Durey, Louis (1919): Chansons basques pour voix et piano, op. 23 — Falk/Schleiermacher

Composer: Louis Edmond Durey (27 May 1888 – 3 July 1979) Lyricist: Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) Baritone: Holger Falk (born 197?) Pianist: Steffen Schleiermacher (born 3 May 1960) This video is dedicated to my dear friend Lorenzo. Copyright 1929 by La sirène musicale [Max Eschig — Durand/Salabert/Eschig] 29 Bᵈ Malesherbes, Paris VIIIᵉ Tous droits d'exécution et de reproduction réservés pour tous pays. Chansons basques Basque Songs (op. 23, 1919) for voice and string quartet version for voice and piano 0:00 — Introduction 0:10 — i. Prière (Prayer). Modéré sans lenteur 1:46 — ii. Polka. Vif et très rythmé 2:22 — iii. Attelage (Hitch). Lent Score available from the International Music Score Library Project The close collaboration between the great Surrealist jester and the 'elder' of Les six was exemplified through various vocal works (such as the cantata Le Printemps au fond de la mer:    • Durey, Louis (1920): Le Printemps au fond ...  ), amongst the most famous being these Chansons basques. The second song, the jaunty Polka, contrasts from its preceding meditative Prière (however both are 'tonal and sober'), followed by yet another contrast with the Attelage. Each of the songs are played in direct sequence. In the summer of 1919, the composer and lyricist, accompanied by the former's brother Pierre (the songs’ dedicatee), spent a holiday in the hamlet of Ahusquy (in Aussurucq, New Aquitania). These travels were not merely for leisure but also to renew their artistic productivity. Durey transcribed some folk airs which would form the bases of the sequence. When Durey informed Cocteau about his sketches, he wrote two short poems which were later transformed into the first two movements. Upon returning to Paris, the Attelage was written 'on one of the poems he brought back from our trip'. He then realised an arrangement accompanied by string quartet (or oboe, clarinet, English horn and bassoon) from the piano sketches. Durey's self-described 'heartfelt style' permeates throughout. Regarding the third, Durey wrote the following in his personal catalogue: "In the last, the meaning might seem obscure were it not for the title 'Attelage'. A scene of working oxen in their traditional harness, covered by a sort of rug, crowned by their yokes, their saliva flowing, foaming, from their mouths to the ground. [...] The accompaniment to the third, more elaborate, atonal, unwinds the wreath of two melodic parts in counterpoint above a constant, weighty bass evoking the slow and heavy tread of the two animals." (tr. Isabelle Battioni) The artist held his final song in particular pride: many specialists concur that it is the set's finest - a 'masterpiece in miniature' and one of his best mélodies. It is furthermore notable that Cocteau's poems, written specifically for this project, are otherwise unpublished. Owing to Durey's demure artistic nature, publication would only occur in 1927. Selon la description de cette chaîne, je ne possède rien dans cette vidéo. La musique et ses interprétations ont été téléchargées exclusivement et entièrement à des fins de divulgation et de diffusion de l'intérêt pour la musique et les arts. As per the description of this channel, I do not own anything within this video. The music and performances have been uploaded exclusively and entirely for the purposes of divulgation and spreading interest in music and the arts.