Soupirs (Sighs)

Mixed choir
Poem by Rabindranath Tagore
(2000)
Duration : 4’
Commission of Mikrokosmos chamber choir.
First performance on  april 22d 2001 in Abbaye de Noirlac
Mikrokosmos chamber choir – Loïc Pierre, director.
Editions Jobert
Recording CD Jade 2003 – Mikrokosmos

Like an all-pervading sigh, we can only hear the murmur of the wind through the leaves, whispering into our ears the echoes of our memory – perhaps our dreams ?
A meeting ? A separation ? The past ? The future ? Who is speaking : a man or a woman ?
The music, here, attributes the dialogue to the bass and soprano voices. She says :
“ I will let loose my hair “ ; he replies : “ My blue cloak will cling round me like night “ ; she continues : “ there, in the sweet loneliness, I will murmur on your heart “ ; he responds : “ I will shut my eyes and listen “ …
The other voices weave a gentle, nocturnal backdrop on an indian mode that slowly dissolves.
Thus they go on their different paths.
All that remains are words of love…
and the sighs of the wind.

Patrick Burgan

Text :

Speak to me, my love ! Tell me in words what you sang.

The night is dark, the stars are lost in clouds. The wind is sighing through the leaves.

I will loose my hair. My blue cloak will cling round me like night. I will clasp your head to my bosom ; and there in the sweet loneliness I will murmur on your heart.

I will shut my eyes and listen. I will not look in your face.

When your words are ended, we will sit still and silent : only the trees will whisper in the dark.

The night will pale, the day will dawn. We shall look at each other’s eyes and go on our different paths.

Speak to me, my love ! Tell me in words what you sang.

Rabindranath Tagore (The Gardener of Love, Chant XXIX)