Piece Collage: Clairieres dans le Ciel by Lili Boulanger

Titled Clearings in the Sky, this is Lili Boulanger’s only song cycle composed in her short life. With 13 songs in total (corresponding to the number of letters in the composer’s name), this set is based on Francis’ Jammes poems Tristesses that depicts the protagonist’s unrequited love.

The composer’s selection of 13 poems captures the emotional development of the protagonist, from the reminiscent happiness in the first poem Elle était descendue au bas de la prairie to the hopelessness in the final poem Demain fera un an. In these 13 intricately painted tableaux, the mood shifts subtly at every turn, and in the end, Boulanger weaves a tapestry of emotions, much like the poet Jammes himself.

My favorites include:

1. Elle était descendue au bas de la prairie (She reached the base of the meadow). This is one of the happiest pieces in the cycle, as the protagonist recalls a joyful memory of the girl frolicking in a meadow. The entire song has a magical quality, truly evoking a sense of a clearing in the sky.

2. Les lilas qui avaient fleuri (The lilacs which are still flowering). This piece depicts two lilacs, serving as a metaphor for the lovers. The harmonies in this song teeter between consonance and dissonance, reflecting the inner turmoil of the protagonist as the mood of the cycle shifts toward sadness.

3. Demain fera un an (Tomorrow will be a year). As the final song of the cycle, it references much of the material Boulanger used earlier. Here, the cycle culminates in a despairing climax as the protagonist questions the purpose of life with a nihilistic tone. At 9 minutes long, this piece expands beyond a miniature and develops into a complex, profound work.

This cycle is best experienced in one sitting.