Fabien Waksman
Les Lunes Galantes
Fabien Waksman
Les Lunes Galantes
- Instrumentation Saxophone Quartet
- Composer Fabien Waksman
- Edition Sheet Music
- Publisher Editions Henry Lemoine
- Order no. LEMO29809
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Description:
Composed between 1886 and 1889, Debussy's Petite Suite is a set of four short, charming pieces for piano four hands. After extensive research into the work, the Zahir Quartet discovered that Debussy had planned not four, but five pieces to flesh out the suite! So they decided to ask me to compose the missing piece, which is both a tribute to Debussy and a contemporary take on the four original pieces, with which it forms an astonishing mirror. Like Debussy, I drew my inspiration for the composition of this work from the poetic universe of Paul Verlaine, which I have called Les Lunes Galantes. The title refers to the poet's collection Les Lunes Galantes, as well as to his wonderful poem Clair de Lune. In this piece, I imagined Verlainian couples reminiscent of characters from the Comedia del Arte. It's nighttime. Hidden behind their masks, these puppet characters declare their love for each other without their real emotions showing. Is this just a game of seduction, or are they really in love? Glimmering above these masked puppets, the Moon alone seems to know the truth. After a slow, suspenseful introduction full of mystery, the protagonists gradually come to life. In a language readily reminiscent of Debussy, two themes appear and converse throughout the piece, like two lovers whose melodies sometimes overlap harmoniously, sometimes fail to harmonize. Constructed as a succession of sequences of differing character, Les Lunes Galantes brings these two recurring motifs to life under a variety of lighting effects that are like mini-theatrical scenes bringing to life these couples, so identical and yet so dissimilar at the same time.The piece ends in apotheosis, as if the masks had finally been removed and love triumphed under the benevolent gaze of a smiling Moon.Fabien WaksmanBorn in 2015, the Quatuor Zahir is determined to develop the quartet genre. Whether interpreting the original repertoire or transcribing chamber music for their group, the four saxophonists of Quatuor Zahir show us their curiosity and creativity.