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Cummings ist der Dichter

January 01, 1970

Cummings ist der Dichter (Cummings is the Poet) is a 1970 composition for mixed choir and instrumental ensemble by Pierre Boulez, based on a poem by E. E. Cummings.

Cummings ist der Dichter
by Pierre Boulez
Composed1970; revised 1986
PerformedSeptember 1970
Published1976
Movements1
Scoringmixed choir and instrumental ensemble

Background edit

Boulez was initially introduced to the poetry of Cummings in 1952 by John Cage during a visit to a New York bookstore.[1] Boulez recalled that he immediately felt that he "had a pretty direct relationship with the poetry of Cummings," but "did not feel sufficiently well acquainted with the English language to tackle one of his poems."[2] During the late 1960s, he considered setting five Cummings poems to music, and began composing a Cantate pour Baryton et petit Orchestre, using the poem that would eventually appear in Cummings ist der Dichter.[3] However, he became dissatisfied with the piece, and subsequently reworked the instrumental passages into Domaines.[3]

In 1970, Boulez completed the first version of Cummings ist der Dichter, a ten-minute work for mixed choir and instrumental ensemble, based on a poem titled "birds( here inven/", taken from Cummings's 1935 collection No Thanks.[4] The poem is typical of Cummings's work in that it employs an unusual layout on the page, with a highly personal use of word fragmentation and parentheses.[4] Boulez later reflected: "what interests me is not to transcribe Cummings's discoveries literally into music, but to find a transcription of his world in my own."[2] He described the resulting work as having "a form which has its roots in the poem but which, of course, can also be grasped completely independently from the poem."[5] The 1970 version requires two conductors who at times function somewhat independently, and, like a number of other compositions of this period, it employs aleatoric techniques in sections.[6][7]

In 1986, Boulez completed a revised version of the piece which requires 16 solo voices or a mixed choir of up to 48 voices, plus an expanded ensemble.[8] In addition, the performance indeterminacies in this version were eliminated and replaced with fully written-out passages.[7]

Cummings ist der Dichter is unique in that it was Boulez's first and only setting of English poetry.[9][7] Writer Peter F. Stacey stated that Cummings's poems "made a refreshing change from the terse and complex poetry of Mallarmé,",[10] while Boulez himself would later note that his exposure to the poems helped him "a great deal in rediscovering a certain freshness."[2] Musicologist Susan Bradshaw described the work as "an almost autobiographical reflection of the progressive developments in Boulez's musical thinking during this period: developments that were soon to explode in the creative revival of the 1970s."[11]

Instrumentation edit

1970 version:

  • mixed choir of 16 voices
  • one flute
  • four oboes
  • one bassoon
  • three horns
  • two trumpets
  • two trombones
  • one violin
  • three violas
  • three cellos
  • one double bass
  • three harps

Source:[12]

1986 version:

  • 16 solo voices or mixed choir of up to 48 voices
  • two flutes
  • one oboe
  • one cor anglais
  • two clarinets
  • one bass clarinet
  • two bassoons
  • two horns
  • two trumpets
  • two trombones
  • one bass tuba
  • three violins
  • two violas
  • two cellos
  • one double bass
  • three harps

Source:[13]

Premiere and publication edit

Cummings ist der Dichter was premiered during September 1970 at a concert in Ulm, Germany, with Clytus Gottwald conducting the Schola Cantorum Stuttgart and Boulez conducting the instrumental ensemble.[6] Both versions were published by Universal Edition.[14]

Origins of title edit

According to Boulez, prior to the premiere in Ulm, the concert organizers contacted him and requested the title of the work so that they could print the programs in advance.[15] He replied, in his then-rudimentary German: "I have not yet found a title for the work but all that I can tell you now is that Cummings is the poet I have chosen."[15] The organizer interpreted this to mean that the work's title was "Cummings is the poet" (in German, "Cummings ist der Dichter"), and printed the program as such.[16] Boulez allowed the mistake to stand, noting: "I felt there could not possibly be a better title than that, which had come about completely by accident."[15]

Reception edit

In a 1977 review, Arnold Whittall described the form of the work as "fluid yet precise, unpredictable and therefore intensely dramatic," and commented: "No other work of Boulez's, not even the early cantata Le Soleil des eaux, seems to me to demonstrate so clearly his personal synthesis and transformation of stylistic elements that derive from both Webern and Debussy."[17] Reviewing a 2016 Proms concert, Mark Berry of Seen and Heard International wrote: "I had the impression of a combination of certain qualities of Boulez's earlier choral music... with the different concerns of somewhat later musical language.... There was a true sense... of cummings-like wonder."[18]

