”She is only 19 years old,” observed Claude Debussy, ”but her know-how composing is a lot more”. Yes, young Lili Boulanger was very precocious as a composer. So much so that she already as a teenager, conquered the of all French composers coveted His – in addition, as the first woman. Debussy had been 22 when he received the award. Ravel would never succeed in getting it.
Romvistelse for Boulanger. The first world war would soon break out, and by the way she was weak. Five years she would live; five years marked by war, physical suffering, and the composing – more intense, more and more personal.
Her prize-winning cantata ”Faust et Hélène” from 1913 is a masterfully gesällprov in the orchestration, colorfully and dramatically, just as the statutes prescribed. As well as the mandatory kantatformatet with a classic text; a musical equivalent of the features.
Lili Boulanger lets his Faust to resurrect the beautiful Helena with wagnerian ” sorcery. The parallel to the ”Parsifal” becomes apparent, especially as she it sung by wagnerveteranen Katarina Dalayman with saturated, powerful mezzo. Faust is all the brighter with the tenor Samuel Sakker, who in the couple’s passionate ”je t’aime” get to put his voice above her.
within a conventional senromantiskt expression – something Boulanger would get to break out of in his young life – so it is a magnificent and awesome work.
at the same time, completes 31 years older Debussy his three ”Images”, where the wagnerian efterklanger is completely wasted – ”The rite of spring” stands for the door. Debussy plays up much brighter vårliga dances and put the powder in the popular Spanish exoticism. But despite the lively response from the Philharmonic to its last chief conductor Alan Gilbert doesn’t feel the music much more than – dashing.
Also Debussy were marked by illness at this time. Neither he nor Lili got to experience the peace, they died both in march 1918.
Read more about the works of Lili Boulanger.