Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur
Encyclopedia
Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur, known often simply as Daniel-Lesur (November 19, 1908 – July 2, 2002) was a French
organist and composer. His mother, Alice Lesur, was an accomplished composer in her own right; some of her music was even published.
Daniel-Lesur was a student of Charles Tournemire
. In 1935 he became a professor of counterpoint at the Schola Cantorum
under its new director, Nestor Lejeune.
The following year he co-founded the group La Jeune France
along with composers Olivier Messiaen
(with whom he would remain a lifelong friend), André Jolivet
and Yves Baudrier, who were attempting to re-establish a more human and less abstract form of composition. La Jeune France developed from the avant-garde chamber music society La spirale, formed by Jolivet, Messiaen, and Daniel-Lesur the previous year.
That same year he, together with Jean Langlais
and Jean-Jacques Grunenwald
, gave the first performance of Olivier Messiaen
's La Nativité du Seigneur
.
Daniel-Lesur also served as director of the Opéra National de Paris from 1971 to 1973.
choral work, Le Cantique des Cantiques, a setting for 12 voices of parts of the Song of Songs
, interspersed with Latin verses and New Testament
texts. The seventh and final movement, titled "Épithalame," utilizes "the combination of richly harmonised upper voices singing the famous words from Chapter 8 of the Song of Songs in French (‘Pose-moi comme un sceau sur ton coeur, comme un sceau sur ton bras. Car l’amour est fort comme la Mort’) over an ostinato
set to Latin words (‘Veni sponsa Christi’) [which] has very great cumulative power, reaching a mighty twelve-part climax where all the voices sing a succession of Alleluias which initially emerge from the complex texture in a repeated motif coloured by the Lydian mode – an idea which seems to suggest the joyous pealing of bells." (From his obituary--see external links.) The "Cantique des Cantiques" has been recorded by Harry Christophers
and The Sixteen
, and is frequently performed in America and worldwide by such groups as Chanticleer
and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
organist and composer. His mother, Alice Lesur, was an accomplished composer in her own right; some of her music was even published.
Daniel-Lesur was a student of Charles Tournemire
Charles Tournemire
Charles Tournemire was a French composer and organist, notable partly for his improvisations, which were often rooted in the music of Gregorian chant...
. In 1935 he became a professor of counterpoint at the Schola Cantorum
Schola Cantorum
The Schola Cantorum de Paris is a private music school in Paris. It was founded in 1894 by Charles Bordes, Alexandre Guilmant and Vincent d'Indy as a counterbalance to the Paris Conservatoire's emphasis on opera...
under its new director, Nestor Lejeune.
The following year he co-founded the group La Jeune France
La Jeune France
La jeune France was the name of two related French societies in the 1930s and 1940s.- Musical organization :Jeune France was founded in 1936 by André Jolivet along with composers Olivier Messiaen, Jean-Yves Daniel-Lesur, Pierre Schaeffer and Yves Baudrier, who were attempting to re-establish a...
along with composers Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
(with whom he would remain a lifelong friend), André Jolivet
André Jolivet
André Jolivet was a French composer. Known for his devotion to French culture and musical thought, Jolivet's music draws on his interest in acoustics and atonality as well as both ancient and modern influences in music, particularly on instruments used in ancient times...
and Yves Baudrier, who were attempting to re-establish a more human and less abstract form of composition. La Jeune France developed from the avant-garde chamber music society La spirale, formed by Jolivet, Messiaen, and Daniel-Lesur the previous year.
That same year he, together with Jean Langlais
Jean Langlais
Jean Langlais was a French composer of modern classical music, organist, and improviser.- Biography :Jean Langlais was born in La Fontenelle , a small village near Mont St Michel, France...
and Jean-Jacques Grunenwald
Jean-Jacques Grunenwald
Jean-Jacques Grunenwald , was a French organist, composer, architect, and pedagogue.-Life and work:Jean-Jacques Grunenwald was born in 1911 in Cran-Gevrier, Haute-Savoie. He studied at the Paris Conservatory, where he received first prizes in organ and composition...
, gave the first performance of Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
's La Nativité du Seigneur
La Nativité du Seigneur
La Nativité du Seigneur is a work for organ, written by the French composer Olivier Messiaen in 1935....
.
Daniel-Lesur also served as director of the Opéra National de Paris from 1971 to 1973.
Le Cantique des Cantiques
Daniel-Lesur's most well-known composition is the a cappellaA cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
choral work, Le Cantique des Cantiques, a setting for 12 voices of parts of the Song of Songs
Song of songs
Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. It may also refer to:In music:* Song of songs , the debut album by David and the Giants* A generic term for medleysPlays...
, interspersed with Latin verses and New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
texts. The seventh and final movement, titled "Épithalame," utilizes "the combination of richly harmonised upper voices singing the famous words from Chapter 8 of the Song of Songs in French (‘Pose-moi comme un sceau sur ton coeur, comme un sceau sur ton bras. Car l’amour est fort comme la Mort’) over an ostinato
Ostinato
In music, an ostinato is a motif or phrase, which is persistently repeated in the same musical voice. An ostinato is always a succession of equal sounds, wherein each note always has the same weight or stress. The repeating idea may be a rhythmic pattern, part of a tune, or a complete melody in...
set to Latin words (‘Veni sponsa Christi’) [which] has very great cumulative power, reaching a mighty twelve-part climax where all the voices sing a succession of Alleluias which initially emerge from the complex texture in a repeated motif coloured by the Lydian mode – an idea which seems to suggest the joyous pealing of bells." (From his obituary--see external links.) The "Cantique des Cantiques" has been recorded by Harry Christophers
Harry Christophers
Harry Christophers is an English conductor. He attended the King's School, Canterbury and was a chorister at Canterbury Cathedral under choirmaster Allan Wicks and played clarinet in the school orchestra alongside Andrew Marriner...
and The Sixteen
The Sixteen
The Sixteen are a choir and period instrument orchestra; founded by Harry Christophers in 1979.The group's special reputation for performing early English polyphony, masterpieces of the Renaissance, bringing fresh insights into Baroque and early Classical music and a diversity of 20th century...
, and is frequently performed in America and worldwide by such groups as Chanticleer
Chanticleer
- Fiction :*A rooster appearing in fables about Reynard The Fox**The Nun's Priest's Tale, a version of Chanticleer and the Fox told in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales**By metonymy, any rooster**A character in the movie Rock-a-Doodle played by Glen Campbell...
and the Santa Fe Desert Chorale
Santa Fe Desert Chorale
The Santa Fe Desert Chorale is a 24-voice professional choir in Santa Fe, New Mexico.The choir was founded in 1982. They hold general concerts during Summer, and holiday concerts in December...
.