Pastoral Traditions in the Sonata for Flute and Piano "Pan's Flute" by J. Mouquet

Pesnia Liudmila Lecturer, Associate professor of the Piano Department (chamber ensemble music and accompanist class section), Far Eastern State Institute of Arts, Laureate of International Competitions. 690091, Russia, Primorsky Krai, Vladivostok, St. Peter the Great, 3 a pesnyal@internet.ru

The turn of the XIX – XX centuries is the heyday of French art (music, literature, theater, painting, etc.), which is commonly called the "Beautiful Epoch" (La Belle Epoque)¹. At this time, such composers as K. Debussy, M. Ravel, K. Saint-Saens, S. Frank and others are gaining world fame. However, the work of many French authors of the "Belle Epoque" still remains little studied. Among them, one can single out Jules Mouquet, the winner of the Rome Prize, the author of symphonic and many chamber–instrumental works of various compositions.Unfortunately, at the moment, there is very little information about J. Flour: only brief biographical information, a list of the most famous musical works and a description of the discography are known.

There is no data on the aesthetic views, the artist's worldview, his creative interactions with contemporaries (at best, only the composer's teachers are mentioned), etc.The most famous work of J. Mouquet is considered to be the Sonata for flute and piano "Pan's Flute" Op. 15. The composition was created more than a hundred years ago (1904, according to some sources – 1906). Nevertheless, there is still no detailed analysis of the author's most performed creation.

In this paper, an attempt is made to consider the pastoral topic of the work of J. Muke, based on the worldview of artists of that time, as well as pastoral traditions.The analysis of the Sonata "Pan's Flute" is based on an integrated approach.

The most valuable for writing the article were the works of A. G. Korobova, who developed the theory of the pastoral genre in Russian musicology, as well as the methodology for analyzing pastoral compositions. However, the subject of the author's research is the European pastoral in general, and not only the art of France.In this regard, the works of V. V. Azarova, A. I. Asfandyarova, O. A. Gagarina, V. A. Zakharova, O. V. Muravskaya and others were no less important.

Based on the research of these scientists, a more detailed examination of certain areas of the musical art of France was carried out: opera, ballet, flute performance, etc. In particular, O. A. Gagarina analyzes the ballet art of France. Some traditions of pastoral ballet music can also be distinguished in the researcher's works. V. V. Azarova examines the importance of ancient art for French culture and its influence on French opera. The works of V. A. Zakharova show the evolution of the development of flute performance in France, and also describe its importance on world art. O. V. Muravskaya studies the French pastoral tradition mainly in chamber-vocal genres. A. I. Asfandyarova's research mainly touches on aspects of semantic analysis of chamber European pastoral music.Among modern foreign studies, there are also practically no works where knowledge about the musical pastoral traditions of France would be generalized.

At best, individual names of musicologists and their main achievements in the study of pastoral as a genre in art in general (painting, literature, etc.) are mentioned. In particular, the article by Hady C. Skayem examines the pastoral genre in literature in sufficient detail. The pastoral in musical art is described in an overview on the example of L. Beethoven's "Pastoral Symphony". In the work of Florence Getreau, it is only indicated (without explanation) that the theme of new Arcadia occupies a central place in modern French studies.Most foreign scientists analyze the work of individual composers, or a certain area of their creativity.

For example, Francois Lesure dedicates his research to K. Debussy; Jung-Won Kim examines the features of pastoral in the works of Roger-Ducasse, etc.Nevertheless, none of the above-mentioned researchers have studied in detail the pastoral traditions of French instrumental music.

There are only some statements of the authors about the symphonic works of K. Debussy and M. Ravel. Chamber and instrumental music still remains practically unexplored. There is also no thorough research devoted to the work of J. Muke, or the analysis of his writings.In connection with the above problems, let's consider the Sonata "Pan's Flute" by J. Mook in more detail.

Zh.

 Muke actively uses a pastoral topic in the Sonata. It is fixed in the composer in two aspects: verbal and actually musical.The verbal aspect is connected with the presence of the program, which is revealed in the title of the work, in the subheadings of the parts, as well as with the help of epigraphs prefixed to each part of the Sonata (See Table 1 below).

In the title ("Pan's Flute")

a specific image is indicated – Pan. This is an ancient Greek deity of forests, fields and pastoral herds with goat legs, horns and a long beard. Pan became a companion of Dionysus, his nymphs and satyrs. He was very amorous, and playing the flute, pacified wild animals [See: 13, p. 417].The program title of the Sonata also mentions a musical instrument – Pan's flute.

Pan's flute is a multi–barrel flute consisting of several hollow tubes of various lengths [See: 17, p. 272; 18, p. 425-426; 19, p. 426.]. The Greek name of this instrument is syringa. Syringa is a derivative word from the name of the nymph beloved by Pan – Syrinx.

