Sample # 1 (mp3 - 02:08 - 1,54 Mo)
Sample # 2 (mp3 - 01:58 - 1,42 Mo)
Excerpts from a concert given on May 1995 in Vanves, near Paris (France), by Manuel Hernández (ondes Martenot) and the "De Musica" Orchestra, Martin Barral contucting.
The
Song of Dahut 
is a symphonic poem for Ondes
Martenot and orchestra which was premièred in 1986 at the Rennes festival
(France) by Manuel
Hernández (Ondes
Martenot) and the Rennes Orchestra (called now Orchestre de Bretagne) conducted
by Jean-Yves Ossonce. It was awarded the SACEM price at this occasion. This
work has since been performed many times by various soloists, orchestras and
conductors, to great sucess.
The
work was inspired by the famous breton legend
of Ys, the sunken city.
Because of the dishonesty of the king of Ys' daughter, Dahut, the great and proud
city was engulfed by the ocean. After the tragedy, Dahut was changed into a
mermaid, condemned to wander and to sing her remorse forever. According to the
legend, sailors tell they can hear the bells of the cathedral ringing from the
depths of the sea when the weather is rough, when the storms arrive. They also
say that they can sometimes hear the voice of Dahut the mermaid rising
to the sky in long and strange plaintive tunes.
Thanks to the
expressive power of the orchestra and the magic voice of the Ondes
Martenot, the symphonic poem evokes the sea atmosphere, the fantastic
and strange atmosphere so special in Breton legends.
Here is the programme of the work:
The sea.
The skyline.
Under the sea, Ys, the engulfed city;
In the far distance the bagpipes are playing
A memory of dance or song,
Like a memory of the passed rejoicings.
The cathedral's bells are ringing from the ocean's depths,
As they often do before the storm.
And a strange, mysterious, impalpable voice
Is raising to the sky; it is Dahut,
The king's daughter who became a mermaid, singing
Her sorrow, remorse and nostalgia.
| Score available at MUSIK-FABRIK music publishing, 18 rue Marthe Aureau, 77400 LAGNY-SUR-MARNE (FRANCE). Tel. : +33(0)1 64 30 13 84 |
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