Le Dorrneur du Val

Submission Type

Event

Expected Graduation Date

2014

Location

Young Main Lounge, Memorial Student Center, Illinois Wesleyan University

Start Date

4-20-2013 12:15 PM

End Date

4-20-2013 2:00 PM

Disciplines

Music

Abstract

This composition, Le Dorrneur du Val, is a setting of a French poem (of the same name) by Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud. The title can be literally translated as "The Sleeper of the Valley," or sometimes poetically as "Asleep in the Valley." Le Dorrneur du Val is the first piece I completed for a choral ensemble, and consequently my first attempt at setting a text to music. My goal in this endeavor was to portray as accurately as possible the meaning of the words through the accompanying music. To this effect, I employed various methods of text painting throughout the composition. For example, the rising lines which accompany the description of the sun shining on the mountain, the military rhythm in the bass when the soldier is introduced, and the "rocking" motion when the poem speaks of cradling with warmth. Sadly, most of these instances are only truly effective if one understands the words which are being sung - something which I hope can be understood if one follows along with the words as the piece is sung.

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Apr 20th, 12:15 PM Apr 20th, 2:00 PM

Le Dorrneur du Val

Young Main Lounge, Memorial Student Center, Illinois Wesleyan University

This composition, Le Dorrneur du Val, is a setting of a French poem (of the same name) by Jean Nicolas Arthur Rimbaud. The title can be literally translated as "The Sleeper of the Valley," or sometimes poetically as "Asleep in the Valley." Le Dorrneur du Val is the first piece I completed for a choral ensemble, and consequently my first attempt at setting a text to music. My goal in this endeavor was to portray as accurately as possible the meaning of the words through the accompanying music. To this effect, I employed various methods of text painting throughout the composition. For example, the rising lines which accompany the description of the sun shining on the mountain, the military rhythm in the bass when the soldier is introduced, and the "rocking" motion when the poem speaks of cradling with warmth. Sadly, most of these instances are only truly effective if one understands the words which are being sung - something which I hope can be understood if one follows along with the words as the piece is sung.