Thus, already in the very title of the work there is a reference to the ancient myth of Pan and Syrinx ². We believe that J. Mouquet turned to the ancient Greek myth intentionally. Firstly, the plot chosen by the composer is in many ways similar to the myth of Apollo and Daphne ³. A. Korobova points out that the myth of Apollo and Daphne (along with the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice) was the basis of the plots of the first opera pastorals ⁴. According to the researcher, "the pastoral actually appropriated these myths, combining them with pastoral topics" [See: 11, p. 14]. Let's pay attention to the fact that in the myth of Pan and Syrinx, the pastoral topic can be traced even more clearly than in the Myth of Apollo and Daphne, because Pan is a shepherd. Consequently, by making a reference to the myths about Pan and Apollo, J. Flour managed to express the pastoral theatrical and poetic tradition ⁵ in modern chamber and instrumental music.Secondly, the similarity of the plots of the myth of Pan and Syrinx, as well as the myth of Apollo and Daphne, suggest another analogy: between the images of Pan and Apollo.

Pan is not only a shepherd, but the creator of art, fascinating everyone by playing the flute, like Apollo, the god of art. Consequently, in the image of Pan, J. Muke tried to embody the image of an artist living in harmony with nature, the universe.Thirdly, it is known that during the "Golden Era" of France, there is a "clash of the "old" and "new" in the field of themes, styles and genres" [See: 1, p. 10].

This process was especially pronounced in the direction in which there is an active growth of interest in ancient art. But antiquity was interpreted by artists in a new way: through a new philosophical reinterpretation, as well as "through the prism of symbolism" [See: 1, p. 20]. French masters endowed antiquity with idyllic features and considered ancient art as a symbol of beauty and harmony [See: 14]. According to V. Azarova, the phenomenon of beauty became a common point of contact between the art of the turn of the century and antiquity. The artists of the "Belle Epoque", as well as ancient philosophers, considered the category of beauty an integral element of the cosmic universe, the embodiment of "harmony of the highest order" [See: 1, p. 6].In turn, neoanticism was closely connected with the pastoral perspective, since the pastoral was the personification of the idyll that artists of the turn of the century aspired to.

According to researchers (V. Azarova, O. Gagarina, A. Korobova), K. Debussy is considered the creator of the "new" pastoral [See: 1, p. 19; 7, p. 19]. Scientists note that the composer's compositions (the prelude "Afternoon rest of the Faun", the piece for solo flute "Syrinx", "Ancient epigraphs") they became "a reference point for many contemporary composers" and are the first examples of the neobukolika line [See: 12, p. 177].The sonata "Pan's Flute" by J. Mouquet was created just at the time when the wave of neoanticism and neobukolics began in France.

 In the essay of J. The flour can be found in common with the symphonic prelude "Afternoon Rest of the Faun" by K. Debussy. The works are united by a similar myth about the god of fertility, the guardian of forests and fields ⁶. Note that in many mythological dictionaries, the images of a Faun and a Pan are often used as synonyms (in painting, there is also a similarity in the depiction of images of a Pan and a Faun). Some sources even indicate that this is the same being, but only reflected in different cultural traditions – Greek and Roman. Consequently, J. Mouquet continues the neo-romantic pastoral tradition started by C. Debussy. In addition, since the main character of the work is a shepherd poet, and the myth of Pan's harmony with nature is at the heart of J. Mook's composition, the Sonata also reveals features and neobukolics ⁷.Thus, the name of the Sonata "Pan's Flute" indicates to us the connection of J. Mouquet's work with the pastoral, the musical and poetic tradition of France, neoanticism and neobukolica.

The pastoral topic can also be traced in the program subheadings of the Sonata by J. Muke.

The composition "Pan's Flute" consists of three parts. Each part has its own name: Part I – "Pan and shepherds", part II – "Pan and birds", part III – "Pan and nymphs". The subheadings of the Sonata parts contain typical pastoral characters: shepherds, birds, nymphs. This contributes to the formation of a certain imaginative color of nature paintings, love themes, idyll, harmony, etc.As mentioned above, each part of the Sonata "Pan's Flute" by J. Flour is preceded by epigraphs.

Literary texts were written by various poets of antiquity. The epigraphs and their translation are presented in the table below ⁸. It should be noted that the use of ancient literature is a long tradition in France. According to A. Korobova, the appeal to the texts of ancient authors has been used for a long time in the genre of pastoral [See: 11, p. 17]⁹.Table 1

  The epigraphs describe a classic pastoral terrain: a lawn bordered by forest, mountains, rocks, waterfalls. Based on the descriptions of nature used in the verses ("sitting in the shade ... of the forest", "a thick shadow formed by oaks"), it can be found that all events occur during the daytime.As in the subheadings of the parts, the texts of the epigraphs involve characters typical of the pastoral – pan, shepherds, forest and river nymphs, birds with chicks, etc.

