Lili Boulanger - 2 Pieces for violin and piano (audio + sheet music)

Lili Boulanger, the younger sister of French composer and tutor, Nadia Boulanger, was born in 1893. Her extreme musical talent, which she inherited from her mother, a singer, and her father, an instructor of composition at the Paris Conservatory, was evident at an early age. By the time she was six years old, she was sight-singing songs with composer Gabriel Fauré at the piano. She also studied with her older sister, Nadia.
It is not surprising then, that in September 1911, before Lili had even begun her formal studies in composition, she wrote one of her most popular works, Nocturne for Flute or Violin. On the original manuscript, written in Lili's own hand, is the notation, "Composed September 24th and 25th, 1911." Lili was also working in preparation to enter the coveted Prix de Rome competition. She took a couple days off from her studies to write the nocturne. So a fledgling composer, who happened to be a very young woman, completed the work in two days. This in itself is amazing, but to listen to the piece and hear its beauty is quite extraordinary.
The nocturne is composed in the Impressionistic style. It is unclear whether a teacher influenced Lili to write this piece for either solo flute or violin; however, it seems to fit each instrument equally. The flute soars above the piano, and brings a singing quality to the melody. The violin blends in more with the accompaniment, but still shines beautifully within its own melodic line. The piece was first written for flute or violin and piano, but had been orchestrated in another version that included strings, plus harp and clarinet. (Impressionistic composers tended to favor the woodwinds and the harp to bring a lilting quality to their works.) Unfortunately, the orchestral transcription was never published and has been lost.
In June 1914, when Lili wrote Cortège for violin or flute and piano, she was staying at the French Academy in Rome -- or the Villa Medici. She was the first woman composer to be admitted to the school in its history. This course of study was a privilege endowed upon her as a result of winning the Prix de Rome the year before, in July 1913. Lili was late arriving at the Villa Medici because of her poor health. She had pneumonia at a very early age, which caused her to be ill or weak throughout almost all of her short life. In December 1912, Lili contracted measles from her older sister, Nadia, and the disease almost killed her. Her health took some months to return, and during her stay at the cold and damp Villa, she was never fully recovered. And so, it was in this state of recuperation from a grave illness that Lili wrote her tone poem, Cortège.
Despite her ill health, and sometimes her resulting despondent moods, Lili managed to write a lively, almost dancing piece. The term "cortège" is used to describe either a slow procession or a victorious march. Lili chose to write this piece in the latter mood, and this festive piece gives implication of her strong will to overcome obstacles. Cortège is only about one-and-a-half minutes long; however, the energetic mood comes across throughout with a fast tempo, syncopation in both the violin and piano parts, and a jumping of intervals within the violin's melodic line.
Lili Boulanger dedicated the Cortège to violinist Yvonne Astruc. Astruc, along with her pianist husband, Marcel Ciampi, were friends of the family and had often come to play at the Boulanger household. Yvonne Astruc recorded the piece, with Nadia Boulanger at the piano, in 1930 on the French label, Malibran-Music. Astruc and Boulanger, however, preceded the Cortège with a slow "Introduction." The "Introduction" is solemn, and more in the mood of what one would think Lili's to be at the time. Still, the break into the Cortège is sharp, and quickly dissolves any melancholy that might have introduced it.
(AllMusic)
Please take note that the audio AND sheet music ARE NOT mine. Feel free to change the video quality to a minimum of 480p for the best watching experience.
Original audio: Arnold Steinhardt (violin), Virginia Eskin (piano) (Northeastern, 1985)
( • A. Steinhardt & V. Esk... )
Original sheet music: imslp.org/wiki/2_Pieces_for_Violin_and_Piano_(Boulanger,_Lili) (G. Schirmer, 1918)