Scott Good

 

Anguished Grief -2007                                 

14:30

(s.violin / 0000 / 0000 / 0 / 43221)

 

Composed for and funded by the Toronto Sinfonia and Violinist Phoebe Tsang.

 

• Premiere: December 14, 2007, Grace Church on-the-Hill, Toronto/Ontario, Toronto Sinfonia, Nurham Arman - conductor,  Phoebe Tsang - violin

 

In 2008, I was approached by violinist Phoebe Tsang to write a new work for solo violin and string orchestra.  Very busy with writing projects at the time,  but excited to work with Phoebe, I decided to re-compose an earlier work of mine for soprano and string quartet of the same name rather than compose a fully original work.  In the spirit of works such as William Byrd's "Lacrymosa on Dowland's Flow my Tears" or Sarasate's "Carmen Fantasy", the solo line is derived from the original vocal melody, but is highly elaborated creating a virtuoso violin feature. 

 

The original music was a setting of French renaissance poet, writer, and philosopher Christine de Pizan's poem of the same name.  It was written as an elegy to her recently deceased husband.  Its florid and emotional language, organized in an interesting form were ideal for musical treatment.

 

Dueil Engoisseux

 

Dueil engoisseux, rage desmesurée,

Grief desespoir, plein de forsennement,

Langour sanz fin, vie maleürée

Pleine de plour, d'engoisse et de tourment,

Cuer doloreux qui vit obscurement,

Tenebreux corps sus le point de perir,

Ay, sanz cesser, continuellement;

Et si ne puis ne garir ne morir.

 

Fierté, durté de joye separée

Triste penser, parfont gemissement,

Engoisse grant en las cuer enserrée,

Courroux amer porté couvertement,

Morne maintien sanz resjoïssement,

Espoir dolent qui tous biens fait tarir,

Si sont en moy, sanz partir nullement;

Et si ne puis ne garir ne morir.

 

Soussi, anuy qui tous jours a durée,

Aspre veillier, tressaillir en dorment,

Labour en vain, a chiere alangourée

En grief travail infortunéement, .

Et tout le mal, qu'on puet entierement

Dire et penser sanz espoir de garir,

Me tourmentent desmesuréement

Et si ne puis ne garir ne morir.

 

Princes, priez a Dieu que bien briefment

Me doint la mort, s'autrement secourir

Ne veult le mal ou languis durement ;

Et si ne puis ne garir ne morir.