D'un matin de printemps

D'un matin de printemps is a musical work for violin, cello or flute and piano or orchestra, composed by Lili Boulanger.

History

Originally composed as a duet for violin and piano, from the spring of 1917 the work was adapted as a trio version for violin, cello, and piano in 1917, and as a duet for flute and piano in the same year. In January 1918, Boulanger wrote an orchestral version.^[1] D'un matin de printemps was the last orchestral work composed by Boulanger before her death in 1918.^[2]

Analysis

Unlike many of Boulanger's other works, this work was written to charm, with a fresh and joyful character.^[3] The Belgian musicologist Harry Halbreich wrote:

D'un matin de printemps est dans l'ensemble un Scherzo à la verve primesautière, à l'orchestration aérée et transparente, mais on y voit surgir au milieu une gradation d'orchestre véhémente qui révèle la douleur sous-jacente à cette sérénité si précaire.^[4]

The music critic Gerald Larner wrote that it contains more accents of Debussy than the rest of her work.^[5]

$\relative c' { \tempo "Assez animé" 4=144 \key c \major \time 3/4 \compressEmptyMeasures R2.*2 e4..\p ^\markup { \italic { gai, léger } } ( g16) e8. d16 e4..( g16) e8. d16 e4~ ^( e16 f\< g a b8\! c16 d) e8\sf d16\p c b4.*2/3\> ( s8\! a8) }$