Morten Lauridsen - Les Chansons des Roses - II. Contre Qui, Rose

American composer Morten Lauridsen. His work sounds familiar; accessible; but he has his own voice - and he hits me between my eyeballs. Quite marvellous.

Here, in this secular, most reflective piece, Lauridsen sets the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke to music. I didn't include a photo of a rose, but I hope my omission doesn't detract.

"Part of this aura of permanence is due to Lauridsen's ongoing study of early music, a study that includes plainchant as well as music of the Medieval and Renaissance eras. Lauridsen has internalized both chant and early music so deeply that there is never a question of his music slipping into mere pastiche; rather, this repertory is the sure foundation upon which the composer has built the edifice of his style. As befits a composer who loves the human voice, Lauridsen's music is essentially lyrical, and the spinning out of long-limbed melodic lines is one of his specialities. This lyricism pervades the fabric of the music on several levels through Lauridsen's frequent use of contrapuntal procedures derived from Renaissance practice, so that each strand in the polyphonic texture has its own expressive arch, just as in Byrd or Victoria."

My photo details (all Derbyshire Peak District, England): a distant shot of Minning Low (Minninglow) Neolithic-Bronze Age Barrow; Eyam Moor landscape; inner Minning Low with capstone; Higger Tor (distant) with "chair stone" of Eyam Moor Stone Circle, mimicking Higger Tor's profile; shire horse & cart at Bakewell Show; lambs in Spring at Little Longstone; Clydesdale horses at Chatsworth; European robin perched on hawthorne in early Spring at Hassop; and Peacock butterfly on Buddlea at Tissington in late Summer.

Conductor: Paul Salamunovich
Los Angeles Master Chorale

[JohnProthero]

So wonderful to hear this, just days after Salamunovich's passing.  Never has there been such a wonderful collaboration of artist, singers and composer as there was with Paul, the LAMC and Lauridsen.

[alan]

Another wonderful video. Was very much liking the monochrome photographs, then had the wonderful burst of colour with the robin photo. I also very much enjoy Lauridsen & this piece was new to me.

[AntPDC]

Belated thanks Iain. I got a message from someone who liked Lauridsen's music so much she ordered the CD. I think that happens a lot, courtesy of YouTube, and I think it explains why the record companies are willing to quid-pro-quo regarding ads.

[AntPDC]

Thanks Mibi. Yes, I was born in Derbyshire England, spent a lot of my life in Norfolk; London and for the past 14 years I lived in New England, USA - and I loved it there. Now I'm back amongst the hedgerows and drystone walls of Derbyshire and it's lovely to be "home".

By the way, there's a "Melbourne" here in Derbyshire, which gave its name (indirectly) to your beautiful city in Australia. I must visit the English Melbourne for it has a magnificent parish church and Georgian town centre.

[jrpalmour]

So serenely beautiful - great work! I love the shot of the English Robin - so different from its American namesake....

[AntPDC]

Thank you JR. Having spent a good deal of my life in the United States, I became quite familiar with American Robins. In behaviour, they remind me of Blackbirds and other thrushes here in England, though lacking a sweet song!

[mibi]

Just Great. Thank you. Forgive me for asking but I get the impression that you must reside close to or in the Peak District or The Pennine regions of the UK. I spent the first 35 years in the UK since when I have lived these past 35 years in Melbourne.