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Le Temps restitué

January 01, 1970

Le Temps restitué (Time Regiven) is a work for mezzo-soprano solo, choir, and orchestra by the French composer Jean Barraqué. It was both the first part to have been begun and the last one to be completed in his projected but unfinished cycle of works based on Hermann Broch's novel, The Death of Virgil. A performance lasts about forty minutes.

History edit

In March 1956, Barraqué first formed a plan to set passages, in the French translation by Albert Kohn, from the second book ("Fire—The Descent") of Hermann Broch's novel The Death of Virgil, and straightaway began composing Le Temps restitué. He finished a first draft in Paris on 20 October 1957, and then added a new beginning and cover page dated 11 December of the same year. In this respect, it forms the basis for all the subsequent works in the cycle.[1] He then devised a revised plan for the second book, which included details of the intended orchestration of Le Temps restitué, but set aside the draft in favour of other projects. It was only in the summer of 1967 that the offer of a performance at next year's Royan Festival rekindled Barraqué's interest and he resumed work on the score, completing it in Florence on 8 February 1968. The first performance took place on 4 April 1968, as part of the Royan Festival. Helga Pilarczyk was the soprano soloist, with members of the French Radio Choir (prepared by Jean-Paul Kréder) and the Ensemble du Domaine Musical, conducted by Gilbert Amy. The same forces gave the first Paris performance at a Domaine musical concert in the Théâtre de l'Odéon on 25 April 1968. There was only one further performance during the composer's lifetime, on 9 April 1973, at the Maison de l'O.R.T.F. in Paris with Anne Bartelloni (soprano), the French Radio chamber choir (using three voices on a part instead of twelve soloists), and the Ars Nova ensemble, conducted by Jean-Paul Kréder.[2][3] The third performance was the US premiere, and took place on 10 August 1978 at the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox, Massachusetts, with the Berkshire Music Center Orchestra conducted by Gunther Schuller.[4][5]

On 1 October 1970, Barraqué began what was meant to be a related work, titled Arraché de … commentaire en forme de lecture du Temps restitué, but it did not extend beyond a preliminary sketch for clarinets on three staves and the entry of an SATB chorus marked "Sprechstimme. Imprecise pitches but different in pitch register".[6]

Analysis edit

The work is in five movements, performed without a break:

  1. "La loi et le temps" (Law and Time)
  2. "Symbole de nuit" (Symbol of Night)
  3. "Portail de la terreur" (Gate of Terror)
  4. "L'inachèvement sans cesse" (Unceasing Incompletion)
  5. "Car ce n'est que par l'erreur" (Because Only Amidst Error)

It is scored for solo mezzo-soprano, a choir of twelve solo singers, and an orchestra of twenty-eight players made up of roughly equal numbers of woodwinds, strings, and percussion.[7]

The text is taken from a passage in Broch's novel where Virgil, alone in his room, late at night, contemplates the stars from his window. It is a meditation on the marriage of law and time, of the inevitable and the unpredictable.[8] It follows the linear arrangement of about six pages of Broch's text. The texts of the first, third, and fifth movements are three elegies in verse, taken without alteration from Broch's novel. The second and fourth movements intersperse lightly edited prose passages from Broch's surrounding narrative framework. Barraqué's omissions from the prose texts avoid many typical Brochian stylistic features in favour of its distinctive rhythm, retaining aspects of designation, assertion, and description. The syntax of the French translation permits Barraqué to end on the words "ouvert à la connaissance" (open to perception), which would not have been possible in the German original. In this way, "réconfort terrestre" (consolation in the earthly) becomes more important than the opening to perception.[9]

The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction, followed by a four-voiced chorus in shifting tempos. The second movement is slower, with the solo soprano singing for the first time, against an orchestral accompaniment. The movement ends with the words "libérée du hasard" (freed from chance) which, in Broch's novel, lead directly into the second elegy. The third movement, setting this elegy, is longer and more complex, questioning how eternal truth is to be found within human mutability. The chorus sings four independent layers of text in twelve parts, "colliding and chaotic" (according to the score's instructions) against the soprano's cantabile, then adopts a more settled four-part texture to complete the movement as an aria with choral accompaniment. The fourth movement returns to the slower tempo and fragmented manner of the second movement, only now adding the chorus to the soprano and orchestra. It consists of two large sections of text setting, separated by a two-minute wordless interlude for chorus and orchestra. The concluding text once again ends with the words Broch uses to introduce the following elegiac verse “car ce n'est que dans l'erreur, ce n'est que par erreur” (because only amidst error, it is only through error). The final verse setting is slower still, though with constantly changing tempos. The soloist appears less often in this movement, while the choir is texturally more complex, at one point presenting twelve different lines of text simultaneously.[10]

Discography edit

  • Jean Barraqué: Concerto; Le Temps restitué. Anne Bartelloni (mezzo-soprano), Groupe Vocal de France, and Ensemble 2e2m, conducted by Paul Méfano. Recorded January 1987 at Studio 103, Radio France. CD recording, 1 disc: 12 cm, stereo. Harmonia Mundi 905199. Arles: Harmonia Mundi, 1987.
  • Jean Barraqué: Œuvres complètes. Rosemary Hardy (mezzo-soprano), Vokalensemble NOVA Wien (Colin Mason, chorus master), and Klangforum Wien conducted by Sylvain Cambreling. Recorded 20–21 September 1995, in the Mozartsaal, Konzerthaus, Vienna. CD recording, 3 discs: 12 cm, stereo. CPO 999 569-2. Musique française d'aujourd'hui. Georgsmarienhütte: Classic Produktion Osnabrück, 1998.

