Maurice Ohana - Livre des prodiges

Maurice Ohana (1913 - 1992) - Livre des prodiges (1978 - 1979)

Part One:
I. Clair de terre [0:00]
II. Cortège des taureaux ailés [1:14]
III. Immémorial [4:28]
IV. Hydre [6:50]
V. Clé des songes [8:45]
VI. Clair de terre [9:39]
VII. Soleil renversé [11:43]

Part Two:
I. Conjuration des sorts [12:58]
II. Alecto [15:04]
III. Son noir [16:23]
IV. Jeu des masques [17:58]
V. Clair de terre [20:55]
VI. Korô-Ngô [21:46]

Orchestre Philharmonique de Luxembourg, Arturo Tamayo (2000)

Maurice Ohana's Livre des prodiges is a work for large orchestra completed in 1979. It is dedicated to Serge Baudo and the Orchestre de Lyon, who premiered the work.

“Intended as a commentary on The Rite of Spring and inhabiting the same world of pagan ritualism, Livre des prodiges is not only a concerto for orchestra but virtually a catalogue of Stravinskian allusion. Comprising two parts, as a reference to The Rite of Spring, it is divided into titled sub-sections which proceed without a break (also in the manner of The Rite), and overall continuity between sections in Parts One and Two of Livre des prodiges is created by the progressive variation and extension of material from section to section.

The scoring, as well as Ohana’s orchestration, is very like that of Stravinsky (although Ohana uses a larger percussion section); similar effects include the use of fortissimo muted trumpets and horns ‘pavillon en l’air’ in sections evoking frenzied tribal dances, as well as pianissimo flutes and bassoon accompanied with sustained string harmonics to suggest vast plains of emptiness. The powerful rhythmic drive of Ohana’s score, his use of ostinato and modal melodies, many of which incorporate Stravinskian acciaccatura, particularly in the woodwind writing, further enhance the many textual allusions. In ‘Cortège des taureaux ailés’ (one of the magical prodigies of the title) Ohana alludes to the ‘pesante’ section of ‘Spring Rounds’ with similar incantatory woodwind interpolations. Allusion is taken a step further in ‘Soleil Renversé’ (the inverted sun suggests impending apocalypse) which includes a fleeting reference to the work of another composer; strident tritones in the lower orchestra combined with a tremolando in strings and percussion paraphrase Mussorgsky’s Baba Yaga from Pictures at an Exhibition.”

(source: The Music of Maurice Ohana, by Caroline Rae)