Born in Paris, he entered the Conservatoire de Paris at age 11, studying solfège with Emile Schwartz, harmony with Jean Gallon, and composition with Georges Caussade. He also took private lessons in piano with Armand Ferté and composition with Charles Tournemire.[1] From 1935 to 1964, he was professor of counterpoint at the Schola Cantorum under director Nestor Lejeune, becoming director himself in 1957.
In 1936, he co-founded the group La Jeune France along with composers Olivier Messiaen (with whom he would remain a lifelong friend), André Jolivet and Yves Baudrier, who were attempting to re-establish a more human and less abstract form of composition. La Jeune France developed from the avant-garde chamber music society La spirale, formed by Jolivet, Messiaen, and Daniel-Lesur the previous year.
Between 1927 and 1937 he seconded Tournemire at the organ of Ste. Clotilde, Paris, and was organist of the Benedictine Abbey of Paris, 1937–44. Daniel-Lesur also served as director of the Opéra National de Paris from 1971 to 1973.
His opera Andrea del Sarto (1968)[1] received the composition prize of the City of Paris in 1969. In 1973, he received the Prix Samuel Rousseau of the Académie des Beaux Arts. In 1982, he was elected member of the Institut de France.
He died in Paris.
Selected compositions
Stage
Andrea del Sarto (libretto after Alfred de Musset), opera in 2 acts (1949)
Ondine (libretto after Jean Gireaudoux), opera in 3 acts (1981)
La Reine morte (libretto after Henry de Montherland), not dated
Orchestral works
Suite française (1935)
Passacaille (1938) for piano and orchestra
Pastorale (1938) for chamber orchestra
Variations (1943) for piano and string orchestra
Ouverture pour un festival (1951)
Concerto da camera (1953) for piano and chamber orchestra
Dialogues dans la nuit (Claude Roy) for mezzo-soprano, bass, and chamber orchestra (1987)
À la lisière du temps / Le Voyage d'automne / Permis de séjour (Claude Roy) (1990)
Le Cantique des cantiques
Daniel-Lesur's best-known composition is the a cappella choral work Le Cantique des cantiques, a setting for 12 voices of parts of the Song of Songs, interspersed with Latin verses and New Testament texts. The seventh and final movement, titled "Épithalame", utilizes "the combination of richly harmonised upper voices singing the famous words from Chapter 8 of the Song of Songs in French ("Pose-moi comme un sceau sur ton coeur, comme un sceau sur ton bras. Car l'amour est fort comme la mort') over an ostinato set to Latin words ("Veni sponsa Christi") [which] has very great cumulative power, reaching a mighty twelve-part climax where all the voices sing a succession of Alleluias which initially emerge from the complex texture in a repeated motif coloured by the Lydian mode – an idea which seems to suggest the joyous pealing of bells." (From his obituary; see external links.) The Cantique des cantiques has been recorded by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen, and is frequently performed internationally by such groups as Chanticleer and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.
References
^Tual, Francois-Gildas: "Daniel-Lesur, Jean-Yves", in: Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart (MGG), biographical part vol. 5 (Kassel: Bärenreiter, 2001), cc. 374–376.
^ Simeone, Nigel (Winter 2002). . Musical Times. Archived from the original on 2005-09-08. Retrieved 2008-03-10.
External links
May 06, 2023
daniel, lesur, daniel, jean, yves, lesur, november, 1908, july, 2002, french, organist, composer, composer, alice, lesur, contents, biography, selected, compositions, cantique, cantiques, references, external, linksbiography, editborn, paris, entered, conserva. Daniel Jean Yves Lesur 19 November 1908 2 July 2002 was a French organist and composer He was the son of the composer Alice Lesur Contents 1 Biography 2 Selected compositions 3 Le Cantique des cantiques 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditBorn in Paris he entered the Conservatoire de Paris at age 11 studying solfege with Emile Schwartz harmony with Jean Gallon and composition with Georges Caussade He also took private lessons in piano with Armand Ferte and composition with Charles Tournemire 1 From 1935 to 1964 he was professor of counterpoint at the Schola Cantorum under director Nestor Lejeune becoming director himself in 1957 In 1936 he co founded the group La Jeune France along with composers Olivier Messiaen with whom he would remain a lifelong friend Andre Jolivet and Yves Baudrier who were attempting to re establish a more human and less abstract form of composition La Jeune France developed from the avant garde chamber music society La spirale formed by Jolivet Messiaen and Daniel Lesur the previous year That same year he together