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The present article traces the evolution and development of the French chanson, focusing on the Parisian chanson and the changes underwent by the genre under the influence of the group La Pléiade. One of the most important contributions France has made to the music of the Renaissance, the chanson embodies the endeavors that guided French artists of the Renaissance to prove that the French language possessed all the necessary qualities for becoming a poetic language. Relinquishing the sobriety of the Franco-Flemish school, Renaissance composers turned to a simpler, more melodious expression in their works, striving to place the text at the forefront. The 1520's witnessed the emergence of a new type of chanson, generally known as the Parisian chanson, with its lyrical and narrative versions, exemplified by the works of such composers as Claudin de Sermisy or Clément Janequin. From the complex polyphonic works, composers turned to more transparent textures, characterized by homorhythm and homophony. The chanson was also influenced by the ideals proposed by the Pléiade group, which placed poetry at the forefront, the music following the metric and rhythmic patterns of the declamation - a practice that became known as musique mesurêe and was represented by the works of Claude Le Jeune. Finally, the end of the 16th century brought about the gradual replacement of the genre with the air du cour, which would gain popularity in the 17th century. Nonetheless, the particularities of the musique mesurêe would have a great influence on declamation and the importance of the accents in song -concepts that lies at the core of French vocal music of the following centuries. The analysis proposed by the authors presents pieces that are representative for the evolution of the genre, striving to reveal the particularities of each period in the development of the chanson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims to investigate the delicate border between oratorios and operas based on biblical subjects, focusing on French music. A brief analysis of the period prior to the 19th century reveals that the oratorio was not one of the most popular genres in France, allowing the genesis of various genres inspired by biblical subjects. The oratorio enjoyed a brief revival in the 18th century, leading in the 19th century to the composition of biblical operas and the dawn of genres that are at the crossroads between opera and oratorio: mystére, drame sacré, or légende sacrée, represented by works of Jules Massenet. Although traditionally referred to as oratorios, these works allowed for staged representation, due to the dramatic qualities of the librettos, which in turn allowed for the musical discourse to depart from the sobriety of the oratorio and to include certain features that are characteristic for opera. Gradually, biblical subjects began to be tackled in operas as well, as will be seen in the works of Camille Saint-Saëns and Jules Massenet, the two composers on whose works the present study mainly focuses. At the same time, biblical themes can be related to musical orientalism, but also to the fin de siècle decadent aesthetic (through their exploration of such themes as the opposition between sacred and erotic love), serving as mirror for the political, social, and religious context of the Third Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the final decades of the 19th century and in the 20th century, exoticism and orientalism contributed greatly to the evolution and innovation of Western music composition. Using the rules and techniques of Western music, composers incorporated in their works elements pertaining to or inspired by foreign cultures and their music. The current study continues the investigations brought to attention by the authors in their previous articles: it desires to reveal and analyze the way exoticism and orientalism influenced the creation of various composers, pointing to those aspects that represented innovation brought about by the contact with the music and culture of other cultures than the Western world. The musical language of Messiaen is deeply rooted in the universal musical heritage, comprising elements belonging to the music of the Ancient Greeks, the Orient, Africa, or Europe. The present paper presents and offers examples regarding the way rhythm and melody are organized and employed by Messiaen using means that are inspired by Hindu music: the correspondence between the deçî-tâlas (Hindu rhythms) and Messiaen’s use of rhythm, as well as the similarities between the Hindu rāga and the modes of limited transposition. Apart from the Hindu influences on rhythm and melody, Messiaen was also inspired by the Japanese Gagaku, its instruments, and relation between harmony and melody, as well as Indonesian music (Balinese and Javanese), both having an important influence on the way the composer perceives and creates timbre. But apart from striving to create new means of musical expression using exotic elements, Messiaen desired to unveil certain spiritual and theological truths, mirrored in his music and the construction of his musical discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of a larger study which compresses three layers of analyses — dramatic, visual, and musical — the present article deals with the rhythmic component of the musical phenomenon in French operas within a half century timeframe, 1862–1923. Orientalism and exoticism were represented through melody, rhythm, timbre, and libretti in operas by F. David, G. Bizet, L. Delibes, J. Massenet, and A. Roussel. The melodic dimension, discussed in a previous study, offered perhaps more opportunities for the evocation of an allegedly oriental sound than rhythm and meter deliver within the operas, while the timbre of various instruments proposes the sensuality of the Orient — an accepted Western stereotype regarding the East. To identify certain rhythmic formulae of Indian inspiration and to understand the concept of tāla, several studies and works of Indian musicians and authors have been consulted, among these Sãrngadeva’s Sangītaratnākara, a thirteenth century treatise considered one of the most important Indian musicological texts. Whether invented or extracted directly from its original source, the article aims to identify composers’ rhythmic gestures. The blend of personal musical language with the Indian tinta reflected in rhythmic patterns create a romantic texture cognoscible to the discussed French exotic operas: David’s opéracomique Lalla-Roukh, Bizet’s Les Pecheurs de perles, Delibes’ Lakmé, Massenet’s five-act grand-opéra Le Roi du Lahore, and Roussel’s opéraballet Padmâvatî. