LA VOIX RECONNUE, Cycle After Verlaine, Sop, Ten, Ensemble

Harold Blumenfeld

About this work:
LA VOIX RECONNUE [A Voice Recalled]: a life cycle of eight VERLAINE poems gleaned from poet's "La Bonne chanson" and "Sagesse". Set in French for tenor, soprano, chamber orchestra: flute & alto flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn; 2 perc, celesta; 4 viola, 3 cello, 1 bass... Former pub. MMB Music, now closed. Published by COMPOSER: blumenf@wustl.edu score: $85... SOUND BITE: Text and translation, Poems I and VIII, text framing entire cycle--- "ECOUTEZ LA CHANSON BIEN DOUCE Harken to the soothing song QUI NE PLEURE QUE POUR TE PLAIRE. Which weeps only to please you. ELLE EST DISCRETE, ELLE EST LEGERE: It is discreet, it is light UN FRISSON D'EAU SUR DE LA MOUSSE! A shimmering of water upon moss.... ELLE DIT, LA VOIX RECONNUE, It says, a voice recalled, QUE LA BONTE C'EST NOTRE VIE, That goodness is our life, QUE DE LA HAINE ET DE L'ENVIE That of hatred and of envy RIEN NE RESTE, LA MORT VENUE.. Nothing remains, once death is come.." (translation by composer)........ Incipits for the eight poems: I: Ecoutez la chanson bien douce.... II: La lune blanche luit dans les bois.... III: L'ocean sonore.... IV: Avant que tu ne t'en ailles.... V: Les sanglots long des violons d'automne.... VI: L'ombre des arbres dans la riviere embrumee.... VII: Un grand sommeil noir tombe sur ma vie.... VIII: Ecoutez la chanson bien douce.... Premiere sung St Louis 1980 by Carolee Coombs, soprano, Dennis Sheppard, tenor, with Washington University instrumental ensemble, composer conducting. Archival recording. Cycle encompasses some of most poignant and famed of Verlaine's lines.
Year composed: 1980
Duration: 00:24:00
Ensemble type: Voice, Solo or With Chamber or Jazz Ensemble:Two or more Solo Voices with Large Chamber/Jazz Ensemble (10 +)
Instrumentation: 1 Flute, 1 Oboe, 1 Clarinet, 1 Bassoon, 1 Horn in F, 2 Percussion (General), 1 Celesta, 4 Viola, 3 Cello, 1 Double bass, ,1 Soprano soloist(s), ,1 Tenor soloist(s)
Instrumentation notes: A life cycle of wondrous Verlaine poetry, scored for soprano and tenor with chamber orchestra: flute and alto fl, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, 2 percussion, celesta, strings: 0-0-4-3-1 is best; or else 0-0-2-1-1.

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