Subject: "Tableau of a Bladder Operation" (Post from the Past)

Back in Feb., 2003, I posted this thread:

Subject: "Tableau of a Bladder Operation"
Written By: SammyReed on 02/23/03 at 06:55 p.m.

I understand this is really coming in out of nowhere, but I wonder if anyone could post the complete English text of Marin Marais' "Tableau of a Bladder Operation". It's a classical music piece, written in 1725, with words written describing a gall-bladder operation!  :o

Subject: Re: "Tableau of a Bladder Operation"
Written By: Klarissa on 02/23/03 at 07:18 p.m.

http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/exclusives/record_collection/# (Note: This is now in the hall of the "no longer actives" - Sam)

I don't know if that will help any. It's under the third banner and under "For the Kids" It's about the third or forth song down.

Ciao,
Klaire
Subject: Re: "Tableau of a Bladder Operation"
Written By: SammyReed on 02/24/03 at 10:39 a.m.

    That's funny - I just discovered this site a few days ago, and that's how I learned about this thing. (Actually, I have a "Recorded Detailman" 78 talking about Enzypan on side 1, but side 2 of mine is an instrumental classical number that is different.)
    I tried to look up information on Yahoo search, and I found out some stuff about it, but I couldn't find the text of the words.
    Anyway, what I found out is: It's a French composition called "Le Tableau de L'operation de la Taille". It's a musical piece with words written for someone to speak while the music is playing. The words talk in detail about a gall-bladder operation. (In the early 1700's, mind you. I'd say that wasn't pretty stuff.) Then there's another composition talking about the recovery.
    I was going to put a link to that site, but thanks, Klarissa, for saving me the trouble. I'd like to write about how I have my own copy of a couple of radio jingle records excerpted there, but that'll have to wait for another topic, I guess.
Subject: Re: "Tableau of a Bladder Operation"
Written By: Klarissa on 02/24/03 at 11:35 a.m.

The whole thing is really funny!

Now, are the words in English or French? I also have to ask: what purpose did this serve? Was it to be done in a concert hall or a medical lecture?

Ciao,
Klaire
Subject: Re: "Tableau of a Bladder Operation"
Written By: SammyReed on 02/24/03 at 06:41 p.m.

    The words were in French. Marais was a classical music composer, and aside from the usual instrumental fare, he wrote "character pieces" such as this one, meant to evoke emotion from the listener.
    Sometimes when it's performed, the narrator speaks the words with such emotion as someone having the operation done on them. It has been rumored that Marais had a gall-bladder operation without anesthetic, which inspired this composition. The song is about 4 minutes long to go along with how long the operation lasted.
    It was meant to be performed in concert halls just as any other classical music piece.
    Anyway, since the "Dave's Record Collection" site only has a few-second clip of this thing, I'd like to know what all of it said.
I'm happy to tell you that I have found a Norgine Labs record containing "Tableau of a Lithotomy", or bladder operation, posted online! You can hear it here:
http://www.ubu.com/outsiders/365/2007/097.shtml