Le chant d'Orphée

According to Greek mythology, the music of Orpheus, the legendary poet-singer and musician, had the power to enchant Nature and tame ferocious beasts. So I conceived the piece as a long enchanting melody based on a nine-note motif corresponding ta the nine strings of Orpheus' lyre over modal chords.

The piece is in ternary form : In the first section, the organ plays the lyre melodic line while the trumpet sounds the poet-musician 's vocal line. In the livelier middle section, a discontinuous motif unfolds over throbbing organ chords. A crescendo progressing in surging waves final/y reaches its climax on a high C in the trumpet part.

The return of the initial lyre motif brings a feeling of cosmic peace. At the end of the piece, like an echo from the depths of the ages, the mujjled sound of a trumpet (with cup mute) is heard quoting from Monteverdi's L'Orfeo.

Guillaume Connesson

Commissioned by Radio France. Premiered on June, 8. 2021, by David Guerrier (trumpet) and Jean-Baptiste Robin (organ).