"petits mystères" (voice & piano)

Hello

My new music, still on a poem by my dear Jules Laforgue.

So for voice (mine) and piano.
In French with subtitles

Still on the edge of tonal music.

In the description of the video on Youtube, you can read a small note of intent that I wrote, which gives some keys to the black and sublime poetry of this young man, who died at the age of 27. (and whose cycle is his last).

(And this time, thinking of you, I took care to leave the score roughly readable in the video editing)...

Thank you for listening,

Reviews and comments welcome!

There is a note of intent (translated into English) in the YouTube description. This can help to contextualize the poem and its musical treatment.

Hey @Krisp!

Sorry for a very belated review. I only remember to review this wonderful piece of music until I see your name on the member list! I love the 5/8 time signature very much, in a sense an omen to signify the premature death of the poet with the rushing rhythm., but also well fit to the poem’s subject of chasing a girl! Your modulation is always wonderful, I love your modulation in b.30 to F sharp minor very much, reminds me a lot of Schubert and Schumann. The 2nd stanza begins will a mellow E major and a soft tone of your voice, matching very well to portray to girl’s beauty. And the hunger for sex is really showed in the next stanza with those forceful chord, signifying the uncontrollable Id and Libido. The cool down and then arousal of sex desire, then the breakdown is so fascinating. Your music is always full of content. I can’t imagine in just 2 minutes you already told us a great poem with all those dramas and structure. Very fascinating to listen to, and thx always for your sharing!

Henry

This is fantastic, and I can only imagine it doesn't have more reviews because people like to be able to suggest something that should be improved upon, and this is perfect as it is.  I agree with Henry that the 5/8 is an excellent fit here, partly because it rushes things along, and partly because it feels slightly off-balance, like a mad love affaire.  Well played and well sung!  

Now I want to go look up some Jules Laforgue poetry.  Are there other texts you particularly recommend?

On 5/29/2025 at 3:09 PM, Henry Ng Tsz Kiu said:

Sorry for a very belated review. I only remember to review this wonderful piece of music until I see your name on the member list! I love the 5/8 time signature very much, in a sense an omen to signify the premature death of the poet with the rushing rhythm., but also well fit to the poem’s subject of chasing a girl! Your modulation is always wonderful, I love your modulation in b.30 to F sharp minor very much, reminds me a lot of Schubert and Schumann. The 2nd stanza begins will a mellow E major and a soft tone of your voice, matching very well to portray to girl’s beauty. And the hunger for sex is really showed in the next stanza with those forceful chord, signifying the uncontrollable Id and Libido. The cool down and then arousal of sex desire, then the breakdown is so fascinating. Your music is always full of content. I can’t imagine in just 2 minutes you already told us a great poem with all those dramas and structure. Very fascinating to listen to, and thx always for your sharing!

Henry

8 hours ago, pateceramics said:

This is fantastic, and I can only imagine it doesn't have more reviews because people like to be able to suggest something that should be improved upon, and this is perfect as it is.  I agree with Henry that the 5/8 is an excellent fit here, partly because it rushes things along, and partly because it feels slightly off-balance, like a mad love affaire.  Well played and well sung!  

Now I want to go look up some Jules Laforgue poetry.  Are there other texts you particularly recommend?

Thank you for your two very touching comments.

The 5/8 has actually imposed itself, in the double idea of constant imbalance, of a shaky race towards an impossible love. I didn't want it to seem like a free rhythm game (and I almost didn't want it to be noticed).

And you have indeed perceived the subtexts that are in this poem, where we are already on the edge of expressionism. His tensions where the carnal and the metaphysical are tied. The entire last cycle of Jules Laforgue (imitation of Our Lady of the Moon) is haunted by this theme. An exile of love, a mourning of love, a throbbing pain, a frustration, and a feverish incandescence. He was probably already very affected by tuberculosis when he wrote this, since it was shortly before his death at the age of 27.

And also well seen, I like to sow here and there some "turns" among other secret messages, which are a little Schubertian necessarily (when you have a piano, singing, you want to talk about Love and pain, how else?).

Thank you in any case for your deep listening. It makes me immensely happy to know that my music is heard by such benevolent ears.

I'm not done with Laforgue...