Quatre Sonnets à Cassandre

Quatre Sonnets à Cassandre
pour mezzo-soprano, flûte, alto et violoncelle | Four Sonnets to Cassandra for mezzo-soprano, flute, viola and cello

Year of composition

1921

Duration

12'

Scored for

mezzo-soprano, flute, viola and cello

Publication information

Hug Musikverlage (GH 8527B)

Text(s)

Pierre de Ronsard (1524-1585)

Commentary

Quatre Sonnets à Cassandre
The Quatre Sonnets à Cassandre were composed about 25 years ago, towards the beginning of what became known as the interbellum period. That is to say that at that moment, the epoch of all those atrocities, these poems seemed to be particularly discerning.
 The composer undertook to communicate through music the very courtly manner and the most restrained grace with which Ronsard expressed his intense love for the young Cassandra, depicted by means of some exquisite portrayals; especially this small psychological portrait at the end of the four sonnets

  « Quand je te vois, seule, assise à part toi,
  Toute amusée avecque ta pensée,
  La tête, un peu, en contrebas baissée,
  Te retirant du vulgaire et de moi… »

  “When I see you, alone, seated apart,
  Most amused with your thoughts,
  Your head bent downwards a little,
  Withdrawn from the vulgar and from me…”

The accompanying instruments, flute, viola and cello, helped the composer to create the intimate atmosphere he wanted, folding the voice in a light veil evoking ancient instruments, the expression of their vibrant sonority suggesting a burning passion, but always restrained.
 As for its form, the composer has taken care not to disturb the subtle balance of these sonnets with their lines of ten syllables, but on the contrary to integrate the equivalent as exactly as possible in his music.

Text taken from A propos de… commentaires de Frank Martin sur ses œuvres (Neuchâtel, 1984) | English translation by Rachel Ann Morgan

Premiere

World première: Geneva 7 April 1923. AMS Festival: Colette Wyss, mezzo; Frank Martin, conductor

Recordings (selective list)

  • Ursula Mayer-Reinach, mezzo-soprano
    Amir Sella, flute
    Gad Lewertoff, alto
    Naomi Enoch, cello
    GALLO CD-633 ℗ + © 1991 (FMS182)

  • Olga Cerna, mezzo-soprano
    Chamber Ensemble Variace
    Pro Helvetia OSA V+M 003 ℗ + © 2004 (FMS088)

  • The Britten-Pears Ensemble
    ASV CD DCA 1010 ℗ + © 1997 (FMS118)

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