Dirait-oll

Rainer Maria Rilke Morten Johannes Lauridsen

(tee3)

Temporubato(J =ca. 108)

(unis.) pp rit. ri\ a tempo
Soprano
Alto

don en- tou-rd d'a-

W.--,==!L. a tempo a tempo
Tenor
Bass

TemporubatolJ=s6. E"
Piano freely, caressingly

(Note: if "Dirait-on" is not immediately preceded by "La Rose Complite", the chorus will begin in measurc 4.)

ban-don, ten - dresse tor.r-chant aux ten- dres C'est ton in- t6 -
 a tempo
(5.A.) rit. molto rit. mP
6

sans_ cesse se_ ca - resse,

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dir- ait - on.-

'r?
-:_-

a tempo
29 a tempo

-----/ -\--/
Se ca-
E

mp a tempo,

tt

me me, par son pro - pre tu in-ventes le

25
 mP to

du Nar - cisse au - ce. Dir - ait, dir - ait - on, dir-ait- on,

mp rit. a

du Nar - cisse au - ce.- Dir-ait, dir- ait - on, dir-ait-on,

a tempo
rit.

thd - me du Nar- cisse

thd - me du Nar - cisse au - cd. Dir - ait, dir - ait - on, dir - ait - on,
30

alt dir-ait, dir-ait, dir-ait -on,- dir-ait, dir-ait, dir-ait -

poco rit. a tempo

ait - on, dir-ait, dir-ait, dir-ait - on, dir-ait, dir -ait, dir-ait -
poco rit. a tempo
-

dir ait - on, dir-ait, dir -ait, dir-ait - on,- dir-ait, dir-ait, dir- ait -
/- poco rit. a tempo

dir - ait-on, dir-ait, dir-ait, dir-ait-on,- dir-ait, dir-ait, dir-ait -

a tempo
.ff.rs poco rit.
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dir-ait, dir-ait - on, dir-ait - on,

dir-ait. dir-ait - on,

dir-ait

dir- ait- on. on, _

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dir-ait, dir-ait, dir - ait on.

molto rit. a tempo

\----
a tempo

a tempo

a tempo
--

ban-don ten-dresse tou-chant aux ten-dres

a tempo m

A - ban-don d'a ban-don. ten-dresse tou-chant aux ten -

a tempo 55
 C'est ton in - t6 - ri - eur_ qul sans _ cesse se _ ca-resse,
poco rit. mf a tempo

- oni- se ca-res-se en sol -

rit.
poco a tempo

poco rrt.

dres C'est ton qul sans cesse, se ca-

poco rit on a tempo

Dir-ait, dir- ait - on, dir-ait - on,

par son pro - pre re-flet- 6- ciai- rd. tu in-ventes le

Dir-ait, dir -ait -on, dir- ait - on.

en soi - m6 - me par son pre re-flet-

 molto rit. molto meno mosso, deliberamente
sub.P

dir-ait,dir-ait-on, dir-ait-on,-
molto rit.
sub. P

thdrne du Nar - cisse ex-au-ce.-

- Dir
molto rit.
- m
A
sub. p

dir dir
molto rit.
A t!b'P

ST tu in-ventes le du Nar - cisse. Dk - ait-on, dir - ait-on,

molto rit. molto meno mosso, deliberamente
65
^rEl

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poco a poco accel. e cresc

70a

dir-ait, dir-ait- on, dir-ait - on. dir -ait. dir- ait

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on. ait - on,
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dir ait - on.- dir
rit.

ait -on, dir

dir dir - ait. dir-ait - on.

poco a poco accel. e cresc.
10_

-l-l
 tempo pimo
mf

dir-ait, dir-ait - on, dir-ait-on, ait - on,

dir-ait, d ir-ait - on, dir-ait-on, ait - on,

,rf

dir-ait, dir-ait - on, dn

,rt'

ol, dir-ait, dir-ait - on, dir-ait-on,- dir ait - on, dir-ait -

.75 Er"^ooorr^o

--l

molto rit.

dir-ait, dir-ait - on, dir-ait-on, dir-ait, dir-ait -on,- dir-ait, dir-ait, dir - ait -
rif. molto rit.

dir-ait. dir-ait - on, dir

molto rit.

on, dir
molto rit.

dir-ait-on, dir- ait, dir- ait, dir- ait dir

80 molto rit.
 molto rit. meno mosso
a temqo 85 /^
'---
on,- dir-ait, dir-ait - on,- dir-ait, dir ait -
a tempo
molto rit. p meno mosso

dir
molto rit.
A

on,- dir
motto rit. l-Fl
u
/,} meno mosso

tempo primo
90 /:\ meno mosso

---_-/- \_/

tempo prtmo meno mosso

\--_/ -----/
tempo pnmo meno mosso

tempo prtmo meno mosso

meno mosso 9sa

-=-------/

Abandon entour6 d'abandon,
tendresse touchant aux tendresses.
C'est ton int6rieur qui sans cesse
se caresse, dirait-on;
Dirait-on
A andon sur rounding ab ando n,
b
.. tendernes s touching tenderness ...
Your oneness endlessly
caresses itselJ, so they say,'

se caress en soi-mdme, self-caressing

par son proper reflet 6clair6. through its own clear reflection.
Ainsi tu inventes le thdme Thus you invent the theme
du Narcisse exauc6. oJ' N ar c i s s r,ts ful /il I e d.

Rainer Maria Rilke. from les Ro.ses English tran.glation by Barbara and Erica Muhl

In addition to his vast output of Getman poetry, Rilke (1875-1926) wrote nearly 400 poems in
French. His poems on roses struck me as especially charming, filled with gorgeous lyricism, deftly
crafted and elegant in their imagery. These exquisite poems are primarily light, joyous and playful,
and the musical settings are designed to enhance these characteristics and capture their delicate
beauty and sensuousness. Distinct melodic and harmonic materials recur throughout the cycle,
especially between Rilke's poignant Contre Qui, Rose (set as a wistful nocturne) and his moving
La Rose Compldte. The final piece, Dirait-on, is composed as a tuneful chan,son populaire, or
folksong, that weaves together two melodic ideas first heard in fragmentary form in preceding
movements.

Les Chansons des Roses was composed for Por11and, Oregon's superb professional chamber
chorus, Choral Cross-Ties, conducted by Bruce Browne, who gave the premiere on April 23,
I 993.

Dirait-on is published in versions for mixed chorus (SATB), men's chorus (TTBB) and treble
chorus (SSAA). It also exists as a song for high or medium voice and piano, high voice and guitar,
and as a duet for mixed high or medium voices and piano.

Morten Lauridsen
Los Angeles

Composer Morten Lauridsen is most noted for his seven vocal cycles-Zes Chansons des Roses,
Madrigali, Mid-Winter Songs, Cuatro Canciones, A Winter Come, Nocturnes, and Lux Aeterna-
and his series of a cappella motets which are regularly performed by distinguished ensembles and
vocal artists throughout the world. His O Magnum Mysterium and Dirait-on have become two of
the most performed and recorded compositions of recent years. "Lux Aeterna," a CD of his
compositions recorded by the Los Angeles Master Chorale conducted by Paul Salamunovich, was
a Grammy nominee in 1998. Mr. Lauridsen (b. 1943) is Professor of Composition at the
University of Southern Califomia Thornton School of Music and served as Composer-in-
Residence of the Los Angeles Master Chorale from 1994 to 2001. ln 2007, Lauridsen was
awarded the National Medal of Arls for his "radiant choral works combining musical power,
beauty and spiritual depth that have thrilled audiences worldwide."