Au regard de Giraud

Program note

Au regard de Giraud is a piece in four movements for Pierrot ensemble without voice. Each movement is written for a different instrumentation. The piece offers a perspective on Arnold Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire, but mostly on the poetry of Albert Giraud that it uses, whence its title. The piece was commissioned by Ensemble Paramirabo for their concert Regards croisés, presented November 1, 2017 at the Chapelle historique du Bon-Pasteur. During this event, the ensemble performed Schoenberg’s emblematic work alongside my piece. In performance, they alternate between movements of Au regard de Giraud (four large movements in which the fourth is divided into fourteen miniatures) and those of Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire (21 movements) in the following order:

Pierrot lunaire - A. Schoenberg

Au regard de Giraud - A. David

- Prélude, for solo piano

1. Mondestrunken

- Postlude IV, for flute and violin

2. Colombine

- Postlude VII, for piaccolo and violin

3. Der Dandy

4. Eine blasse Wäscherin

- Postlude VI, for flute and violin

5. Valse de Chopin

- Postlude I, for flute and violin

6. Madonna

- Postlude XIII, for solo violin

7. Der kranke Mond

- Interlude I, for flute, bass clarinet in Bb, and cello

8. Nacht

- Postlude II, for piccolo and violin

9. Gebet an Pierrot

- Postlude V, for flute and violin

10. Raub

11. Rote Messe

- Postlude III, for piccolo and violin

12. Galgenlied

- Postlude XII, for solo piccolo

13. Enthauptung

14. Die Kreuze

- Interlude II, for Bb clarinet, violin, cello, and piano

15. Heimweh

- Postlude VIII, for piccolo and violin

16. Gemeinheit

17. Parodie

- Postlude X, for piccolo and violin

18. Der Mondfleck

- Postlude XI, for solo violin

19. Serenade

- Postlude IX, for flute and violin

20. Heimfahrt

21. O alter Duft

- Postlude XIV, for solo piccolo

As much as possible, the musicians should give the impression that the movements of Au regard de Giraud are part of Pierrot Lunaire. Avoid lengthy pauses and plan page turns to ensure fluidity between the movements of the two pieces, especially for the postludes, which are very short and often act as links between two movements of Pierrot Lunaire.

Au regard de Giraud can also be performed without Pierrot Lunaire. Simply present the work in the order of its movements (1- Prelude; 2- Interlude I; 3- Interlude II; 4- Postludes) and postludes 1 to 14. In this case, all the postlude miniatures are to be played on piccolo.

1- Prelude, for piano
2- Interlude I, for flute, bass clarinet in Bb, and cello
3- Interlude II, for Bb clarinet, violin, cello, and piano
4- 14 Postludes, for piccolo (flute) and violin


 

Details

Composer
Year of composition
2017
Timing
0:22:00
Commissioned by Paramirabo
Piccolo /
C flute /
B-flat clarinet /
B-flat bass clarinet /
Violin /
Cello /
Piano /

Last performances