Poèmes pour Mi
| Poèmes pour Mi | |
|---|---|
| Song cycle by Olivier Messiaen | |
 The Dauphiné, a region that inspired the author | |
| Text | Poems by the composer |
| Language | French |
| Composed | 1936–1937 |
| Dedication | Claire Delbos |
| Duration | 32 min |
| Movements | 9 |
| Scoring |
|
Poèmes pour Mi (Poems for Mi) is a song cycle for dramatic soprano and piano or orchestra by Olivier Messiaen, composed in 1936 to 1937 and dedicated to the composer's first wife, Claire Delbos. The text are poems by the composer.
History
Messiaen composed the work in 1936 to 1937, setting his own poems. He dedicated it to his first wife, Claire Delbos,[1] a violinist and composer.[2] It is one of three major song cycles, with Harawi and Chants de Terre et de Ciel, and the only one which he also orchestrated. In this work, the rhythmic language uses very irregular durations, and certain processes dear to the author: added values, added points, non-downgradable rhythms, rhythmic canons, plus some borrowings from Greek metrics and Hindu rhythmics. The "Mi" syllable of the title is a word of affection, imitating a diminutive, and the nickname of the dedicatee.
The first performance of the orchestra version took place at the salle Gaveau in Paris on 4 June 1937. The soprano Marcelle Bunlet[3] was accompanied by the orchestra of the Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, conducted by Roger Désormière.[1]
Text structure and scoring
In his poems, Messian paraphrases verses from the New Testament in "surrealist poetry". The poems can be seen as depicting first a couple's spiritual struggle, then their journey together.[2]
- Action de grâces
- Paysage
- La Maison
- Épouvante
- L'épouse
- Ta voix
- Les deux guerriers
- Le collier
- Prière exaucée
The work is scored for soprano solo, four flutes, three oboes (also Cor Anglais), two clarinets, three bassoons, four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, percussion (three players) and strings. the duration is given as 32 minutes.[1]
Recordings
- Piano version: Lise Arseguet,[4] with Messian at the piano
- Françoise Pollet, Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez, Deutsche Grammophon
- Piano version: Maria Oràn,[5] with pianist Yvonne Loriod. (Erato Records, 1988)
References
- ^ a b c "Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) / Poèmes pour Mi (1936-1937) / pour grand soprano dramatique et orchestre" (in French). French National Library. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ a b Schmid, Rebecca. "From our Repertoire: Messiaen's "Poèmes pour Mi"" (in French). French National Library. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ Marcelle Bunlet on BnF
- ^ Lise Arseguet on BnF
- ^ Maria Oràn on BnF
External links
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