References edit

  1. ^ Henrich 1997, 121.
  2. ^ Griffiths 2003, 98–99.
  3. ^ Janzen 1989, 240–242.
  4. ^ Henahan 1978.
  5. ^ Dyer 1978.
  6. ^ Janzen 1989, 243.
  7. ^ Griffiths 2003, 99.
  8. ^ Griffiths 2003, 100.
  9. ^ Hiekel and Stašková 2009, 165.
  10. ^ Griffiths 2003, 100–102.

Sources

  • Dyer, Richard. 1978. "US Premiere Closes Fromm Fest". The Boston Globe (12 August): 9.
  • Griffiths, Paul. 2003. The Sea on Fire: Jean Barraqué. Eastman Studies in Music 25. Rochester: University of Rochester Press. ISBN 978-1580461412
  • Henahan, Donal. 1978. "Tanglewood to Shine Spotlight on the Obscure". The New York Times (Monday, 31 July): C16.
  • Henrich, Heribert. 1997. Das Werk Jean Barraqués: Genese und Faktur. Kassel: Bärenreiter. ISBN 9783761813867.
  • Hiekel, Jörn Peter, and Alice Stašková [de]. 2009. "Der Tod des Vergil: Broch-Vertonungen des Komponisten Jean Barraqué". In Hermann Broch und die Künste, edited by Alice Stašková and Paul Michael Lützeler, 157–182. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-020955-6.
  • Janzen, Rose-Marie. 1989. "A Biographical Chronology of Jean Barraqué", translated by Adrian Jack. Perspectives of New Music 27, no. 1 (Winter): 234–245.

Further reading edit

  • Hayes, Aaron. 2015. "Death, Creativity, and Voice in Jean Barraqué's Le temps restitué". Perspectives of New Music 53, no. 2 (Summer): 5–53.
  • Henrich, Heribert. 1987. "Des Techniques sérielles dans le Temps Restitué", Entretemps 5:74–88.
  • Herfert, Franz Joseph. 1993. "Le temps restitué in analytischer Betrachtung, oder Von der wiederhergestellten Zeit". In Jean Barraqué, Musik-Konzepte: die Reihe über Komponisten 82. Munich: Text + Kritik.
  • Hopkins, Bill. 1978. "Barraqué and the Serial Idea". Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association, no. 105:13–24.

