FemaleComposers:TheirLivesandMusic4-2
Instructor:Cathrine Blom
Fall2017
Marie-JulietteOlga(Lili)Boulanger(1893-1918)
FrenchcomposerofmainlychoralworkswithpianoandorchestraFirstfemalecomposertowintheFrenchPrixdeRome
Lili hadweakhealth.Shewasdiagnosedwith“intestinaltuberculosis”(Crohn’s disease) inchildhood
Childprodigy.Atfive,satinonclasses onmusictheoryattheFrenchConservatory.Studiedorgan.Playedcello,violin,andharp.Studiedcompositionwith,amongothers,FaureandGeorgesCaussade
Motherarrangedmusicalsoirées. Guests includedCharlesGounod,JulesMassenet,Théodore Dubois,GabrielFauré,andCamilleSaint-Saëns
Mother:Russian“princess!!”andsinger,born1854?Father:Frenchcomposer,voiceteacher,born1815
Firstworkfrom1910(at17).Composedabout30works,mainlychoral.
WonPrixtheRomein1913(at19)withthecantataFaustetHélèneadaptedfromGoethe’sFaustII.
PrixdeRome: oneweekofisolation inthePalais deCompiègne towriteachoralworkandafugue.Then,inonemonth,writeapianoscoreandanorchestratedscorebasedonagiventext.
Nadiaandsixyear-youngerLili
YoungersisterofNadiaBoulanger(1887-1979),acomposer,conductor,andpianoteacher.NadiaandLili wereveryclose.
PrixdeRomefinalists,1913
FaustAh!Hélène! Hélène!
HélèneParl'effort d'unvouloir sublimeQuim'arrache à monlourd sommeil ?Quimeranime ?
FaustL'éternel désir ô Divinité,Omiracleéternel degrâceetdebeauté!
HélèneBeauté fatale,quidéchaîne auterrestre séjour!LaHaine!
FaustAh!Hélène!Hélène!
HélèneBytheeffortofasublimewillThattearsmefrommyheavysleep?Whorevivesme?
FaustTheeternaldesireDivinity,Oeternalmiracleofgraceandbeauty!
HélèneFatalbeauty,whichunleashestheterrestrialsojourn!TheHate!
FaustetHélène
FaustEtquifaittriompher l'amour!Hélène, indifférent aublâme,Sourd à lavoix duciel quis'attristait sur moi,Jet'ai voulue etj'ai donné monâmeAuxtourments del'EnferPourunbaiser detoi!
HélèneOui,celui quim'aimeSemontre sanspitié pourautrui,Pourlui-même!J'ai souffert etj'ai faitsouffrirL'orgueil douloureux demes charmesAsemé,dans ledeuil deslarmes,Lamortetjen'ai pu mourir.Monâme errantsur leDésirVit toujours,mais moncœur repose.
FaustAndthatmakes lovetriumph!Hélène, indifferenttoblame,Deaftothevoiceofheaventhatsaddenedme,IwantedyouandIgavemysoulTothetormentsofHellForakissfromyou!
HélèneYes,hewholovesmeshowshimselfwithoutpityforothers,Forhimself!IsufferedandmadesufferThepainfulprideofmycharmsSowed,inmourningfortears,DeathandIcouldnotdie.MysoulwanderingonDesirelivesforever,butmyheartrests.
Nemeforcepasà rouvrir,Insensé,mapaupière close.
FaustIls expiraient dans unsourire,Tous ceux qu'ont éblouis lesregardsdetes yeux!Que jevoie uninstantleur doubleétoile luire,Jemourrai debonheur comme eux!
HélèneNon,non,plusdevictimes!
FaustJet'aime,sois à moi!
HélèneFol amour!Espoir vain!
Donotforcemetoreopen,Fool,myeyelidclosed.
FaustTheyexhaledwithasmile,Allthosewhodazzledtheeyesofyoureyes!Letmeseeforamomenttheirdoublestarshine,Ishalldieofhappiness likethem!
HélèneNo,no,nomorevictims!
FaustIloveyou,bemine!
HélèneStupidlove!Hopevain!
N'ajoutons pasunnouveaucrimeà d'ancienscrimes.L'Amour est maudit !
FaustL'Amour est divin,Hélène!Nete souviens plusdupasséquipleure.Rappelle-toi l'heureOù tu t'enivrais del'ardent baiser.
HélèneJevis!Jerenais!
FaustRappelle-toi!
HélèneQuel feumedévore!
Let'snotaddanewcrimetooldcrimes.Loveiscursed!
FaustLoveisdivine,Hélène! Donotrememberthecryingpast.RememberthehourWhereyouwouldgetdrunkwiththeardentkiss.
