Initium

Item details

• Description +

  • Duration: 9 min.
    
    Renaud François took inspiration from the famous French poet Paul Verlaine in his poem called Initium.
    
    Les violons mêlaient leur rire au chant des flûtes
    Et le bal tournoyait quand je la vis passer
    Avec ses cheveux blonds jouant sur les volutes
    De son oreille où mon Désir comme un baiser
    S’élançait et voulait lui parler, sans oser. 
    
    Cependant elle allait, et la mazurque lente
    La portait dans son rythme indolent comme un vers,
    Rime mélodieuse, image étincelante
    Et son âme d’enfant rayonnait à travers
    La sensuelle ampleur de ses yeux gris et verts. 
    
    Et depuis, ma Pensée - immobile - contemple
    Sa Splendeur évoquée, en adoration,
    Et dans son Souvenir, ainsi que dans un temple,
    Mon Amour entre, plein de superstition. 
    Et je crois que voici venir la Passion. 
    
    Paul Verlaine

• Instrumentation +

  • 2 Flutes
    2 Clarinets
    2 Violins
    1 Viola
    1 Violoncello
    Piano
    Voice
    
    Material on Hire, please contact the publisher.

• About the composer +

  • Renaud François (born in Paris in 1943) is a French composer, flutist and conductor.
    After obtaining a first prize of flute and also a first prize of chamber music from the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris, Renaud François became a professor at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Lyon and Director of l’Atelier de Musique Contemporaine du Conservatoire de Versailles.
    He has also taught composition and orchestration at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris assisting Paul Mefano.
    As a flute soloist, he premiered works by Mauricio Kagel, Paul Mefano, Alain Louvier, Georges Aperghis, Luciano Berio, etc. He has been associated with the most prestigious contemporary music ensembles as principal flutist (Musique Vivante, Domaine Musical and 2E2M of which he was also the artistic director).
    He founded the ensemble Contrastes, with which he performed worldwide as well as for the French television and radio.
    As a conductor, Renaud François premiered more than 30 works (Carlos Roque Alsina, André Boucourechliev, Xavier Darasse, Michel Decoust, Franco Donatoni, Paul Mefano, Mauricio Kagel, Claude Lefebvre, Jacques Rebotier, etc.).
    His many orchestral and chamber compositions (“Roseaux”, for flute and string orchestra; Concerto for piano and orchestra; “Bribes” for mezzo-soprano and orchestra; “Le soir”, Concerto for flute and orchestra; “Un Regard Oblique”, for flute and ensemble; “Les chemins de la nuit”, Concerto for cello and orchestra; etc.) are regularly performed throughout the world.

• Credits +

  • Front Cover graphics and layout: Ary Golomb
    Engraving: Ary Golomb
    Printed in Copenhagen, Denmark
    Copyright © Edition SVITZER
    www.editionsvitzer.com

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