January 01, 1970
temps, restitué, time, regiven, work, mezzo, soprano, solo, choir, orchestra, french, composer, jean, barraqué, both, first, part, have, been, begun, last, completed, projected, unfinished, cycle, works, based, hermann, broch, novel, death, virgil, performance. Le Temps restitue Time Regiven is a work for mezzo soprano solo choir and orchestra by the French composer Jean Barraque It was both the first part to have been begun and the last one to be completed in his projected but unfinished cycle of works based on Hermann Broch s novel The Death of Virgil A performance lasts about forty minutes Contents 1 History 2 Analysis 3 Discography 4 References 5 Further readingHistory editIn March 1956 Barraque first formed a plan to set passages in the French translation by Albert Kohn from the second book Fire The Descent of Hermann Broch s novel The Death of Virgil and straightaway began composing Le Temps restitue He finished a first draft in Paris on 20 October 1957 and then added a new beginning and cover page dated 11 December of the same year In this respect it forms the basis for all the subsequent works in the cycle 1 He then devised a revised plan for the second book which included details of the intended orchestration of Le Temps restitue but set aside the draft in favour of other projects It was only in the summer of 1967 that the offer of a performance at next year s Royan Festival rekindled Barraque s interest and he resumed work on the score completing it in Florence on 8 February 1968 The first performance took place on 4 April 1968 as part of the Royan Festival Helga Pilarczyk was the soprano soloist with members of the French Radio Choir prepared by Jean Paul Kreder and the Ensemble du Domaine Musical conducted by Gilbert Amy The same forces gave the first Paris performance at a Domaine musical concert in the Theatre de l Odeon on 25 April 1968 There was only one further performance during the composer s lifetime on 9 April 1973 at the Maison de l O R T F in Paris with Anne Bartelloni soprano the French Radio chamber choir using three voices on a part instead of twelve soloists and the Ars Nova ensemble conducted by Jean Paul Kreder 2 3 The third performance was the US premiere and took place on 10 August 1978 at the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox Massachusetts with the Berkshire Music Center Orchestra conducted by Gunther Schuller 4 5 On 1 October 1970 Barraque began what was meant to be a related work titled Arrache de commentaire en forme de lecture du Temps restitue but it did not extend beyond a preliminary sketch for clarinets on three staves and the entry of an SATB chorus marked Sprechstimme Imprecise pitches but different in pitch register 6 Analysis editThe work is in five movements performed without a break La loi et le temps Law and Time Symbole de nuit Symbol of Night Portail de la terreur Gate of Terror L inachevement sans cesse Unceasing Incompletion Car ce n est que par l erreur Because Only Amidst Error It is scored for solo mezzo soprano a choir of twelve solo singers and an orchestra of twenty eight players made up of roughly equal numbers of woodwinds strings and percussion 7 The text is taken from a passage in Broch s novel where Virgil alone in his room late at night contemplates the stars from his window It is a meditation on the marriage of law and time of the inevitable and the unpredictable 8 It follows the linear arrangement of about six pages of Broch s text The texts of the first third and fifth movements are three elegies in verse taken without alteration from Broch s novel The second and fourth movements intersperse lightly edited prose passages from Broch s surrounding narrative framework Barraque s omissions from the prose texts avoid many typical Brochian stylistic features in favour of its distinctive rhythm retaining aspects of designation assertion and description The syntax of the French translation permits Barraque to end on the words ouvert a la connaissance open to perception which would not have been possible in the German original In this way reconfort terrestre consolation in the earthly becomes more important than the opening to perception 9 The first movement opens with an orchestral introduction followed by a four voiced chorus in shifting tempos The second movement is slower with the solo soprano singing for the first time against an orchestral accompaniment The movement ends with the words liberee du hasard freed from chance which in Broch s novel lead directly into the second elegy The third movement setting this elegy is longer and more complex questioning how eternal truth is to be found within human mutability The chorus sings four independent layers of text in twelve parts colliding and chaotic according to the score s instructions against the soprano s cantabile then adopts a more settled four part texture to complete the movement as an aria with choral accompaniment The fourth movement returns to the slower tempo and fragmented manner of the second movement only now adding the chorus to the soprano and orchestra It consists of two large sections of text setting separated by a two minute wordless interlude for chorus and orchestra The concluding text once again ends with the words Broch uses to introduce the following elegiac verse car ce n est que dans l erreur ce n est que par erreur because only amidst error it is only through error The final verse setting is slower still though with constantly changing tempos The soloist appears less often in this movement while the choir is texturally more complex at one point presenting twelve different lines of text simultaneously 10 Discography editJean Barraque Concerto Le Temps restitue Anne Bartelloni mezzo soprano Groupe Vocal de France and Ensemble 2e2m conducted by Paul Mefano Recorded January 1987 at Studio 103 Radio France CD recording 1 disc 12 cm stereo Harmonia Mundi 905199 Arles Harmonia Mundi 1987 Jean Barraque Œuvres completes Rosemary Hardy mezzo soprano Vokalensemble NOVA Wien Colin Mason chorus master and Klangforum Wien conducted by Sylvain Cambreling Recorded 20 21 September 1995 in the Mozartsaal Konzerthaus Vienna CD recording 3 discs 12 cm stereo CPO 999 569 2 Musique francaise d aujourd hui Georgsmarienhutte Classic Produktion Osnabruck 1998 References edit Henrich 1997 121 Griffiths 2003 98 99 Janzen 1989 240 242 Henahan 1978 Dyer 1978 Janzen 1989 243 Griffiths 2003 99 Griffiths 2003 100 Hiekel and Staskova 2009 165 Griffiths 2003 100 102 Sources Dyer Richard 1978 US Premiere Closes Fromm Fest The Boston Globe 12 August 9 Griffiths Paul 2003 The Sea on Fire Jean Barraque Eastman Studies in Music 25 Rochester University of Rochester Press ISBN 978 1580461412 Henahan Donal 1978 Tanglewood to Shine Spotlight on the Obscure The New York Times Monday 31 July C16 Henrich Heribert 1997 Das Werk Jean Barraques Genese und Faktur Kassel Barenreiter ISBN 9783761813867 Hiekel Jorn Peter and Alice Staskova de 2009 Der Tod des Vergil Broch Vertonungen des Komponisten Jean Barraque In Hermann Broch und die Kunste edited by Alice Staskova and Paul Michael Lutzeler 157 182 Berlin Walter de Gruyter ISBN 978 3 11 020955 6 Janzen Rose Marie 1989 A Biographical Chronology of Jean Barraque translated by Adrian Jack Perspectives of New Music 27 no 1 Winter 234 245 Further reading editHayes Aaron 2015 Death Creativity and Voice in Jean Barraque s Le temps restitue Perspectives of New Music 53 no 2 Summer 5 53 Henrich Heribert 1987 Des Techniques serielles dans le Temps Restitue Entretemps 5 74 88 Herfert Franz Joseph 1993 Le temps restitue in analytischer Betrachtung oder Von der wiederhergestellten Zeit In Jean Barraque Musik Konzepte die Reihe uber Komponisten 82 Munich Text Kritik Hopkins Bill 1978 Barraque and the Serial Idea Proceedings of the Royal Musical Association no 105 13 24 Portal nbsp Classical music Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Le Temps restitue amp oldid 1050712837, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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