The symphonic poem at its zenith
The idea of telling a story with the support of notes alone may be as old as the art of music itself. The frequent use of the same motif, varied over a changing accompaniment, might evoke the adventures of a specific character, presented sometimes in turmoil, sometimes in tranquillity. An acceleration in tempo would mark the arrival of a new incident in the story; a decrease in volume would indicate a moment of contemplation. Universal though we might consider the language of music to be, our understanding of it nevertheless depends on the listener’s recognition of elements drawn by the composer from the nature or culture of his or her time. For example, the minor mode might be associated with feelings of sadness and melancholy, a common-time motif beaten out by a snare drum with the advance of a column of soldiers, a glissando with the fall of an object, an imitation of birdsong with a woodland atmosphere, and so on.
CD Aux étoiles. French Symphonic Poems (2023). Translation: Charles Johnston.
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Aux étoiles. French Symphonic Poems
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publication date : 05/02/25