UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

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1 UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI Date: I,, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: in: It is entitled: This work and its defense approved by: Chair:

2 MAGIC AND EVOCATION IN THE CINQ INCANTATIONS POUR FLÛTE SEULE BY ANDRÉ JOLIVET A document submitted to the Division of Research and Advanced Studies of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS (D.M.A.) in the College-Conservatory of Music 2005 by Jennifer Carol Parker-Harley B.M., Eastman School of Music, 1993 M.M., Michigan State University, 1995 Committee Chair: Dr. Mark Ostoich

3 ABSTRACT The Cinq incantations pour flûte seule by André Jolivet are the manifestation of many of the philosophical, spiritual, and musical ideas that occupied the composer early in his career. Somewhat of an auto-didact in philosophical matters, through his studies Jolivet became convinced of the power of music to affect the listener in such a way as to be a means of communication between people, a pathway to self-knowledge and a bridge to spiritual transcendence. He sought to capture the magic that would allow a composition to work on the psyche, and even the physiology, of the listener. This document will first describe the influences that impacted the development of Jolivet s early style: a fascination with other cultures (especially their music and ritual practices), an interest in ethnology, and studies in spirituality. These three interests resulted in the development of the musical philosophy that became the impetus for the compositions from his early period, , when the Cinq incantations were written. An in-depth analysis of each incantation follows, concentrating on motivic development and how these motives work to express his extra-musical ideas. Next, the document examines two specific compositional techniques which most obviously serve to further Jolivet s aims of creating a magic spell : repetition and juxtaposition of contrasting elements. Repetition has long been used as a means of reaching altered or ecstatic states; it works in these pieces in a similar way, serving to focus the mind like a chanted prayer or mantra. The juxtaposition of contrasting elements is so effective because it heightens the awareness of the listener while mimicking the constant motion and flux of our own inner lives. The document concludes that Jolivet is successful in his aim of capturing both the programmatic theme of each incantation (evocations of singular moments in the life of a person

4 and community, such as inter-personal communication, childbirth, daily labor, spirituality and death) and, on a deeper level, accessing the resonance of universal experiences.

5

6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, my thanks go to Göran Marcusson for his 1999 performance of the Cinq incantations. Your thoughtful interpretation and powerful communication have inspired this paper and continue to inspire my own flute-playing. I would like to thank Madame Françoise Minnich for her hours of effort in supervising my translation of many of the French-language sources used for this document. The sources were often difficult, philosophical works and you were tireless in working to find the perfect words. To my mother and editor-in-chief, your help and unflagging encouragement have been invaluable. To Mike, for your patience, insights, and love, words of thanks are inadequate.

7 CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES LIST OF MUSICAL EXAMPLES Chapter I. INTRODUCTION II. INFLUENCES ON STYLE III. TECHNICAL AND REFERENTIAL ANALYSIS OF THE CINQ INCANTATIONS Pour accueillir les négociateurs _ et que l entrevue soit pacifique. Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils. Pour que la moisson soit riche, qui naîtra des sillons que le laboureur trace. Pour une communion sereine de l être avec le monde. Aux funérailles de chef _ pour obtenir la protection de son âme. IV. REPETITION AND JUXTAPOSITION OF CONTRASTING ELEMENTS V. CONCLUSION BIBLIOGRAPHY

8 FIGURES Figure Page 1. Form of Pour une communion sereine de l être avec le monde. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule

9 MUSICAL EXAMPLES Example Page 1. Pour accueillir les négociateurs _ et que l entrevue soit pacifique. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm. 1-2) Pour accueillir les négociateurs _ et que l entrevue soit pacifique. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm ) Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm. 1-3). Motive A Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm. 3-5). Motive B Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm ) Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm ) Pour que la moisson soit riche qui naîtra des sillons que le laboureur trace. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (m. 1). Motive C Pour que la moisson soit riche qui naîtra des sillons que le laboureur trace. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (m. 2). Motive D Pour une communion sereine de l être avec le monde. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (m. 1). Motive E Pour une communion sereine de l être avec le monde. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (m. 1). Motive F Aux funérailles du chef _ pour obtenir la protection de son âme. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm ) Aux funérailles du chef _ pour obtenir la protection de son âme. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm. 5-7) Aux funérailles du chef _ pour obtenir la protection de son âme. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm ) Pour accueillir les négociateurs _ et que l entrevue soit pacifique. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm. 1-2). Motive G

10 15. Pour accueillir les négociateurs _ et que l entrevue soit pacifique. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm. 1-2)

