Byron Adams

Le Jardin Provençal

Subtitled 'Suite Franþaise,' Le Jardin Provenþal consists of four movements, none of which describe a particular garden in Provence. The first movement is a brisk Ouverture in sonata form followed by a Romance sans paroles - a 'song without words.' The third movement is a farandole, a Provenþal dance used most famously by Georges Bizet (1838-1875), which is characterized by a skipping step and a regular pulse. Thus the Farandole avec musette is based on a Provenþal folksong with a contrasting musette that is my own invention. Borrowing a title from a poem by Paul Verlaine (1844-1896), the final movement is entitled Fetes galantes; this music evokes the moonlit landscapes that were perfected in the elegant canvases of Jean Antoine Watteau (1684-1721). Byron Adams, November 2011, Santa Monica, CA, USA P.S. The harpsichordist may arpeggiate chords in a tasteful manner throughout this score, ad libitum. The ideal instrument for Le jardin provenþal is a French double manual harpsichord of the kind preferred by Franþois Couperin dit 'le Grand' (1668-1733). The piano can be a possible alternative too. Première: Brentwood, California, USA, 25 March, 2006 by the ensemble Pacific Serenades: Mark Carlson, flute; Allan Vogel, oboe; David Speltz, violoncello; Patricia Mabee, harpsichord.