Darius Milhaud

Quatrains Valaisins

Composed by Darius Milhaud, Valaisian Quatrains is a piece for SCBT a capella, based on poems by Rainer Maria Rilke. This piece features five different parts, each one from a poem, whose lyrics are inspired by the Valais area inSwitzerland. The composition includes polytonality and polyrhythms that make it highly lyrical, cheerful and nice to sing.

The five poems selected are: 1. Pays, arrêté a mi-chemin / Country that stops half-way... 2. Rose delumiere / Rose of Light 3. L'année tourne / The year revolves 4. Chemins qui ne menent nulle part / Paths that take you nowhere 5. Beau papillon / Lovely butterfly

Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) was a composer and a teacherwho was also known to be part of Les Six. His composition were known to use politonality and to include some characteristics drawns from the jazz genre.