References edit

  1. ^ Boulez 1976, p. 96.
  2. ^ a b c Boulez 1976, p. 97.
  3. ^ a b Edwards 1989, p. 12.
  4. ^ a b Stacey 1987, p. 107.
  5. ^ Loselle 1993, p. 10-11.
  6. ^ a b Jameux 1991, p. 151.
  7. ^ a b c Lochhead 1997, p. 1337.
  8. ^ Jameux 1991, p. 214-215.
  9. ^ Stacey 1987, p. 106.
  10. ^ Stacey 1987, p. 116.
  11. ^ Bradshaw 1986, p. 209.
  12. ^ Jameux 1991, p. 150.
  13. ^ Jameux 1991, p. 214–215.
  14. ^ Jameux 1991, p. 371.
  15. ^ a b c Boulez 1976, p. 98.
  16. ^ Jameux 1991, p. 151-152.
  17. ^ Whittall 1977, p. 503.
  18. ^ Berry 2016.

Sources

  • Berry, Mark (9 April 2016). "The Proms Pays a Moving and Necessary Tribute to Pierre Boulez". Seen and Heard International. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  • Boulez, Pierre (1976). Conversations with Célestin Deliège. Ernst Eulenburg.
  • Bradshaw, Susan (1986). "The Instrumental and Vocal Music". In Glock, William (ed.). Pierre Boulez: A Symposium. New London: Eulenberg Books.
  • Edwards, Allen (June 1989). "Unpublished Bouleziana at the Paul Sacher Foundation". Tempo. New Series (169): 4–15.
  • Jameux, Dominique (1991). Pierre Boulez. Harvard University Press.
  • Lochhead, Judy (June 1997). "Review: cummings ist der dichter". Notes. Second Series. 53 (4): 1336–1338.
  • Loselle, Andrea (1993). "Poetry and Music: A Roundtable Discussion with Pierre Boulez". Paroles gelées. 11 (1): 1–16.
  • Stacey, Peter F. (1987). Boulez and the Modern Concept. University of Nebraska Press.
  • Whittall, Arnold (October 1977). "Review: cummings ist der dichter; Rituel by Pierre Boulez". Music & Letters. 58 (4): 502–505.

