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McCabe, John Les Oiseaux (realisation of Chausson sketch)
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Score begins on the next page.
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LES OISEAUX For Flute and Harp (or Piano) Chausson wrote some interludes for flute and harp for a production of Aristophanes’ The Birds, performed at Le Petit Théâtre de la Galerie Vivienne, Paris, in 1889. At the request of Emily Beynon, working from the original manuscript, which is held in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris, I have made a single concert piece using some of this incidental music, a kind of continuous suite rather than a single movement. Some changes have been made, though I have tried to avoid too much interference with Chausson’s own text (in which there are some discrepancies I have left in, particularly with regard to dynamics) – all metronome marks and slurs marked with a small stroke through them are editorial suggestions, as are any dynamics in brackets. Chausson’s idiosyncratic note-values have been retained – it is suggested that the arabesques in the flute solos (which seem much too fast at the suggested metronome mark) might be played a piacere. The key of the Andante (bars 14-40 has been changed from Db to Eb major, the following Lent et solennel from D minor to Eb minor (this section is labelled Entrée du Prêtre in the manuscript), the Andante starting at bar 53 has been given a key signature, and the final Lent section has been transposed from the major key to the minor. In addition, some note-lengths have been changed, usually extended (e.g. in bar 6 the original has a simple minim where I have put a dotted minim tied to a quaver). Other changes as a result of the realisation include: • • • • •
Bars 22-29 inserted (and some empty figuration omitted), with an elaboration of the harp part from 30 Bar 52: original is crotchet Db followed by minim Eb (the F in bar 53 is added) Bars 67-68 and 100-101: the original phrase struck me as singularly (and surprisingly) poor, so I have used bars 57-58 as a model in both places Bars 76 onwards: a good deal of telescoping of phrases has been done so that the music keeps its flow. I have also inserted a section (bars 88-107) with a more elaborate harp accompaniment, basically as a recapitulation of the theme of this section, and telescoped 4 bars into 2 (106-7). Bars 77, 79, 81, 83: for convenience, it is suggested that in the left hand of the harp part, E sharp might be played instead of F (natural).
The first performance of this realisation was given on 21st January 2005 at Tunstall Parish Church, Sittingbourne, Kent at a concert of the Sittingbourne Music Society – the artists were Emily Beynon (flute) and Catherine Beynon (harp). I am very grateful to Emily and Catherine Beynon for their editorial suggestions, especially following the first performance.
© 2005 John McCabe
Duration: c. 5½ minutes
Les Oiseaux
ERNEST CHAUSSON (1855-99) realised by John McCabe
for Flute and Harp (or Piano)
Lento q = c.60
Flute 4
8
6 9
p
(mf)
p
5
(più f)
f 14
3
f
6
6
6
piú f
11
3
f
5
3
3
p
15
Andante q = c.80
14
Harp
(p)
p
19
(dim.)
( )
(cresc.)
© Copyright 2004 by Novello and Company Limited
(mp)
(cresc.) (mp)
3
(dim.)
(p)
24
( )
(, )
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