Claude Debussy: La Cathedral Engloutie

May this music give a few moments respite from the fierce health care reform challenge roiling to a finish this weekend. Debussy is believed to have been inspired to write this piece by a French legend. This legend is a cautionary tale that (to me) is an apt allegory, and it parallels this greed-driven fight.

Performance here in this clip is by Seth King-Gengler, pianist, who writes

"This was recorded in the Masne Kramy Gallery in Plzen, Czech Republic on July 21st, 2009. I was one of the performer’s in this concert held by the International Music Academy: Pilsen (there are several concerts during the four weeks of the program. I performed only once this year)."

YouTube member miclwilson also shared this same music, performed at the 2006 Winter Concert by L. D. Bell’s
Varsity Band. Mr. Wilson also retells the legend below, borrowed here from his link’s page:

The legend is "about a lowland kingdom whose dikes kept the sea from rushing in and drowning its subjects.

The pride of this tiny kingdom was its great cathedral with its one hundred bells to call the faithful. It was said that the sound of the bells had the power to purify the heart, and indeed the subjects of this kingdom were by and large honest, good, and pious people.

But one notable exception was the king’s beautiful daughter, who was spoiled, vain, and would stop at nothing to get her way. When the king refused to raise taxes in order to satisfy the princess’s appetite for golden gowns and precious jewelry, she decided that if she couldn’t have the riches of the kingdom for herself, then nobody would.

She obtained the key to the dikes by seducing the innocent and naive hunchback lad with whom the king had entrusted it. Once having the key in hand, she proceeded to the sluice gate and opened it. The sea, of course, flooded in, drowning everybody in the kingdom, including the princess, and flooding every building, covering even the highest spires of the cathedral. But it is said that those who are pure of heart who stand at the sea’s edge can still today hear the one hundred bells.."

A different piece (link below) performed by the French jazz group, Claire de Lune trio; it’s their version of a work written/created by a noted French gypsy jazz duo, Les Yeux Noirs, as led by Tchavolo Schmitt and Mandino Reinhardt.

This piece, to me, wordlessly recounts the tortuous journey this legislation has taken. It begins dark and moody, deep arguments, tense round-n-round. Then it lightens, ending on a racing tear, diminished but hopeful splash. Somehow, I’d like to think that this description might make Django Reinhardt laugh out loud. But, he might be pleased too that some Yankee had picked a tune from a gypsy of the Alsace. Some of my family is hails from the Alsace..a musical affinity?

-bleuz00m