11 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION At the 1999 Cincinnati Flute Symposium, I attended a performance of the Cinq Incantations pour flûte seule of André Jolivet given by the noted Swedish flutist, Göran Marcusson. The music I heard was powerful so much so that I left the performance determined to learn more about the composer and the piece. This paper is a result of the study that followed. Upon beginning my research, I discovered that most of the sources which dealt specifically with the Cinq incantations were available only in French. I hope that the translations presented here will make accessible some information about this work previously unavailable to non-french speakers. My analysis owes much to the system of eclectic analysis developed by Dr. Lawrence Ferrara, professor at New York University, and outlined in his book, Philosophy and the Analysis of Music. Although this paper does not implicitly follow the ten steps required by Dr. Ferrara s method, I approached the analysis of this piece through the lens of his analytic techniques. Eclectic analysis is exactly what the name would suggest. It is a comprehensive approach to the study of a piece of music which considers the historical, syntactical, and referential aspects of the composition. Considering the underlying philosophical nature of Jolivet s compositional style, and how directly his interests and reading informed his compositional language, this type of analysis seemed to be especially fitting. Chapter Two, Influences on Style, details the most significant extra-musical influences on Jolivet s compositions. Chapter Three, a Technical and Referential Analysis, focuses on Jolivet s use of pervasive motives or motivic cells (the most significant ones described here are identified as Motives A through G) throughout each movement to provide both unity and 5

12 contrast. Finally, Chapter Four, Repetition and Juxtaposition of Contrasting Elements, elaborates on two of the most significant characteristics of Jolivet s compositional style. Jolivet stated that his goal as a composer was to affect the psycho-physiological impulses of the listener. Through certain of his characteristic compositional techniques, he achieves this aim. Repetition of small amounts of musical material results in an intensity akin to the tribal music that always fascinated him. By the juxtaposition of vastly different musical elements he mimics the changeable nature of our inner experiences, imbuing his music with great communicative power. Ultimately, in the Cinq Incantations Jolivet proves successful in capturing both the programmatic theme of each incantation (evocations of singular moments in the life of a person and community, such as inter-personal communication, childbirth, daily labor, spirituality and death) and, on a deeper level, accessing the resonance of universal experience. 6

13 CHAPTER TWO INFLUENCES ON STYLE The Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (1936) exemplify what Jolivet biographer Serge Gut calls the composer s revolutionary period ( ). Many of Jolivet s works written during the late 1930s are characterized by an interest in the spiritual power of music as well as an adventurous tonal language. 1 His compositional aim during his early career was to return to the original sources of music when it was an expression of the magic and incantation of primitive religious groups. 2 Three main influences helped to form Jolivet s early ideas about music and musical philosophy: his fascination with the music of other cultures, study of ethnology, and reading in spirituality. It is easy to see how each interest led logically to the next. His youthful captivation with non-western cultures was the impetus to study ethnology. The inextricable link between music and religion that he would certainly have encountered in these studies may have sparked his interest in spirituality. Jolivet s uncle, Louis Tauxier, was an administrator in the French colonies. 3 When Mr. Tauxier returned to Paris on vacation, he brought stories and artifacts from his exotic destinations that fascinated the young boy. To Jolivet, his uncle took on mythic proportions and was seen by the boy as somewhat of a sorcerer because of the fantastic tales he told. Upon his retirement, Tauxier moved back to Paris and transformed his house into a veritable colonial 1 Jolivet s later compositional periods, as named by Gut, are the traditionalist period ( ), characterized by a simpler, more accessible musical language, and the third style period, which spans the remainder of the composer s life ( ). The music written in this final era was a synthesis of the disparate languages of the previous periods. Serge Gut, Le Groupe Jeune France, trans. Françoise Minnich and Jennifer Parker-Harley (Paris: Honoré Champion, 1977), André Jolivet, Reponse à une enquete, trans. Françoise Minnich and Jennifer Parker-Harley, Contrepoints 1(January, 1946): Gérard Moindrot, Approches symboliques de la musique d André Jolivet: Musique et expression du sacré, trans. Françoise Minnich and Jennifer Parker-Harley (Paris: L Harmattan, 1999), 38. 7

14 museum graced by rare objects that he brought from his far-away journeys: objects of cult and sorcery, terrifying masks and weapons of great power that were displayed alongside many musical instruments. 4 These instruments were especially intriguing to young André, who was already a budding musician. He learned to play all of the exotic instruments, mostly percussion, and imagined the rituals of the cultures his uncle had described as he played them. Later, he recounted these memories to his wife; she related, he became a one-man-band while playing these percussion instruments. There is no doubt that Jolivet was marked by these scenes, real and imagined. 5 Ethnology, the second major influence on Jolivet s music and musical philosophy, became a serious interest for the composer after his marriage to Hilda in the late 1920s. At that time, Hilda was pursuing a graduate degree in philosophy at the Sorbonne. During her studies, she developed a special interest in the sociology of ancient cultures. André often attended these sociology classes with her, although there is no record of exactly which classes he attended. 6 It seems logical, nonetheless, that many of the ethnological works which influenced him were introduced during the lectures he heard. Jolivet cited La Musique et la Magie, by ethnologist Jules Combarieu, as one of the texts which most inspired his musical philosophy. Combarieu believed that religion, music and magic were all closely intertwined in early rituals and daily life. He concluded that, through practical rituals, music created a magic that allowed man to impose his will on the fickle and terrifying forces of nature. For example, the fact that a dead plant or bone could be fashioned to produce a beautiful sound was inexplicable to people of these early societies. They credited magic with the 4 Hilda Jolivet, Avec André Jolivet, trans. Françoise Minnich and Jennifer Parker-Harley (France: Flammarion, 1978), Ibid. 6 Moindrot, Approches symboliques, 38. 8