January 01, 1970
cummings, dichter, cummings, poet, 1970, composition, mixed, choir, instrumental, ensemble, pierre, boulez, based, poem, cummings, pierre, boulezcomposed1970, revised, 1986performedseptember, 1970published1976movements1scoringmixed, choir, instrumental, ensemb. Cummings ist der Dichter Cummings is the Poet is a 1970 composition for mixed choir and instrumental ensemble by Pierre Boulez based on a poem by E E Cummings Cummings ist der Dichterby Pierre BoulezComposed1970 revised 1986PerformedSeptember 1970Published1976Movements1Scoringmixed choir and instrumental ensemble Contents 1 Background 2 Instrumentation 3 Premiere and publication 4 Origins of title 5 Reception 6 ReferencesBackground editBoulez was initially introduced to the poetry of Cummings in 1952 by John Cage during a visit to a New York bookstore 1 Boulez recalled that he immediately felt that he had a pretty direct relationship with the poetry of Cummings but did not feel sufficiently well acquainted with the English language to tackle one of his poems 2 During the late 1960s he considered setting five Cummings poems to music and began composing a Cantate pour Baryton et petit Orchestre using the poem that would eventually appear in Cummings ist der Dichter 3 However he became dissatisfied with the piece and subsequently reworked the instrumental passages into Domaines 3 In 1970 Boulez completed the first version of Cummings ist der Dichter a ten minute work for mixed choir and instrumental ensemble based on a poem titled birds here inven taken from Cummings s 1935 collection No Thanks 4 The poem is typical of Cummings s work in that it employs an unusual layout on the page with a highly personal use of word fragmentation and parentheses 4 Boulez later reflected what interests me is not to transcribe Cummings s discoveries literally into music but to find a transcription of his world in my own 2 He described the resulting work as having a form which has its roots in the poem but which of course can also be grasped completely independently from the poem 5 The 1970 version requires two conductors who at times function somewhat independently and like a number of other compositions of this period it employs aleatoric techniques in sections 6 7 In 1986 Boulez completed a revised version of the piece which requires 16 solo voices or a mixed choir of up to 48 voices plus an expanded ensemble 8 In addition the performance indeterminacies in this version were eliminated and replaced with fully written out passages 7 Cummings ist der Dichter is unique in that it was Boulez s first and only setting of English poetry 9 7 Writer Peter F Stacey stated that Cummings s poems made a refreshing change from the terse and complex poetry of Mallarme 10 while Boulez himself would later note that his exposure to the poems helped him a great deal in rediscovering a certain freshness 2 Musicologist Susan Bradshaw described the work as an almost autobiographical reflection of the progressive developments in Boulez s musical thinking during this period developments that were soon to explode in the creative revival of the 1970s 11 Instrumentation edit1970 version mixed choir of 16 voices one flute four oboes one bassoon three horns two trumpets two trombones one violin three violas three cellos one double bass three harps Source 12 1986 version 16 solo voices or mixed choir of up to 48 voices two flutes one oboe one cor anglais two clarinets one bass clarinet two bassoons two horns two trumpets two trombones one bass tuba three violins two violas two cellos one double bass three harps Source 13 Premiere and publication editCummings ist der Dichter was premiered during September 1970 at a concert in Ulm Germany with Clytus Gottwald conducting the Schola Cantorum Stuttgart and Boulez conducting the instrumental ensemble 6 Both versions were published by Universal Edition 14 Origins of title editAccording to Boulez prior to the premiere in Ulm the concert organizers contacted him and requested the title of the work so that they could print the programs in advance 15 He replied in his then rudimentary German I have not yet found a title for the work but all that I can tell you now is that Cummings is the poet I have chosen 15 The organizer interpreted this to mean that the work s title was Cummings is the poet in German Cummings ist der Dichter and printed the program as such 16 Boulez allowed the mistake to stand noting I felt there could not possibly be a better title than that which had come about completely by accident 15 Reception editIn a 1977 review Arnold Whittall described the form of the work as fluid yet precise unpredictable and therefore intensely dramatic and commented No other work of Boulez s not even the early cantata Le Soleil des eaux seems to me to demonstrate so clearly his personal synthesis and transformation of stylistic elements that derive from both Webern and Debussy 17 Reviewing a 2016 Proms concert Mark Berry of Seen and Heard International wrote I had the impression of a combination of certain qualities of Boulez s earlier choral music with the different concerns of somewhat later musical language There was a true sense of cummings like wonder 18 References edit Boulez 1976 p 96 a b c Boulez 1976 p 97 a b Edwards 1989 p 12 a b Stacey 1987 p 107 Loselle 1993 p 10 11 a b Jameux 1991 p 151 a b c Lochhead 1997 p 1337 Jameux 1991 p 214 215 Stacey 1987 p 106 Stacey 1987 p 116 Bradshaw 1986 p 209 Jameux 1991 p 150 Jameux 1991 p 214 215 Jameux 1991 p 371 a b c Boulez 1976 p 98 Jameux 1991 p 151 152 Whittall 1977 p 503 Berry 2016 Sources Berry Mark 9 April 2016 The Proms Pays a Moving and Necessary Tribute to Pierre Boulez Seen and Heard International Retrieved 15 April 2024 Boulez Pierre 1976 Conversations with Celestin Deliege Ernst Eulenburg Bradshaw Susan 1986 The Instrumental and Vocal Music In Glock William ed Pierre Boulez A Symposium New London Eulenberg Books Edwards Allen June 1989 Unpublished Bouleziana at the Paul Sacher Foundation Tempo New Series 169 4 15 Jameux Dominique 1991 Pierre Boulez Harvard University Press Lochhead Judy June 1997 Review cummings ist der dichter Notes Second Series 53 4 1336 1338 Loselle Andrea 1993 Poetry and Music A Roundtable Discussion with Pierre Boulez Paroles gelees 11 1 1 16 Stacey Peter F 1987 Boulez and the Modern Concept University of Nebraska Press Whittall Arnold October 1977 Review cummings ist der dichter Rituel by Pierre Boulez Music amp Letters 58 4 502 505 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cummings ist der Dichter amp oldid 1223539546, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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