Chansons Secrètes

for soprano, flute, viola and harp

subtitle

Secret Songs

year of composition

2017

duration

ca 35'

text

Chansons Secrètes was commissioned by Muziekcentrum De Bijloke in Ghent in 2017, for performance at the “I had a Dream” festival in 2018. The work consists of a prologue, five songs based on the original (uncensored) poems “Les Chansons Secrètes de Bilitis” by Pierre Louÿs, four solo cadenzas for the various musicians and an epilogue. A sensual, erotic atmosphere pervades both the poems and the music. The five songs:... la pluie chaude de mon désir... ... dans la nuit...... d'abord je n'ai pas répondu...... un divertissement...... un cri de souffrance... Revue Blanche performed the premiere of this work together with choreographer-dancer Frauke Mariën in March 2018 at De Bijloke in Ghent.

instrumentation

Flute (also Alto flute), Soprano, Harp, Viola

first performance date

22.03.2018

first performance place

De Bijloke, Ghent (BE)

first performance by

Revue Blanche (4 musicians) and Frauke Maria Mariën (choreography and dance)

commissioned by

commissioned by Music Centre De Bijloke, Ghent (BE)