. ↑ "Scottish singer 'gobsmacked' by overnight stardom". CNN. 17 April 2009.
  4. ↑ "Week Ending April 25th 2009 – Chart Watch UK". New.uk.music.yahoo.com. 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  5. ↑ "Patti LuPone – I Dreamed A Dream". Chart Stats. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  6. ↑ "One Song More! Les Miz Film Will Have New Song and Live Singing; Cameron Mackintosh Reveals All". Playbill. 2012-02-08. Archived from the original on 2013-03-07. Retrieved 2013-01-28.
  7. ↑ "Moral Philosophy: The Musical passes an unexpected milestone". The Guardian. October 6, 2006.
  8. ↑ "Pilot: Featured Music". Fox. Archived from the original on 2010-01-26. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  9. ↑ Schönberg, Claude-Michel. The West End Connection (Blu-ray Disc). Universal Studios.
  10. ↑ Behr, Edward (1993). The Complete Book of Les Miserables. Arcade Publishing. ISBN 978-1-55970-156-3.
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