It should be noted that J. Muke not only specially selected the texts of epigraphs. For the composer, the poets to whom he addressed were also important. In particular, Alcaeus was the best poet of his time, as well as the creator of allegory [See: 4; 18], Anita is considered the author of the "first bucolic descriptions of nature" [See: 16], and Plato is the creator of utopia [See: 6; 16; 20]. It should be noted that Plato's work was especially important for French culture. According to O. Gagarina, the French borrowed from the ancient philosopher "the understanding of poetry as "divine inspiration"" [See: 6, p. 16]¹⁰. Consequently, taking the texts of these ancient writers, J. Mouquet emphasized the idyll and symbolism of the pastoral image he created in the Sonata "Pan's Flute". For example, V. Azarova writes that streams of "running, flowing, or sleeping water" in pastoral paintings are a metaphor for eternity [See: 1, pp. 29-30]. Thus, J. Muke recorded in the verbal aspect the "musical topic of the genre" (the expression of A. G. Korobova) of the pastoral.

Images of nature, birds, nymphs, a shepherd, the timbre of a flute (pipe) were traditional in pastoral texts of literature, painting and music. With the help of verbal texts, the composer reveals in his composition the long-standing pastoral theatrical and poetic tradition of France, as well as reveals the modern trends of the French "Golden Era" (neoanticism, neobukolica, symbolism and idyll). Consequently, J. Mouquet uses an anti-politicized model of pastoral 11 in his Sonata.The musical text, as well as the verbal one, is also permeated with pastoral topos.

Let's look at them in more detail.Externally, the Sonata "Pan's Flute" by J. Muke looks simple, easy and not difficult.

This corresponds to the basis of the "pastoral worldview", where, as O. Gagarina notes, the "cult of simplicity and naivety" reigns [See: 7, p. 26]. But if you look more closely, we find an abundance of melismatic figures in the flute part from the very beginning (See Musical example 1). We believe that J. Mouquet did this for a reason. According to A. Korobova, the French musical and theatrical pastoral was characterized by a "gallant mood" [See: 11, p. 15]. Therefore, it is possible that the composer uses these colors to recreate the gallant style. In addition, melismatic figures in the context of pastoral, as A. Asfandyarova points out, not only serve as an ornament, but also are a manifestation of the "idyllic nature of the musical text" [See: 3].Musical example 1

 The pastoral tradition can also be traced in the tonal plan of the Sonata for Flute by J. Mouquet.

The first and third parts of the musical work are written in the key of F major. In the developing section of the third movement, the composer uses the key of A major. According to A. Korobova, these tonalities are characteristic of the pastoral mode (the researcher refers to the tonalities of the pastoral sphere: F major, G major and A major) [See: 10, p. 140]. O. Muravskaya adds another tonality to the pastoral topos – C major [See: 15]. It was in it that J. Mouquet wrote the side theme of the first movement of his Sonata.

The architectonics of the work also contributes to the recreation of pastoral traditions. O. Muravskaya notes that pastorals are often written in the form of a rondo [See: 15]. There is no explicit rondo form in J. Mouquet's Sonata. But the presence of a large number of repetitions of themes, their intonational kinship, as well as the alternation of themes with each other create the illusion of a rond-like structure. For example, the form of the first part of a Sonata can be defined as a sonata. In this part there are two themes that are on display in the classical tonic-dominant ratio for the sonata form (F major and C major). In the reprise, both themes sound in the main key, which forms a sonata rhyme. In the development, the intonations of the main and secondary themes constantly alternate, forming a "dialogue" between them. Such an alternation of themes resembles a change of refrain and episodes in the form of a rondo.In the second part, J. Mouquet applies the features of the rondo form in an even more veiled form – in tonal terms!

As a refrain, the composer chooses the key of B-flat major. In episodes, he uses minor keys: G minor, D minor, C minor (See Table 2). Table 2

There is a somewhat similar tonal principle in the third movement of the Sonata. Only F major already acts as a "refrain" key (See Table 3). Table 3

The timbre topos of the pastoral becomes important in the Sonata. A. Korobova points out that it is associated with the presence of "pastoral" instruments. These mainly include the timbres of woodwinds. Note that the Sonata "Pan's Flute" was written for the composition of the flute and piano, where the timbre of the flute imitates the playing of the flute.Let's pay attention to the fact that J. Mouquet's appeal to the timbre of the flute may have been caused by another reason.

During the turn of the XIX – XX centuries, there was an active growth of national flute schools all over the world (Hungary, Spain, Poland, Russia, etc.). In the development of flute art of that time, as V. Zakharova points out, France and Germany occupied a leading position [See: 8]. Many French composers have written compositions not only for solo flute, but also ensembles with the participation of this wooden instrument. For example, K. Debussy, A. Jolivet, F. Poulenc, J. Francet, etc.The "fashionable" direction was not spared by J. Muke.

