VERLAINE ou la musique des mots
Chagas Circonspection
de Jaer Logique
Evrard Verlaine Mix
El Gammal Initium
Gérard Cavitri
List Rossignol
Rzewski Sagesse
Schell Sérénade.
Ensemble Kadéleis/Luc
Gérard (piano)
Cypres CYP4606
[73 min]
Cypres
An unusual CD which is, and will remain, unique. The Brussels-born composer,
accompaniment and choral director Luc Gérard (b 1962) brought
together eight contemporary composers (born between 1938 & 1967) for
a project around Verlaine, setting his poems freely in a variety of styles,
from 'languorous monotony' via 'trailing sobs' to the 'dizziness of romantic
love', with 'tremendous gaiety and the depths of despair'. Some of the
accompaniments are near minimalist and (probably) partly improvised; others
not far from cabaret & jazz. I could envisage this as a programme which
would be a great success as a late night event at Huddersfield or one of
the European contemporary music festivals.
Kadéleis, founded by Gérard in 1992, has been dedicated
to music going beyond ordinary concerts, working with theatre, but also going
back also Mozart, Strauss & Schonberg and seeking new ways to present
them. The players and most of the composers are Belgian, or with Belgian
connections, and they are personally acquainted with each other. Frederic
Rzewski was the only one known to me. The ensemble demonstrates in this project
the continuing evocative power of Paul Verlaine (1844-1896). They
have in Anne Horbach a singer to treasure, combining purity of tone and
intonation with needle sharp intonation and a range above the stave, which
would make for a Zerbinetta. The songs and poems are accompanied with great
subtlety on flute, cello, percussion and Luc Gérard at the piano.
The texts are given, but only in the original French. English versions of
a couple of them can be found in Emily
Ezust 's invaluable website
mindel@recmusic.org . The close,
intimate recording is perfect. Star rating is really not appropriate for
such an esoteric CD, but Verlaine enthusiasts and collectors of the unusual
would do well to check it out.
Peter Grahame Woolf
| |
| La lune blanche |
The white moon |
| luit dans les bois. |
shines in the woods. |
| De chaque branche |
From each branch |
| part une voix |
springs a voice |
| sous la ramée. |
beneath the arbor. |
| O bien aimé[e].... |
Oh my beloved... |
|
|
| L'étang reflète, |
Like a deep mirror |
| profond miroir, |
the pond reflects |
| la silhouette |
the silhouette |
| du saule noir |
of the black willow |
| où le vent pleure. |
where the wind weeps. |
| Rêvons, c'est l'heure. |
Let us dream! It is the hour... |
|
|
| Un vaste et tendre |
A vast and tender |
| apaisement |
calm |
| semble descendre |
seems to descend |
| du firmament |
from a sky |
| que l'astre irise. |
made iridescent by the moon. |
| C'est l'heure exquise! |
It is the exquisite hour! |
| |
|
Translated to English by Grant A. Lewis
Chanson d'automne (Autumn song)
Text by Paul Verlaine (1844-1896)
| |
| Les sanglots longs |
The long sobs |
| Des violons |
of autumn's |
| De l'automne |
violins |
| Blessent mon coeur |
wound my heart |
| D'une langueur |
with a monotonous |
| Monotone. |
languor. |
|
|
| Tout suffocant |
Suffocating |
| Et blême, quand |
and pallid, when |
| Sonne l'heure. |
the clock strikes, |
| Je me souviens |
I remember |
| Des jours anciens, |
the days long past |
| Et je pleure... |
and I weep. |
|
|
| Et je m'en vais |
And I set off |
| Au vent mauvais |
in the rough wind |
| Qui m'emporte |
that carries me |
| De çà, de là, |
hither and thither |
| Pareil à la |
like a dead |
| Feuille morte... |
leaf. |
|
|
Translation to English copyright © 2000 by Peter Low