with Jean Langlais and Jean Jacques Grunenwald gave the first performance of Olivier Messiaen s La Nativite du Seigneur 2 Between 1927 and 1937 he seconded Tournemire at the organ of Ste Clotilde Paris and was organist of the Benedictine Abbey of Paris 1937 44 Daniel Lesur also served as director of the Opera National de Paris from 1971 to 1973 His opera Andrea del Sarto 1968 1 received the composition prize of the City of Paris in 1969 In 1973 he received the Prix Samuel Rousseau of the Academie des Beaux Arts In 1982 he was elected member of the Institut de France He died in Paris Selected compositions EditStage Andrea del Sarto libretto after Alfred de Musset opera in 2 acts 1949 Ondine libretto after Jean Gireaudoux opera in 3 acts 1981 La Reine morte libretto after Henry de Montherland not datedOrchestral works Suite francaise 1935 Passacaille 1938 for piano and orchestra Pastorale 1938 for chamber orchestra Variations 1943 for piano and string orchestra Ouverture pour un festival 1951 Concerto da camera 1953 for piano and chamber orchestra Serenade 1954 for string orchestra Intermezzo 1956 his contribution to Variations sur le nom de Marguerite Long Symphonie de danses 1958 Symphonie d ombre et de lumiere 1974 Nocturne 1974 for oboe and string orchestra Fantaisie concertante 1992 for cello and orchestraChamber music Suite 1939 for oboe clarinet and bassoon Suite 1940 for string quartet Suite en trio 1943 for violin viola cello and piano Suite medievale 1945 for flute harp violin viola cello Sextuor 1948 for flute oboe violin viola cello harpsichord Elegie 1956 for two guitars Nocturne 1974 for oboe and piano Novelette 1977 for flute and piano Marine 1978 for harp Lamento 1983 for violin and piano Stele a la memoire d un heros 1991 for flute and string quartetPiano music Soirs 1929 Bagatelle 1934 Pavane 1938 Le Bouquet de Beatrice 1946 for piano 4 hands Pastorale varie 1947 Ballade 1948 Nocturne 1952 Le Bal 1954 3 Etudes 1962 Fantaisie 1962 for 2 pianos L Armoricaine 1964 Contre fugue 1974 for 2 pianos Berceuse sur le nom de Schostakovitch 1975 Chanson a danser 1980 Organ works Scene de la passion 1931 La Vie interieure 1932 In paradisium 1933 Hymnes 1935 Quatre Hymnes 1939 Choral works with poets Annonciation Loys Masson cantata for speaker tenor mixed chorus and chamber orchestra 1951 Le Cantique des cantiques biblical for 12 voices and chorus 1952 Cantique des colonnes Paul Valery for female voices and orchestra 1957 Encore un instant de bonheur Henry de Montherland numerous folksong arrangementsSongs for voice and piano Les Harmonies intimes Daniel Lesur 1931 La Mort des voiles Paul Fort 1931 La Mouette Les Yeux fermes Heinrich Heine 1932 Quatre Lieder Cecile Sauvage Heine several versions 1932 39 Trois Poemes de Cecile Sauvage 1939 Deux Chansons de l etoile de Seville Claude Roy L Enfance de l art Claude Roy Chansons cambodgiennes traditional 1946 Berceuses a tenir eveille Rene de Obaldia 1947 Les Amants separes Claude Roy 1950 Dialogues dans la nuit Claude Roy for mezzo soprano bass and chamber orchestra 1987 A la lisiere du temps Le Voyage d automne Permis de sejour Claude Roy 1990 Le Cantique des cantiques EditDaniel Lesur s best known composition is the a cappella choral work Le Cantique des cantiques a setting for 12 voices of parts of the Song of Songs interspersed with Latin verses and New Testament texts The seventh and final movement titled Epithalame utilizes the combination of richly harmonised upper voices singing the famous words from Chapter 8 of the Song of Songs in French Pose moi comme un sceau sur ton coeur comme un sceau sur ton bras Car l amour est fort comme la mort over an ostinato set to Latin words Veni sponsa Christi which has very great cumulative power reaching a mighty twelve part climax where all the voices sing a succession of Alleluias which initially emerge from the complex texture in a repeated motif coloured by the Lydian mode an idea which seems to suggest the joyous pealing of bells From his obituary see external links The Cantique des cantiques has been recorded by Harry Christophers and The Sixteen and is frequently performed internationally by such groups as Chanticleer and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale References Edit Tual Francois Gildas Daniel Lesur Jean Yves in Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart MGG biographical part vol 5 Kassel Barenreiter 2001 cc 374 376 Simeone Nigel Winter 2002 In memoriam Olivier Messiaen on Daniel Lesur Musical Times Archived from the original on 2005 09 08 Retrieved 2008 03 10 External links EditObituary in The Musical Times Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Daniel Lesur amp oldid 1152013203, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