15 transformation of a lifeless object, such as a tree branch or bone, to an instrument capable of producing beautiful tones through the use of their own breath. Early societies imbued this music with incredible power a power great enough, they thought, to modify natural laws. The musical tones wielded power to cure illness, resuscitate the dead and produce desired reactions in animals, other people, celestial bodies and supernatural beings. 7 The third major influence on Jolivet s early music and musical philosophy was his reading in the field of spirituality. In particular, Jolivet found kinship in the writings of Édouard Schuré, C. Kerneïz, and Pierre Tielhard de Chardin. Although each writer speaks from a completely different vantage point Schuré studied correlations between great world religions, Kerneïz was a scholar of Karmic Yoga, and Tielhard de Chardin was a Roman Catholic priest and noted paleontologist their thoughts all converge around the idea that the ultimate goal of religion is to reach a transcendent state which will result in a unification of the individual, nature, and the divine. 8 The only way to achieve such transcendence or integration, according to Jolivet, was through music. He sincerely believed that music was man s best expression of the sacred. He saw his goal as a twentieth-century composer to give music the role of mediator between the individual and God. His ouevre shows a conscious will to highlight the sacred dimension of music and to encourage the listener to access the point of transcendence in a musical event. 9 It is a kind of magic that allows the unification of the individual, nature, and the divine to occur; that is, magic in the sense that the event is inexplicable by the laws of science. Science can certainly explain the phenomenon of sound; however, it cannot fully explain the effect of music on the human psyche. Jolivet sought to produce this effect and to create a bridge 7 Jules Combarieu, La Musique et la Magic (1909); quoted in Gerard Moindrot, Approches symboliques, Ibid., A. Jolivet, Une Enquete, 34. 9

16 to spiritual transcendence by carefully arranging harmonic resonances, rhythm, melody and timbre. As Moindrot writes, The secret of the magic of sounds consists of an ingenious utilization of musical material Moindrot, Approches symboliques,

17 CHAPTER THREE TECHNICAL AND REFERENTIAL ANALYSIS OF THE CINQ INCANTATIONS The Cinq incantations were written during Jolivet s early period, during which all of his compositions exhibit a preoccupation with magic and authentic expression. The purpose of these five pieces was to cause, in Jolivet s words, the influx of musical emotion and, in more sensitive (or uninitiated ) listeners, emotion akin to the instinctive impulses of primitive tribesmen. 11 Jolivet wrote these pieces in the summer of 1936, just months after the death of his mother. In her book, Avec André Jolivet, his wife relates the following insights about the circumstances of their composition: Jolivet poured his pain into his music, and it is his mother that is present in each instant of the Incantations He cried and the flute repeats his long cries; he relives his childhood with her and the flute sings his unspeakable nostalgia. He places himself under the protection of the flute s soul in a serene communion The titles of the Cinq incantations are a magic spell: it is as if the thoughts of the musician were expressed in words and followed by sounds. 12 By giving each incantation a title stated as a prayer, Jolivet immediately makes the listener aware of his intention and the purpose of the music. This is neither absolute music, nor music written for mere entertainment. Rather, it is music with the explicit goal of direct communication: communication among members of a community, between man and the divine and between man and his inner self. Jolivet states quite clearly that these pieces are neither a pastiche of oriental music, nor are they borrowed from the music of groups called primitive. For him, the intent and purpose of the music is exactly as it would have been for these early groups: ritualistic and religious H. Jolivet, André Jolivet, Ibid., Ibid,

18 Pour accueillir les négociateurs et que l entrevue soit pacifique To receive the negotiators, and that the meeting will be peaceful The first incantation deals with duality. Two distinct voices differentiated by register, pitch content, timbre and metrical arrangement express this idea. Gérard Moindrot, musicologist and Jolivet biographer, writes about the symbolic content of this incantation: Pour accueillir les négociateurs et que l entrevue soit pacifique expresses the duality archetype. Two opposing parts are put together: two groups of notes, two registers, alternating of static and dynamic. Symbolically, it is conception, the logical goal of duality. It is, as well, a request of the invisible forces to, on one hand, leave the meetings untroubled because they are for the vital interest of the social group, and on the other hand, to give inspiration. 14 Gérard Michel, in his article André Jolivet: essai sur en système esthétique musical, proposes that the title refers to an invocation of the creative spirit by the composer in hopes of a successful work of art. 15 Flutist Katherine Kemler, writing about this piece, suggests that this movement is a prelude to the rest of the piece, in which the composer sets up a type of dialogue (interview) with the spiritual forces (negotiators), to which all the incantations are directed. 16 The musical score bears out the truth of the commentaries of these authors. The two voices are introduced immediately in the opening two measures. The first note introduces the high voice on an altissimo D, announcing the beginning of the work with a scream. The second main note, excluding grace notes, is a C, three octaves below the first note, and introduces the lower voice (Example 1). This disparity of register is maintained until the closing measures of the movement. 14 Moindrot, Approches symboliques, Gérard Michel, André Jolivet: essai sur un système esthétique musical, La revue musical 204(1947): Katherine Kemler, Is There Magic in Jolivet s Music?, The Music Review 44(1983):

