French Composers’ Names – Nadia and Lili Boulanger
After a brief Facebook/Twitter survey, Nadia Boulanger emerged as a good candidate for this series. It felt quite natural to add her sister, Lili, to the same post.
Does Nadia Boulanger need an introduction? Aaron Copland wrote in Harpers Magazine (1960): “there are few musicians anywhere who would not concede her to be the most famous of living composition teachers.” Lili, her younger sister (by 6 years) was an accomplished composer—the first woman to ever win the Premier Grand Prix de Rome, you know the one Ravel never got—who died way too young at age 24.
Lili and Nadia Boulanger
A lot could be said about her method, her role in the rediscovery of Monteverdi, etc. but this is unfortunately beyond the scope of this post. Bruno Monsaingeon wrote a great book about her (out of print) and also directed a documentary available on DVD.
Their last name is not too hard to pronounce. The -an nasal is anchored in one’s throat and resonates in one’s nose. The -ger ending is a soft G sound, a bit like in Jay but without the attack.
Here is Nadia:
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Link to MP3 - ICIYL – Nadia Boulanger
and here is Lili:
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Link to MP3 – ICIYL – Lili Boulanger
Nadia was a composer but according to her: “the music I have written is useless, not even badly done, useless!” I’m pretty sure it wasn’t but Lili’s music is more easily available. The video I picked is a recording of Lili’s Pie Jesu, that she dictated from her bed to her sister the year of her death (1918). It is a haunting piece for soprano (sometimes boy soprano—creepier), harp, organ and string quartet (no image in the video except for the credits at the end):
Sorry for the downer. On a lighter note, did you know that Burt Bacharach and Quincy Jones studied with Nadia Boulanger too?
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Thomas Deneuville, the founder and editor of I care if you listen, is a French-born composer living in NY. Find him on Twitter: @tonalfreak
January 4th, 2012 at 10:59 am
It’s rare to find a mention of the Boulangers anywhere today – even as women in the forefront of their art, they are not often remembered.
Thank you for the re-introduction – I hope others find your post and seek out their work.
Best,
DJ Young
(@dijeratic)
January 4th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Thank you DJ Young!
January 5th, 2012 at 2:44 pm
Wonderful post. I didn’t know at all about N. Boulanger’s sister Lilli. The piece you found of hers is beautiful. How sad she died so very young. So many people studied with NB, didn’t they? I didn’t know Burt Bacharach and Quincy Jones were among them. And thanks, too, for reminding me of the documentary, which I had put in my mind to get hold of . . . then, like so many things on my lists of things I want to and must do, it slipped away undone.
January 5th, 2012 at 2:49 pm
Thank you Susan! Lili Boulanger also wrote some beautiful piano music and some interesting tone poems.
I was really surprised to hear about Bacharach myself! He has a beautiful craft, in his own idiom, and it kind of makes sense.
I’ve added the DVD to our store, along with a few others that are worth checking on Netflix if you have a subscription.
Thank you again for your support, Susan, and happy new year!
T
January 5th, 2012 at 6:19 pm
You know, I hadn’t noticed your store & the DVDs. I do have a sub to Netflix. Was very interested in what you list. Wasn’t that Shulman DVD tremendous? Now I have to dash off and find out more about our Lili!
January 15th, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Among other things, Lili Boulanger wrote some remarkable psalm settings — there’s a beautiful recording of them by John Eliot Gardiner and the LSO. It’s amazing to hear such a young composer with such powerful and skilled use of the orchestra, and terribly sad to think what music she would have gone on to write if she had not died so young.
January 15th, 2012 at 2:43 pm
Thanks for your comments, Joe. You are absolutely right, her psalm settings are really beautiful and the craft is incredible for such a young composer. I will add the CD you recommend to our store. Thanks again for your comment and your support.
January 15th, 2012 at 8:19 pm
I have just viewed “Mademoiselle.” Thank you so much for noting this documentary. So wise, she was.
January 16th, 2012 at 12:38 pm
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Susan! Yes, she was really incredible…