Bruit d'un Coeur
Lawrence Axelrod
About this work:
Though many people know Rilke’s amazing contribution to poetry from his German texts, fewer know about the wealth of poetry he wrote in French. While some of the French poems are not as good as those in German, the best certainly equal their German counterparts.
The themes and images of Rilke’s poems are similar in both French and German, leading to idiosyncratic use of certain words and unusual expressions. However, the simpler construction of the French language makes these poems less dense and more accessible than those in German. Here, I chose four short poems which speak to the wisdom, movement, and frailty of our hearts.
This is the third composition in which I have used Rilke in French. The first was Anges et Déesses (Angels and Goddesses) for mezzo and string quartet. The second is Saisons (Seasons) for tenor and chamber orchestra.
Year composed: 2014
Duration: 09:00:60
Ensemble type: Voice, Solo or With Chamber or Jazz Ensemble:Solo Voice with Keyboard
Instrumentation: 1 Piano, 1 Baritone