Pastorales de Noël (Christmas Pastoral) is a trio composition for flute, bassoon and harp written by André Jolivet in 1943. [1] It is cast in four movements and lasts about 12 minutes. [2]
It has been described as an "unusual and very lovely Christmas piece". [3]
The work, for the most part gentle and evocative, establishes a mood of antiquity. [1] The four scenes are vividly characterized and the instruments are used to great effect. [3]
The opening movement, "L'Étoile (The Star) begins with a mysterious duet for flute and bassoon [4] [5] and features sparkling harp arpeggios. [3] In "Les Mages", the bassoon and the flute echo the Magis' efforts during their journey, with a melody that displays a characteristic augmented interval (E-flat to F-sharp). [3] [5] The goal of their pilgrimage is the subject of the next movement, "La Vierge et l'enfant". It is extremely simple, based entirely on the C minor scale. The harmony consists only of three chords: C minor, F minor and G minor [5] and calls to mind a peaceful lullaby. [4] The final movement, "Entrée et danse des bergers" (Entrance and Dance of the Shepherds) is more rhythmically complex and changes metre several times. [1] It ends unexpectedly on an E major chord with added sixth. [5]
Pastorales de Noël (Christmas Pastoral) is a trio composition for flute, bassoon and harp written by André Jolivet in 1943. [1] It is cast in four movements and lasts about 12 minutes. [2]
It has been described as an "unusual and very lovely Christmas piece". [3]
The work, for the most part gentle and evocative, establishes a mood of antiquity. [1] The four scenes are vividly characterized and the instruments are used to great effect. [3]
The opening movement, "L'Étoile (The Star) begins with a mysterious duet for flute and bassoon [4] [5] and features sparkling harp arpeggios. [3] In "Les Mages", the bassoon and the flute echo the Magis' efforts during their journey, with a melody that displays a characteristic augmented interval (E-flat to F-sharp). [3] [5] The goal of their pilgrimage is the subject of the next movement, "La Vierge et l'enfant". It is extremely simple, based entirely on the C minor scale. The harmony consists only of three chords: C minor, F minor and G minor [5] and calls to mind a peaceful lullaby. [4] The final movement, "Entrée et danse des bergers" (Entrance and Dance of the Shepherds) is more rhythmically complex and changes metre several times. [1] It ends unexpectedly on an E major chord with added sixth. [5]