HélèneIlive!Iamreborn!
FaustRemember!
HélèneWhatfiredevoursme!
Jevis !Jerenais!L'amour faitencorepalpiter machairsousl'ardent baiser!
FaustNete souviens plusdupasséquipleure.
HélèneQuel feumedévore!Jevis!Jerenais!
FaustRappelle-toi l'heur!Rappelle-toi!Amourquim'enfièvres,Flammes dudésir,Joignez nos deux lèvres pourlesembraser!Amourquim'enfièvres,Brûlante flamme.
Ilive!Ireborn!Lovestillpulsatesmyfleshundertheburningkiss!
FaustDonotrememberthepastthatweeps.
HélèneWhatfiredevoursme!Ilive!Ireborn!
FaustRememberthetime! Remember!Lovethatfeedsme,Flamesofdesire,Joinourtwolipstosetthemonfire!Lovethatfeedsme,Burningflame.
FaustetHélèneObrûlante flamme,Ah!Joignez nos deux lèvres pourlesembraserJoignez nos deux lèvres,Joignez nos deux lèvres pourlesembraser!
HélèneJesens,Dieu d'amourS'embraser monâme,Moncorpssebriser.
FaustAh!
HélèneetFaustAh!Jet'aime!
Faust andHélèneOburningflame,Ah!JoinourtwoburninglipsembracingJoinourtwolips,Joinourtwoburninglipsembracing!
HélèneIfeel,GodofloveShinemysoul,Mybodybreak.
FaustAh!
Faustand HélèneAh!Iloveyou!
1911-18 Opera LaprincesseMaleine
unfinished
1912 Vocal Leretour (Laneflégère)
forvoice/chorusandpiano
1912 Vocal Attente forvoiceandpiano
1912 Choral Lesoir forchorusandpiano/orchestra,unfinished
1912 Choral Hymneausoleil formezzo-soprano,chorusandpiano
1912 Choral Soird’été forchorusandpiano/orchestra,unfinished
1912 Choral Lasource forchorusandpiano/orchestra
1912 Choral Latempête forchorusandpiano/orchestra
1912-13 Choral Pourlesfunéraillesd’unsoldat
forbaritone,chorusandpiano
1912-13 Choral Deuxfuguesàquatrevoix
forchorus acappella
1913 Vocal Soirsurlaplaine forsoprano,tenor,chorusandpiano
1913 Vocal FaustetHélène cantataformezzo-soprano,tenor,baritoneandorchestra
1914 Piano •3MorceauxD’unvieuxjardin•D’unjardinclair•Cortège
1914-17? Choral Vieilleprièrebouddhique
fortenor,chorusandorchestra
1914-17 Choral PsaumeCXXX. Dufonddel’abîme
foralto,tenor,chorus,organandorchestra
1915-16 Vocal Clairièresdansleciel fortenorandpiano
1916 Vocal Dansl’immensetristesse
forvoiceandpiano
1916 Choral PsaumeXXIV. Laterreappartientàl’Éternel
fortenor,chorus,organandorchestra
1917-18 Flute/Violin D’unmatindeprintemps
forflute/violinandpiano/orchestra
1917-18 Violin/Cello D’unsoirtriste forviolin/celloandpiano/orchestra
1918 Vocal/Chamber PieJesu forsoprano,stringquartet,harpandorgan
FromthedepthsoftheabyssIcry,YahwehAdonai.Hearmyprayer!MayyourearsbeattentiveTothesoundsofmyprayer.IfyouweretotakeoursinsintoaccountWhocouldwithstandthem,Yahweh?ForgivenessisinYahwehAndsoheisrevered.Mysoulplaces itshopeinYahweh,Ihope,IcountonyourwordMorethanthenightwatchmenLongforthemorning.
IsraelplacesitshopeinYahweh,ForinYahwehismercy,AndthefullnessofredemptionItishewhowilldeliverIsraelFromallheriniquities.InYahwehismercy.Ah!YahwehAdonai.
Psalm130
DedicatedtothememoryofherfatherandthevictimsofWWI
Impressionism coinedafterClaudeMonet’spainting:Impression,soleil levant
Applyingpaintinsmalltouchesofpurecolorratherthanbroaderstrokes,andpaintingoutofdoorstocatchaparticularfleetingimpressionofcolorandlight.
Impressionisminmusic:
“Conveyingthemoodsandemotionsarousedbythesubjectratherthanadetailedtone-picture”.
Achievedbytimbre,i.e.,orchestration,harmonies,lackoftonalcenter,oldmodes,exoticscales, fleetingmusicalcharacter,noforms.Examples:Debussy,Faure,Satie,Boulanger
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