Romantiques: Trois poemes pour voix et piano. (Voice).

Romantiques: Trois poemes pour voix et piano. (Voice). Romantiques: Trois poemes pour voix et piano, by Andre Jolivet. Gerard Billaudot, Paris, distributed by Theodore Presser Co., (588 N. Gulph Rd., King of Prussia King of Prussia,industrialized suburban area (1990 pop. 18,406), Montgomery co., SE Pa. It has glass and steel fabricating, food processing, printing and publishing, and varied manufacturing (textiles, liquified petroleum gas, water-treatment and electrical , PA 19406), 2000. 20 pp., $14.95. Difficult. Andre Jolivet (1905-1974) is known primarily for his instrumental compositions, but has little reputation in the contemporary vocal world. For years his songs have been difficult to find, but recently the French publisher Gerard Billaudot has reissued a number of these early songs, distributed in the United States United States,officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. through Theodore Presser. Just the past year, Presser released Romantiques. Composed in the mid-1930s when Jolivet was exploring his most adventurous compositional techniques, these songs are based on poems by three rather obscure poets (one in translation from the original Spanish), all contemporaries of Jolivet. They are drawn from a volume of poems published in 1936 entitled "Romantiques," hence the name of the song set. Jolivet was a member of the French avant-garde composer group known as "La jeune France" (which included Massiaen), and was influenced musically by Schonberg, Stravinsky, and especially by his teacher, Edgard Varese. Jolivet delved deeply into mathematics, philosophy and "the primordial forces that regulate the Universe." His many interests included the leading artistic and literary movements of his day, and his songs clearly reflect these diverse interests and influences. The early songs considered here employ techniques of percussive per��cus��sive?adj.Of, relating to, or characterized by percussion.per��cussive��ly adv. rhythm, sound masses and non-serial atonality atonality(ā'tōnăl`ĭtē), in music, systematic avoidance of harmonic or melodic reference to tonal centers (see key). The term is used to designate a method of composition in which the composer has deliberately rejected the that Jolivet learned from Varese. Open fifths, fourths and tritones, modality and whole-tone scales abound. Meter changes frequently; accidentals are profuse pro��fuse?adj.1. Plentiful; copious.2. Giving or given freely and abundantly; extravagant: were profuse in their compliments. . Vocally, these songs are very demanding, requiring of the singer a soprano voice of extended range and dynamic flexibility, a keen sense of pitch, the ability to conquer atonal a��ton��al?adj. MusicLacking a tonal center or key; characterized by atonality.a��tonal��ly adv. melodic lines, and an affinity for producing vocal colors and linguistic nuance. Not surprisingly, the songs also demand a virtuoso pianist. Despite the complicated musical language, Jolivet has created here a distinctive and appealing sound palate to illuminate the intense moods of these equally complicated surrealist poems. Each poem depicts an image of some aspect of existence (Life, Death and Eternity) in vivid, stream-of-consciousness word pictures. The three songs, taken together, provide a quasi "cycle" of contemplations on life. * "La vie est plate," poem by Robert Boudry (four minutes). Vocal range: D-[flat.sub.4]-G-[sharp.sub.5]; Tessitura tes��si��tu��ra?n.The prevailing range of a vocal or instrumental part, within which most of the tones lie.[Italian, from Latin text : middle voice. This somber poem depicting life as "flat like the belly of a violin" is accompanied by strumming open-chord clusters and rhythms reminiscent of a banjo banjo,stringed musical instrument, with a body resembling a tambourine. The banjo consists of a hoop over which a skin membrane is stretched; it has a long, often fretted neck and four to nine strings, which are plucked with a pick or the fingers. ; it is the least difficult of the three. * Marche funebre," poem by Georges Ribemont-Dessagines (three minutes). Vocal range: [C.sub.4]-A-[flat.sub.5]; Tessitura: upper middle voice with some sustained passages at the upper passaggio. Percussive rhythm and pointillist poin��til��lism?n.A postimpressionist school of painting exemplified by Georges Seurat and his followers in late 19th-century France, characterized by the application of paint in small dots and brush strokes. effects propel this chant-like song depicting death as a beautiful woman marching on a road of bleached bones; difficult intervals, many sevenths and ninths. * "Voyage imaginaire," poem by Vicente Huidobro (four minutes). Vocal range; [C.sub.4]- [B.sub.5]; Tessitura: high, most disjunct dis��junct?adj.1. Characterized by separation.2. Music Relating to progression by intervals larger than major seconds.3. vocal line of the set; requires a pp high B at the endearly. This beautiful poem depicts a voyage into the "space" of eternity, with lovely images of renewal and understanding; most difficult song of the set. If you revel in new and compelling song literature, Jolivet's Romantiques are fine examples of an important eclectic style period of twentieth-century music and a project well worth the effort. Karen Peeler, Worthington, Ohio.