19 Example 1. Pour accueillir les négociateurs_et que l entrevue soit pacifique. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm. 1-2). The two voices are also distinct in pitch content. The lower voice consists of only four pitches: B, C, D, and E-flat. These four notes are presented in different registers and in different orders, but generally, the lower voice remains static. The upper voice consists of all eight other pitches and is chromatic. When the voices are finally combined in the coda, the pitches of both voices form a complete aggregate of twelve tones. The rhythmic differentiation between the two voices provides another striking means of contrast. Both 9/8 and 3/4 time signatures are indicated at the beginning of the movement. The 9/8 is placed above the 3/4 to show the correlation of the top meter with the upper voice and the bottom meter with the lower voice. Beginning in m. 5, the meters of the upper and lower voices become clearly defined: the upper voice is presented in compound triple meter while the lower voice moves more slowly in simple triple meter. As with the melody, the rhythm of the upper voice is dynamic while that of the lower voice is regular and repetitive. Jolivet calls for flutter-tonguing and gives the added performance direction of sifflant (hissing, whistling) to further distinguish the upper voice. The high register and tonguing technique lend this voice a sense of otherworldliness, especially when paired with the wandering chromatics of the line Jolivet was one of the first composers to explore extended techniques in literature for the solo flute. Through these explorations, he was able to exploit the timbral possibilities of the instrument, thereby expanding its expressive capabilities. 13

20 The coda of this incantation is particularly important because it marks the unification of the two previously disparate voices. In a gesture that stands in striking contrast to the rest of the movement, the phrase that begins in m.13 contains all pitches from both voices and traverses all registers (Example 2). This is the unification of opposing registral and pitch material, symbolizing the ultimate success of the dialogue and negotiation of the earlier music. The final consonant interval of a major third represents the peace wished for in the title. The movement ends on the same pitch it began. However, the last D is three octaves lower than the D that opened the incantation; its comparative repose underlines a peaceful conclusion. Example 2. Pour accueillir les négociateurs _ et que l entrevue soit pacifique. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm ). Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils That the child to be born will be a son The second incantation is a further exploration of duality. Gérard Moindrot proposes that two opposing natures are represented by the two dominant pitches: E-flat and D. The frenetic energy of the movement s repeating motive generates a new entity represented by the last note, B. 18 Katherine Kemler suggests that the entire movement is symbolic of the experience of 18 Moindrot, Approches symboliques,

21 childbirth. She writes, Jolivet has created a convincing musical simulation of the process of child-birth: the heartbeats of the mother and child (quintuplets on E-flat and D), the repetitive but unpredictable contractions of early labour (melodic figure with varied rhythms) becoming more and more frequent and intense until the ultimate birth of the child. 19 This writer interprets the movement as an outpouring of fervent prayer and hope that the child will arrive safely. The first of two motives that dominate the movement, motive A, consists of a rapid repetition of a single pitch in a parlando passage. These passages (m.1 m. 3, mm. 7-9, m. 14, mm ) represent the speech rhythms of chanted prayer (Example 3). The interpolated rests contribute to the breathless earnestness of the prayer. Example 3. Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm. 1-3). Motive A. In the middle of the movement, at m. 33, there is an extended variation on motive A. D becomes the predominant pitch rather than the E-flat of the beginning. This change in pitch is representative of the second of two forces that join to create new life. 20 The rhythmic character of this passage changes as well. The tempo is slower and as the passage progresses, the beat is divided into increasingly smaller values, creating a heightened intensity. The last appearance of this parlando type of writing takes place in the section preceding the coda. The quarter note repetitions of a low D-flat preceded by a C grace note are related to 19 Kemler, Jolivet s Music, Moindrot, Approches symboliques,

22 the earlier parlando passages (beginning, m. 33). These are slower, weightier entreaties which seem to emanate from the depths of the soul. The music intensifies as the climactic moment (birth) is imminent. Motive B is the second of the persistent motives that dominate and unify the entire incantation. The incredible tenacity of this motive throughout the movement serves to represent the single-mindedness with which a child is expected the community to which he will be born is united in hope for the health and well-being of the baby. This second motive is first heard in m. 3. Its rising shape is in sharp contrast to the more static, repetitive nature of motive A. In its simplest form it consists of the pitches E-flat, D-flat, F-flat and D. It is repeated four times in three measures. These repetitions contribute to the fervent tone of the opening prayer (see Example 4). Example 4. Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm. 3-5). Motive B. The following section, mm. 9-24, contains seven successive repetitions of motive B. Each one is rhythmically varied but all contain the same four pitches and all end with the rising augmented sixth from F-flat to D. The third repetition (mm ) is extended by a one-bar parlando passage on D (m. 14), a return of the fervent prayer. The fourth repetition is extended 16

