La Création du Monde
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The composition "La Création du Monde" is a 20-minute-long ballet with music composed by Darius Milhaud, in 1922-1923, <ref name=PCmonde>
"Milhaud - La création du monde" (of Darius Milhaud,
English language), Pomona College, Department of Music, 1999, webpage:
PomonaEdu-Milhaud-Creation.
</ref> which outlines the Creation of the World, based on African folk mythology. The ballet is in six continuous sections<ref name=PCmonde/> as follows:
- i) Overture
- ii) The Chaos before Creation
- iii) The slowly lifting darkness, the creation of trees, plants, insects, birds and beasts
- iv) Man and woman created
- v) The desire of man and woman
- vi) The closing section (Coda) the man and woman kiss
The first section features a legato solo featuring the saxophone.
The second section is a jazz fugue played by double bass, trombone, saxophone and trumpet.
The third section returns to the opening legato melody, played by flute against the tune from the second section played by cello gradually leading to a third tune, a blues, played by the oboe.
The fourth section sees the two violins pitted against the bassoon in a cakewalk.
The fifth section includes a solo for clarinet with a rhythmic accompaniment of piano, strings and percussion and then sees the return of the tune from the first section which eventually gives way to the rhythmic accompaniment which increases in passion.
The final section includes parts of the third, first and second tunes, the latter played by the flute with "flutter-tonguing". The music closes with a gentle blues chord.
[edit] History
On a trip to the United States in 1922, Darius Milhaud heard "authentic" jazz for the first time, on the streets of Harlem,<ref name=PCmonde/> which left a great impact on his musical outlook. Using some jazz movements, the following year, 1923, he finished composing "La Création du Monde" ("The Creation of the World"), which was cast as a ballet in six continuous dance scenes.<ref name=PCmonde/>
Milhaud scored "La Création du monde" (Opus 81a) for the following musical instruments: <ref name=SPC>
"Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra" (program notes),
Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, 1999, TheSPCO.org webpage:
SPCO-98.
</ref> 2 flutes (1st flute doubling on piccolo), 2 clarinets, 2 violins, oboe, bassoon, 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, alto saxophone, timpani (doubling on percussion), cello, double bass (string quartet), and piano.
The ballet "La Création du monde" was commissioned by the ballet company Ballets Suédois, which were the Swedish successors to Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes.<ref name=SPC/> The ballet company was very influential in the early 1920s, staging five Paris seasons and touring continually; the company also premiered Cole Porter’s only ballet (Within the Quota), in 1923.<ref name=SPC/> Combinations of the high arts and jazz culture were very much the flavor of the time in Paris. The ballet reflects both that combination, and a centuries-old French penchant for exotica found in every generation from the Renaissance forward: Attaignant, Lully, Rameau, Berlioz, Massenet, Bizet, Debussy, Ravel, Messiaen and Boulez.<ref name=SPC/> Mostly, the quest for exotica manifested itself as a fascination with either Spain or "the East" (the orient). France was the nation that coined the term "Chinoiserie" (of China), and many of those composers employed sounds inspired by gamelans and temple percussion.<ref name=SPC/>
Milhaud was very susceptible to all kinds of influences, but it was a different type of exotica that drew him: Milhaud was in the Paris of Le jazz hot, singer Josephine Baker, Picasso’s paintings, and the sculptures inspired by African masks.<ref name=SPC/> In 1920, African (and Afro-American) chic was sweeping Paris, and this ballet may have been Ballets Suédois’ attempt to follow the trend.<ref name=SPC/>
When Milhaud first heard an American jazz band, he was reportedly so captivated that he took off to New York City to spend time in clubs and bars, visit Harlem, and mingle with jazz musicians.<ref name=SPC/> After returning to France, Milhaud began to write in what he called a "jazz idiom" (style): Milhaud chose to color his music with bluesy turns of harmony and melody, swinging climaxes, and stomping rhythms.<ref name=SPC/> Jazz influences appear in many of his compositions, but this ballet was the first opportunity to express his new passion; even the instrumental grouping also draws on his memories of New York City: "In some of the shows," Milhaud noted, "the singers were accompanied by flute, clarinet, trumpets, trombone, a complicated percussion section played by just one man, piano and string quartet." <ref name=SPC/>
At the time, "La Création du monde" was more a chic succes de scandale than a true success.<ref name=SPC/> The ballet costumes designed by Fernand Léger (who created the set also) worked well visually, but were difficult to dance in: the costumes were heavy and inflexible to move freely.<ref name=SPC/>
The costumes and sets from the original performance of "La Création du monde" still survive in museums and galleries, while the music has taken its role in the concert hall. The choreography is revived occasionally out of curiosity.<ref name=SPC/>
[edit] Notes
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