Nadia Boulanger Et Lili Boulanger

A student of Gabriel Faur̩ and Louis Verne at the Paris Conservatoire Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979) owes her aura to an exceptional teaching career spanning nearly 75 years during which she trained the most illustrious musicians from Copland to Glass not to forget Bernstein or Gardiner. In the past few years her creative work long considered negligible has finally been escaping from oblivion thanks to the untiring work of the Centre Nadia et Lili Boulanger directed by Alexandra Laederich. It is at her instigation that the publication of Nadia Boulanger's songs has continued in chronological order: after a first collection (HA 9725)devoted to the youthful works brought out during her lifetime by the publisher Hamelle the second volume presented here exclusively features unpublished works. First of all it contains three Romantic m̩lodies in German on poems by Heine Рa surprising choice given that the composer felt more attracted by Symbolist poetry. This is attested to by the other songs in the collection on verses by Paul Verlaine Maurice Maeterlinck and Georges Delaquys three poets who were part of the literary pantheon of Nadia and her sister Lili. One will discover treasures of refinement and sensitivity in their musical settings.

Lili Boulanger was the sister of the famous teacher Nadia Boulanger who taught Aaron Copland Elliott Carter and Philip Glass amongst others. She was a composer for the last 10 years of her tragically short life - she died at 25 - and her music stands in the main line of French music exemplified by Faure somewhat tinged with the influence of Debussy's Impressionism. It is generally beautiful delicately coloured and touching. These challenging 'Two Pieces for Violin and Piano' exemplify these qualities. The Nocturne begins sparsely with bare octave figures wound about with a theme built from a repetitive rise-and-fall figure. As the texture become thickerthe violin becomes more virtuosic and begins to climb. There is no harmonic resolution until the final ppp note in the top register which is answered by an low octave from the piano. The Cortege is more lively without being fast. Shifting rhythmic accents tricky runs and contrasting dynamics make this an exciting piece.

Par BOULANGER NADIA. Élève de Gabriel Fauré et Louis Verne au Conservatoire national, Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979) tient son aura d?une exceptionnelle carrière de pédagogue qui l?a conduite pendant près de 75 ans former les plus illustres musiciens, de Copland Glasssans oublier Bernstein ou Gardiner. Son ?uvre créatrice, longtemps jugée négligeable, sort depuis quelques années de l?oubli gr ce l?infatigable travail du Centre Nadia et Lili Boulanger, dirigé par Alexandra Laederich. C?est son instigation que se poursuit la publication des mélodies de Nadia Boulanger selon un ordre chronologique : après un premier recueil consacré aux ?uvres de jeunesse parues de son vivant chez l?éditeur Hamelle, le second volume, iciprésenté, rassemble exclusivement des inédits. Il recèle tout d?abord trois mélodies romantiques en allemand sur des poèmes de Heine un choix étonnant car la compositrice se sentait plutôt attirée par la poésie symboliste, comme en témoignent lesautres mélodies du recueil, écrites sur des vers de Paul Verlaine, Maurice Maeterlinck et Georges Delaquys trois auteurs qui faisaient partie du panthéon littéraire de Nadia et de sa s?ur Lili. On trouvera dans leur mise en musique des trésors definesse et de sensibilité. / Date parution : 2024-02-16/ Recueil / Voix Moyenne et Piano

Two songs -selected for the Lili and Nadia Boulanger Voice-Piano Competition 2019 - by the French composer music critic and theatre director Louis Beydts. Version for high voice.