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important figures of the 20th century, avantgarde composer, artist, writer, and theorist John Cage was deeply influenced by various philosophical orientations from South and East Asia, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Zen, and I-Ching. He studied various doctrines and the works of several Asian philosophers, which resulted in the reorientation of his philosophical and aesthetic ideas. At the same time, this influenced his musical style, the conception of his compositions, as well as his thoughts on the functions of art - discernible in his music. Cage identified himself with certain ideas he encountered in the philosophical texts he studied, but he refrained from describing himself as representative of any of these orientations. Unlike other Western composers inspired by oriental art and music, Cage was rather influenced by the philosophical dimension of Asia. He avoided the use of Asian music sources in his works and was not interested in using new sounds for the sake of creating a novel musical discourse but aimed to evoke or emphasize certain philosophical ideas through his composition. The aim of the present paper is to present the Asian philosophical influences that marked the figure of John Cage, his perspective on life and art, and influenced his rhetoric, as well as the ideas that he employed within his compositional process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper strives to discover and reveal the influences of Indian culture and classical Indian music in French operas. At first, the evocation of India was obtained through the subjects of the operas and stunning scenic designs, fulfilling the requirements of exoticism. Gradually, the composers attempted to include in their musical discourses exotic rhythmic and melodic elements, in some instances inspired by Indian classical music, thus aiming to evoke a genuine image of India. At the same time, the use of elements pertaining to Indian music (rāgas, rhythmic patterns, timbres) offered the musicians the possibility to create novel sound discourses. The analysis focuses on several operas, composed between the eighteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, following the evolution of Indian representations in several dimensions: dramatic (libretto), visual (scenic representations, dance), and musical (melody, rhythm, timbre). The present paper investigates the way Indian themes influenced the conception of the libretto, and at the same time the visual dimension of the works (setting, costumes), observing how these visual elements were gradually absorbed into the musical discourse (analysis of the melodic structures), through the incorporation of Indian rāgas in works conceived according to the rules of Western music composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important figure of early 20th century music, the French composer Albert Roussel was deeply influenced by his encounter with India, which led to the composition of several orientalist works. The present paper aims to disclose the influences of classical Indian music in the orchestral work Evocations. Despite the Impressionist sound of the musical discourse, a careful analysis reveals the incorporation of several scalar structures in which Hindu rāgas can be recognized. Roussel goes beyond the musical representation of India: his goal is not the creation of a musical work with powerful oriental sound, but the evocation of the impact this encounter had on his creation. Situated at the crossroad of several stylistic orientations, Roussel incorporates Impressionist, Neo-classical and Post-romantic influences in rigorously devised structures, aiming to create an unusual and novel sound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

French composer and pianist Maurice Delage wrote several significant works inspired by his personal contact with the Orient. His travels to India inspired Delage to use innovative sound effects in his compositions, as well as to require his performers to adapt their vocal or instrumental technique to obtain the sound desired by the composer. His representation of the Orient is not a mere evocation of the Other, as is the case with most orientalist works, rather it reflects the composer's desire to endow Western music with the purity, strength, and vivid colors which he discovered and admired in Indian music. The present paper presents the historical and artistic background which inspired and influenced Delage, the relationship between France and India in the early 20th century and reveals the composer's idealistic point of view regarding India, its culture, and its music. The analysis focuses on the mélodie cycle Quatre poèmes hindous, composed between 1912 and 1913, striving to reveal the Indian influences in the work of Delage and the way orientalism is represented in French music from the first decades of the 20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aims to reveal some of the features which characterize the Mélodies of the French composer Reynaldo Hahn. Although his work comprises several genres, instrumental and vocal alike, these refined and sensitive vocal miniatures are most often associated with Hahn's name. Composer, conductor and music critic, himself a singer, the fascinating personality and intelligence of the composer is reflected in his works. His Mélodies mirror Hahn's preoccupation regarding the relationship between poetry and music, between the spoken and the sung words. In the master's opinion, music should emphasize the deep, hidden meanings beyond the words, thus in his vocal miniatures he strives for a truthful evocation of that which remains unspeakable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper aims to reveal the essential features of 19th century French opera, highlighting those aspects which contributed to the eventual crystallization of a dramatic work seeking to reflect the characteristics of French music and culture. The manner in which melody, harmony, rhythm, dynamics, tempo and timbres are used is analysed, focusing on two representative works of the French Romanticism: Saint-Saëns' Samson et Dalila and Bizet's Carmen. Harmonic innovations, floating melodies, strong rhythmic patterns along with the marked influence of folklore and Oriental culture contribute to the distinguishing of 19th century French opera. Finally, attributes of the French singing school and the role of the mezzo-soprano voice in the compositions of the 19th century French operas are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present the historical, cultural, aesthetic and musical circumstances that led to the gradual unfolding of the reform process of the opera as an art form. The state in which music drama found itself at the beginning of the 18th century contributed to the formulation of essential principles that could guide the composition of a music drama, a work of art which had to transmit true feelings and emotions. The philosophical ideas expressed by the intellectuals of the Enlightenment are echoed in the musical works of Ch. W. von Gluck and mirrored in Orfeo ed Euridice, the unfolding of the reform of opera and the first of Gluck's works in which the composer strives to place the words before the music, relinquishing the old compositional methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]