23 by a chromatic repetition of D, D-flat and D-sharp, three of the four notes of the motive. The indicated performance directions, comme une grande respiration (like a forceful exhalation), as well as the glissando marking over mm make this passage a prolonged sigh of expectation and concern (Example 5). The two succeeding statements of motive B are increasingly intensified by louder dynamics, more insistent rhythms and more frequent accent marks. Example 5. Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm ). Measures contain an eighth truncated statement of motive B. E-flat, the note around which the first half of the incantation is centered, is conspicuously absent. The centralizing pitch has shifted to D. This truncated statement is also the beginning of a sequence: the defining rising augmented sixth that ends the motive is expanded in m. 25 to a rising minor seventh, in m. 26 to a rising minor ninth, and in m. 27 to a rising major ninth (Example 6). Each sequential statement adds to the excitement and anticipation that pervades the movement. 17

24 Example 6. Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm ). In the second half of the incantation, motive B returns in m. 46 after an extended parlando section (derived from motive A) on the note D, which serves as the new centralizing pitch. There are five successive statements of motive B in mm The first motivic statement, m. 46, begins with D-flat ornamented by a C grace note. This ornamented D-flat figure is repeated at the beginning of the third motivic statement (mm ). By the fourth statement, the ornamented D-flat becomes increasingly longer, and the asymmetrical placement of the odd rhythms over bar lines serves to destroy any notion of meter that was previously established. This elimination of regular meter contributes to the growing sense of excitement bordering on bewilderment that precedes a birth. The material of the last section, which is characterized by its extreme chromaticism, is again related to the tenacious motive B. As at the end of the first half of the incantation, the rising interval at the end of the motive is treated sequentially: m. 54 is an augmented rising sixth, m. 55 is a minor seventh in m. 55, m. 57 contains an octave plus a perfect fifth and an octave plus a major seventh at the end of the same measure. After a rapid descending chromatic scale, the motive returns in its original form. Now it appears as a recapitulation of the third and fourth measures of the piece where the motive was initially introduced. The expansion of the motive resumes in an upward trajectory (mm ) and becomes increasingly dense in rhythm and 18

25 higher in register. By the time the second incantation draws to a close, the music has reached an elevated level of intensity. Measures are a restatement of motive B (minus the F-flat) in which both previously important pitches, E-flat and D, are conspicuously present. The movement ends on a prolonged forte high B6 a pitch that appears in the harmonic series of both pivot notes. Musically, this seems to denote a new being; this being, related to what came before, but entirely individual, is now introduced into the world. Pour que la moisson soit riche qui nâitra des sillons qui le laboureur trace That the harvest, born from the work of the farmer s plow, may be rich The music of the third incantation is very repetitive and deliberate, consisting of only nine measures written in 8/2 meter. As a laborer endlessly repeats a task, so Jolivet repeats a small amount of musical material, as if to illustrate the never-ending nature of work and ultimately, the transcendence and satisfaction that achievement provides. Every aspect of the movement evokes images of tenacity and single-mindedness that are necessary for progress. The regularity and plodding nature of the tempo marking, Très régulier, non sans lourdeur, mais sans brutalité (very regular, not without heaviness, but without brutality) establishes the mood from the outset of the movement. Motivic material of this incantation is limited. Like the second incantation, in which two main motivic cells can be identified, this incantation incorporates two motives. Essentially, all material is derived from motive C, three ascending half-steps, (Example 7) and motive D, a more lengthy, melodic figure (Example 8). Motive C is repeated four times in m. 1, then reappears in mm. 5, 8 and 9. Motive D is repeated in mm. 3, 6 and 7. In addition to the reworkings of similar material that occur 19

26 throughout the movement, certain sections are repeated verbatim. Measure 2 is marked with a repeat sign, mm. 2-5 are to be repeated many times (as per the performance directions), and m. 6 should be played three times in succession. This repetition of material results in a somewhat more symmetrical structure than that of the other incantations. 21 Example 7. Pour que la moisson soit riche qui naîtra des sillons que le laboureur trace. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (m. 1). Motive C. Example 8. Pour que la moisson soit riche qui naîtra des sillons que le laboureur trace. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (m. 2). Motive D. Rhythmically, the pulse is constant throughout the movement. When there is a rest, it is brief, and the music soon resumes its travail. Gerard Michel writes that the rhythmic movement of this piece is supposed to represent the farmer as he lays out the furrows, thus justifying the slow tempo and the monotony of the melodic line. 22 Even the tessitura of the movement remains quite constant throughout. There are instances, however, in which the melody rises beyond the bounds of the bottom two octaves of 21 Kemler, Jolivet s Music, Michel, André Jolivet,

