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Ô saisons, ô châteaux
II - Conneries (Stupidities)
for Soprano, String Quartet and Electronic keyboards
To Poems by Arthur Rimbaud
(full cycle duration circa 15 minutes)
Text: II - Conneries (Stupidities)
Casquette
De moiré,
Quéquette
D’ivoire,
Toilette
Très noire,
Paul guette
L’armoire,
Projette
Languette
Sur poire,
S’apprête
Baguette,
Et foire.
Al. Godillot, Gambier,
Galopeau, Volf-Pleyel,
- Ô Robinets! – Menier,
- Ô Christs! – Leperdriel!
Kinck, Jacob, Bonbonnel!
Veuillot, Tropmann, Augier!
Gill, Mendès, Manuel,
Guido Gonin! – Panier
Des Grâces! L’Hérissé!
Cirages onctueux!
Pains vieux, spiritueux!
Aveugles! – ouis, qui sait?
Sergents de ville, Enghiens
Cez soi! – Soyons chrétiens!
Pouacre
Boit:
Nacre
Voit:
Âcre
Loi,
Fiacre
Choit!
Femme
Tombe:
Lombe
Saigne:
- Clame!
Geigne.
English Translation:
Silky
Cap
Ivory
Chap
In sober
Suit
Paul eyes the
Brute
Tongue
In cheeks’
Abodes
Aims
Full-cock
-Explodes.
Al. Godillot, Gambier,
Galopeau, Volf-Pleyel,
- O Taps! – Menier,
You Christs! – Leperdriel!
Kinck, Jacob, Bonbonnel!
Veuillot, Tropmann, Augier!
Gill, Mendès, Manuel,
Guido Gonin! – Basket
Of Graces! L’Hérissé!
Oily waxes!
Old bread, spirits!
Blind! – but who knows?
Policemen, Your Own Spa Cure
At home! – Act like Christians!
Drunk
Skunk
Stars
Sees.
Harsh
Law:
Coach
Trees.
Girl
Hurled,
Much
Blood.
Boo
Hoo!
Note:
The poetry of Arthur Rimbaud has long fascinated me, and this is not the first time I’ve set his poems. The innate symbolism that permeates every sentence is manna from heaven to me – as my own music is steeped in symbolism. Ô saisons, ô châteaux sets Rimbaud’s famous poem of the same name as well as a nonsense poem and another from his equally well-known Illuminations.
As an aside, the sound of the glass harmonica has always fascinated me ever since I heard a recording of Mozart’s famous Adagio and Rondo. There is an inevitable beguiling enchantment this extraordinary instrument creates. However, this instrument is seriously limited in what it can do and it takes something extra to make it ‘virtuoso’. Fortunately, the use of modern day sound sampling means that one can create a ‘virtual’ virtuoso glass harmonica. The pianist plays a keyboard which now sounds like a vast instrument that Mozart would surely have adored!
The first song alludes to feelings of nostalgia and life changes, yet inhabits a labyrinthine maze where one is constantly trying to discover the truth. The music is derived from Rameau’s opera Castor and Pollux (all about the Gemini twins). It is the funeral music, where one twin knows he has to live without the other – and inevitably gains strength from it. Hence the baroque nature of the music. The text of the second setting of nonsense verse reveals an essential element: the inevitable ridiculousness that people apply to ‘names’. This song is my homage to those inspiring masters. The final song is all about the importance and relevance of friendship above all things, and is thus set simply and directly.
© Paul Max Edlin 2009
This is a live recording of the world premiere given in April 2009 by the soprano Olga Pasichnyk with the Silesian Quartet and Maciej Grzybowski. Grateful thanks to Olga Pasichnyk for granting permission to make this recording available on Soundcloud.
- Genre
- Voice and Ensemble