Trois Pièces impressionnistes

Mel Bonis (1858-1937), a Parisian composer, is the author of a significant body of music.

It was in the most total incomprehension of those around her that she fulfilled her vocation as a musician, writing more than three hundred works, piano, organ, chamber music, orchestra, melodies, choirs etc. In the post-romantic vein, it is a varied and original work, teeming with inspiration, richly harmonized with an interesting rhythmic research, a music which reflects the great sensitivity and the power of inspiration of its author.

Only three religious pieces, the Cantique de Racine, the Regina cœli and the Chant nuptial, originally included harp accompaniment. But arrangements today allow harpists to approach some of his works that lend themselves particularly well to it. After trios for flute, viola and harp, here are Elisabeth Remy Johnson's transcriptions of pieces for solo harp, originally for piano.

First published in 1893 by Éditions Leduc, Près du ruisseau is an Impressionist piece par excellence. With its delicate velocity, it requires great technical finesse to truly convey the idea of flowing water and luminous flow that it evokes.

The Berceuse opus 23, whose manuscript dates from 1888, is dedicated by Mel Bonis to his very young daughter Jeanne, born the same year. This piece, which expresses all maternal tenderness, revolves with delicate arabesques and modulations around a theme full of gaiety and light.

Mélisande, Opus 109, a mature work, was written in 1922. It was first published in 1925 by Leduc and now by Furore, where it is included in the collection of "Femmes de légende" for piano. A version for two harps was performed by Huguette Géliot. Mel Bonis wrote of Mélisande in his catalogue: "My favorite." These pages are inspired by the poet Maeterlinck (Mélisande, 1893). Their magical harmonies with impressionist colors evoke in music the hair of Mélisande described by Pelléas: "Your hair and its beautiful light... They escape from all sides, they quiver, they flutter, they flutter in my hands like golden birds."