27 the flute. The harmonics in m. 3 and at the end of this incantation express a kind peace that comes from completing a repetitive task. The last two notes of the movement are a restatement of pitch material that occurs at the end of m. 3. In this final measure, however, these notes are transposed a whole step higher. This transposition of previously stated material seems to signify an unending continuation of labor as well as a step towards transcendence. As Moindrot writes about this movement, It is the third symbolic benchmark: Work becomes a sacred act, a tool of evolution. 23 Pour une communion sereine de l être avec le monde For a serene communion of the being with the world The fourth incantation is the musical expression of many of Jolivet s most fundamental spiritual beliefs. Pour une communion sereine de l être avec le monde remains one of the essential pages of my work, as much by the output of its lyricism as through the philosophy it expresses, which approaches the philosophy of Teilhard de Chardin when he states, There is a communion with God, and a communion with the earth, and a communion with God through the earth. 24 This incantation is considerably more complex than the previous four in terms of form, although like the others, its musical material is very tightly woven. As in the second and third 23 Moindrot, Approches symboliques, As surprising as it may seem in light of the similarity of the above quote and the title of the fourth incantation, when Jolivet composed these five pieces he was unaware of the writings of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. The similarity of thought between Jolivet s title and Chardin s quote were arrived at coincidentally. It was only during the Occupation (at least ten years after the Incantations were written) that Jolivet learned of Chardin s work, when he encountered some of the philosopher s unpublished writings that were circulating among Parisian intellectuals. In these writings, Jolivet found ideas that strongly resonated with his own, and was encouraged to further pursue the spiritual path on which he had embarked. Teihard de Chardin was an ordained Catholic priest as well as a lauded paleontologist, whose work in both arenas focused on the reconciliation of science and religion. His philosophy was driven by the belief that the ultimate transcendence was attained by a communion between God, man, and nature. He felt that through both scientific and creative endeavors, a better understanding of both the world and the self could be reached, making unity with God all the more possible. Jolivet s philosophy echoed these ideas. He was motivated to compose by the firmly held belief that access to the divine was attainable through the experience of music, and that this was a universal way of bringing out the spiritual and the transcendent desires of humanity. It was the fourth incantation, as much as any other composition in his oeuvre, that he felt came closest to expressing and accomplishing such an idea. Ibid.,

28 incantations, two important motives, identified as E and F, determine the overall architecture. This movement can be divided into five major sections. The form of the incantation is determined by how and when motives E and F are used. Section A Section B Section C Section D link Section A1 mm mm mm mm mm mm Motive E Motive F Motive E Motive F Motive E Motive F Motive F Figure 1. Form of Pour une communion sereine de l être avec le monde. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule. Section A (mm. 1-11) contains the seminal motivic material from which the rest of the work develops. These two motives appear as part of the opening eight-note melody presented in m. 1. The first three notes of the melody, three descending half-steps, constitute the initial statement of motive E (Example 9); motive F is the augmented octave that appears at the end of the same melody (Example 10). Example 9. Pour une communion sereine de l être avec le monde. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (m. 1). Motive E. Example 10. Pour une communion sereine de l être avec le monde. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (m. 1). Motive F. 22

29 The juxtaposition of two different melodic cells such as these is quite common in Jolivet s writing. It is the tension between two types of melodic ideas, one stabilizing force and one dynamic force, which propels the music. 25 Motive E is present in the first, third and last sections of the work. It appears without much transformation (although in section C it appears in retrograde) and offers a point of reference for the listener. This motive is representative of the stabilizing force offered by the divine by nature and the grandeur of infinity. Motive F, the augmented octave and its variants of interval classes 1 and 2, functions as an opposing force. 26 This motive is also introduced in the first measure and reappears primarily in sections B and D. It is inherently more dynamic than the descending semi-tone motive and appears in many more variations: as both diminished and augmented octave, a major/minor seventh, and a major/minor ninth. In section B (mm ) both a new tempo and a new color are introduced; the music moves ahead and flutter-tonguing is called for. The pitch material of these four measures is an exploitation of motive F through the incessant repetition of the augmented octave. This particular interval appears no less than twenty times in these four measures. The limits of motive F are explored in section D, the climactic point of the fourth incantation. This section is closely related to section B because of its reliance on motive F and its variants. By m. 24, the tonal orientation shifts away from the previous pivot note of B to a completely new pitch center: E, a pitch previously afforded no importance. In fact, E has only appeared twice previously in this incantation, both times as a passing tone (m. 17, m. 19). In this section, E becomes the tonal center by virtue of its frequent restatement. It is, as well, the 25 Ibid. 26 When the augmented octave is reduced by octave equivalency to its smallest possible arrangement, it belongs to interval class 1. Other intervals in this class are the major seventh, the diminished octave, and the minor ninth (intervals comprised of a half-step). Intervals in class 2 are whole-step intervals, such as the major ninth and minor seventh. 23

