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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