Composer

:

Darius Milhaud

Genre

:

Vocal

Style

:

Vocal Music

Compose Date

:

1929

Publication Date

:

1929

Average_duration

:

0:49

Quatrain à Albert Roussel, Op. 106 is a chamber music piece composed by Darius Milhaud in 1959. The piece was dedicated to the memory of Albert Roussel, a French composer and Milhaud's former teacher. It was premiered on January 22, 1960, in Paris, France, by the Ensemble Ars Nova. The piece consists of four movements, each of which is based on a quatrain, a type of poem consisting of four lines. The first movement, marked "Allegro," is based on a quatrain by the Persian poet Omar Khayyam. It features a lively and rhythmic melody that is passed between the instruments of the ensemble. The second movement, marked "Andante," is based on a quatrain by the French poet Paul Valéry. It is a slow and melancholic piece that features a haunting melody played by the clarinet and violin. The third movement, marked "Allegro," is based on a quatrain by the French poet Guillaume Apollinaire. It is a lively and playful piece that features a syncopated rhythm and a melody that is passed between the instruments of the ensemble. The final movement, marked "Andante," is based on a quatrain by the French poet Stéphane Mallarmé. It is a slow and contemplative piece that features a beautiful melody played by the flute and violin. Overall, Quatrain à Albert Roussel, Op. 106 is a beautiful and complex piece of chamber music that showcases Milhaud's skill as a composer. The use of quatrains as the basis for each movement gives the piece a cohesive structure, while the different poets and their styles provide a variety of moods and emotions. The piece is a fitting tribute to Milhaud's former teacher and a testament to the enduring power of chamber music.

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