30 highest pitch in the movement, thus the melodic zenith of the entire incantation. In light of Jolivet s interest in number symbolism, one of the most convincing arguments for calling this section the climax is the fact that section D begins roughly around the point of the golden mean for the incantation. 27 As the movement returns to its starting point in section A1, the motives come full circle. The music of this section is both a recapitulation of the exact contour and intervallic content of the opening material and a progression away from the original material by transposition to a minor second higher. As at the closing of the third incantation, this upward transposition is symbolic of transcendence of the unification of the individual, nature and the divine which was so persistently sought by the composer. One of Jolivet s compositional precepts which is particularly germane to this movement is that of the psychological manipulation of the listener. He hoped to achieve a measurable emotional impact through musical means. The effect of music on the listener has been recognized from time immemorial. Early societies revered sounds and melodies for their magical powers. Aristotle and Plato taught that music had the ability to affect both human character and behavior. In the Baroque era, the Doctrine of the Affections stated that the musician could affect the state of mind of an audience, based on what and how he performed. Thus, Jolivet s insistence on communication through the mode of music is nothing new, although present day cultural attitudes seem reluctant to attribute such command to an art form. Jolivet s music can have just such a powerful effect because in its melodic, rhythmic, and dynamic fluidity it closely mimics inner life and thought patterns. In general, music captures the experience of the emotions in a specific way that language cannot, and his music seems to accomplish this especially well. 27 The principle of the golden mean is discussed in-depth later in this chapter. 24

31 The two aspects of this movement that go furthest in realizing this imitation of inner experience are Jolivet s use of dynamics and the rhythmic flux of the movement as a whole. He gives explicit dynamic directions throughout, beginning with the performance direction très interieur given in m. 1. (While this phrase does not expressly indicate a dynamic, one is certainly implied). When followed carefully, the dynamics result in a constant ebb and flow of energy and intensity. As Jean-Pierre Rampal noted about the incantations, If you play the score the way it is written, you cannot miss the intent of the work. 28 Secondly, the rhythmic flux gives an organic life to Jolivet s music. Even in sections where the tempo remains constant, the subdivisions of the beat lend fluidity and motion to each phrase. On a larger scale, the incantation moves toward a climax in m. 24, roughly at the point of the golden section. This phenomenon, first recognized by Euclid in Elements of Geometry is a geometric principle found in nature (the spirals of certain vegetables and mollusks) as well as in art as early as that of ancient Egypt. Bartok and Stravinsky also used these proportions in their works. Number symbolism in general and the golden section, in particular, also influenced many of Jolivet s compositions. Although certainly attracted by the purely mathematical aspects of this idea, Jolivet was fascinated by the inherent symbolism as well. 29 Gerard Moindrot s interpretation of the use of the golden section in Jolivet s compositions seems particularly a propos to this movement. He writes: Like all symbols of this type, the spiral suggests the deliverance from restrictive forms of existence and an orientation towards the growth of consciousness. But the spiral can also operate in an inverse sense, as a convergence towards a central point. It symbolizes, in this case, the integration of the suppressed unconscious into the conscious; this integration drives the being towards the realization of the Self, a condition necessary to psychic equilibrium Ibid., Moindrot, Approches symboliques, Ibid. 25

32 While consciously imperceptible to the listener, its proportions, so often present in nature, are pleasing. It is not out of the question to assume that such a pattern resonates with the listener on a subliminal level to affect a rise of emotion. Aux funérailles du chef- pour obtenir la protection de son âme At the funeral of the chief to obtain the protection of his soul The summer of 1936, when Jolivet penned these movements, was surely a time of reflection and contemplation for the young composer. In light of the death of his mother, the fifth incantation is particularly poignant and affecting. While one significant new motive and its variants are introduced in this movement, most of the musical material derives from earlier incantations. In this way, the fifth incantation becomes a musical summation of all that has come before. It is a fitting conclusion to the Cinq incantations, helping to tie them together into a unified whole. The separation of two voices that characterizes the opening incantation can be seen in Aux funérailles du chef in mm (Example 11). As in the first incantation, this section (mm ) consists of alternating statements of voices separated by range, pitch content and timbre. The minor third that characterizes the upper voice is derived from a similar motive on D- B that occurs in the lower voice of the first incantation. 26

33 Example 11. Aux funérailles du chef _ pour obtenir la protection de son âme. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm ). The rapid-fire repeated G-sharps that appear throughout the fifth incantation are borrowed from the parlando motive A first heard at the beginning of the second incantation. The prayer-like character of the motive in the second incantation (Example 3) becomes an intense, repeated cry at the faster tempo and higher tessitura of the fifth incantation (Example 12). Example 12. Aux funérailles du chef _ pour obtenir la protection de son âme. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm. 5-7). The pitch material of the second section (mm ), derives from the tritone and is related to the third incantation whose pivot notes, A-flat and D, exhibit a tritone relationship. Further allusion is made to the third movement by the tempo change to subitement très lent that occurs at m. 30 and m. 56. The descending half-step motive E (Example 9) from the fourth incantation appears throughout the last incantation. The first instance is in m. 15, where motive E occurs at the same 27

34 pitch level used in the fourth movement: B, B-flat and A. Later in the same measure, the motive appears transposed up a fourth (Example 13). From this point forward, the A sections of the last movement are peppered with statements, in rhythmic diminution, of this motive. Most of the time it appears on the pitches E, E-flat, and D, although other transpositions do occur. Example 13.. Aux funérailles du chef _ pour obtenir la protection de son âme. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (mm ). Important new material, motive G, is introduced in the final incantation as well (Example 14). This assertive theme provides a new identifying idea in a movement that, as we have seen, is dominated by melodic gestures and rhythms from the previous incantations. Example 14. Aux funérailles du chef _ pour obtenir la protection de son âme. From Cinq incantations pour flûte seule (m. 1). Motive G. Aux funérailles du chef... as a whole is symbolic of the musical illustration of passage from this life to a new one. Moindrot writes, This last rite does not seem to express death, but the symbolic passage towards a new state. 31 Everything about the music of this incantation 31 Moindrot, Approches symboliques,

35 supports his idea. The music is a sustained cry: a lament, but certainly not a dirge. It is highly energized throughout, even until the end of the very last note. The life force does not end. There is no finality evoked here no ceasing of energy or drive, but rather an insistent continuity. This is the life-affirming message of the final movement. 29

36 CHAPTER FOUR REPETITION AND JUXTAPOSITION OF CONTRASTING ELEMENTS As Hilda Jolivet wrote, the titles of the incantations are a magic spell. 32 They prepare the listener for what is to come. In the music that follows, Jolivet prolongs and intensifies the spell through his use of specific compositional techniques. Two of these techniques in particular prove most prevalent and effective in these pieces: the use of repetition and the abrupt changes in dynamics, texture and density that characterize much of Jolivet s music of this period. While these aspects of the incantations were touched upon in the analyses in chapter three, their significance is such that further exploration yields a fuller understanding of why the Cinq incantations achieve such emotional impact. Repetition has been used as a means of reaching altered or ecstatic states since the beginning of time. A continual restatement of a musical or textual motive helps to clear the mind and allow an intense focus to evolve. In religions that practice spirit possession, such as Haitian voodoo, the practitioners are brought to a receptive state by the incessant repetition of short melodic or rhythmic phrases. In Christian liturgy, prayers are often quite repetitive. It is the repetition of Gregorian chant that results in the creation of a spiritual atmosphere. 33 Eastern meditation often involves the recital of a mantra in order to empty and focus the mind. Ter Ellingson, in his article, Music and Religion, writes, The most basic and widespread musical and ritual time-structuring device is repetition, often carried to such lengths as to perplex or bore the outside observer. It may be that repetition and redundancy serve to impart sensations of continuity, stability, and security, that they aid concentration and provide safeguards against distraction H. Jolivet, André Jolivet, Marius Schneider, On Gregorian Chant and the Human Voice, The World of Music 24(1982): Ter Ellingson, Music and Religion, in Encyclopedia of Religion, 1980 ed. 30

37 Repetition is rife within the Cinq incantations. Jolivet s use of this device can be separated into two categories: repetition of large sections of music and repetition of short motives. Both types of repetition are employed to build momentum and tension. The listener then experiences a release when the music breaks through the limits of the repeated material. In addition, the constant refrain of a note or musical idea at times creates a hypnotic effect, no unlike a chanted mantra in some forms of meditiation. The first incantation consists of just 17 measures. However, the body of the work, mm. 3-12, is repeated three times. This repetition creates a kind of musical momentum which is then broken at the end of the movement by the introduction of new musical material in the coda (m. 13). Here the listener is released from the building tension created by repetition. In a programmatic sense, the conflict between two differing social groups, presented in the central section of the work, finds some type of resolution in the coda, where the repetition ends. The second incantation, Pour que l enfant qui va naître soit un fils, begins with a twoand-a-half bar repetition of a single pitch (Example 8.) This is incantation in its simplest state: a prayer is heightened and made more effective by the use of musical tone. (This speech-like, or parlando, material occurs at four other points in the movement.) After the initial chant, the single note pattern, motive A, (Example 3) alternates between repetition and expansion, each expansion adding a new tone, until the phrase reaches a climax in m. 6. This technique serves to build a feeling of fervor, while giving the listener a recognizable element to follow. The four-note motive, motive B, (Example 4) is introduced and then expanded in these opening measures and continues to appear incessantly throughout the remainder of the work. From the beginning of the work through measure 24, the motive appears 31