The composer has written quite a large number of works for flute and piano. In particular, "Greek Dance" op. 14; "Greek Entertainment" (for flute and harp or for flute and piano) op. 23; "Competitive Pieces" (play No. 1); "Lullaby"; "Childhood Poems" op.28; "Six Melodies. Eclogue" op.29; "5 short plays" op. 39, etc. Perhaps the choice of instruments for the Sonata "Pan's Flute" by J. Mouquet was also due to this trend.There is also an orchestral arrangement of this composition by J. Muke.

There is no exact information about the author of the orchestration. In one of the sources (https://imslp.org/wiki/La_fl?te_de_Pan%2C_Op.15_ (Mouquet%2C_Jules) it was said that the first orchestral version of J. Mouquet's composition was created by Alfred Quensel and was first performed in 1915. But the specified information does not list the instrumental composition. To analyze the orchestrated version of the Sonata "Pan's Flute", a video recording was used performed by the Kharkiv Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Yu. Yanko (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELV_ves1cUM ). The orchestra (in this video) consists of: groups of strings (violins, violas, cellos and double basses) and woodwind instruments (flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon), as well as French horn, harp, timpani and triangle. The flute acts as a solo instrument.Let us note the similarity of the orchestral composition of the Sonata "Pan's Flute" by J. Mouquet with the Prelude "Afternoon Rest of the Faun" by K. Debussy 12.

Both compositions use the timbres of strings, wood, French horns and harp. The timbre of the flute is used as a solo instrument. The only difference is the composition of the percussion, the presence of an English horn in K. Debussy (J. Flour does not have this instrument), as well as the number of wind instruments (K. Debussy has more of them). We believe that this coincidence is not accidental. Thus, in the work of J. Muke, the cliche characteristic of the embodiment of pastoral images is reproduced. In particular, A. Asfandyarova points out that with the timbre of woodwind instruments, not only "pipe signs" are expressed, but also "figures of bliss". According to the researcher, the use of strings is associated with the sign of Bourdon, as "an attribute of nomadic plots and scenes of rural life", and the sound of French horns – with fanfare, signal intonations [See: 3, pp. 103-106].

The pastoral tradition in J. Muke's Sonata is also revealed in the imaginary sound of the bagpipes in the piano part (See Musical example 2). A. Korobova singles out the topos of the bagpipes as one of the most indicative in pastoral works, since it is associated with "vernacular" music [See: 10, p. 140]. Musical example 2

In the Sonata "Pan's Flute" J. Mouquet observes the figurative-emotional and plot topos of the pastoral. A. Korobova refers to them the depiction of an idyllic peaceful life, which can be disrupted by a thunderstorm (storm, storm, etc.) [See: 10, p. 141]. In J. Muke, the idyll is shown in all three parts of the Sonata. The presence of pastoral images in J. Flour's Sonata is indicated by the author's remarks [dolce e pastorale (gently, pastorally), misterioso (mysteriously, mystically), echo (like an echo), languido (languidly, exhausted), etc.] and thematic material. But peaceful life is disrupted by sadness and melancholy. In the first part, sadness is shown as a hint (holding a side theme in minor keys). This feeling develops most fully in the second theme of the second part. The presence of melancholy in the first two movements of J. Mouquet 's Sonata is justified by the plot: this is a "story" about the sad love story of Pan and Syrinx. In the third part, idyll and joy are restored. In addition, the violation of idyll, according to A. Korobova, is necessary in pastoral music for the expression of "human" through "lyricization" and the animation of "natural" [See: 11, p. 33].A large role is assigned in the composition to "sound-descriptive topos" (the term of A. Korobova).

With the help of sound-imaginative detailing, the composer manages to express the "natural" beginning in music, and also to designate, as A. Korobova believes, "the main genre code of the pastoral ("man and nature")" [See: Ibid.].Zh.

 Muke uses a variety of techniques of onomatopoeia. So, in the second part of the Sonata, the high register, the foreshlags, the melismatic iridescences convey the chirping, chirping and singing of birds (See Musical example 3). Musical example 3

The spatial effects used by J. Mouquet in the Sonata "Pan's Flute" also contribute to the reconstruction of the pastoral. For example, imitation of echoes, roll calls of voices at a distance in the first and third parts of the work (See Musical example 4). Musical example 4

 The thematic material and texture of the Sonata for Flute by J. Mouquet help to convey a sense of natural space, spaciousness. In particular, the third movement of the Sonata begins with a piano introduction, gradually covering the entire keyboard (descending gradually sixteenth notes f of the third octave, ending on the note f of the control octave). Descending quarto-quint moves f-c-f help convey a sense of latitude. In the flute part, on the contrary, the theme resolutely soars up the quarto-fifth moves, which further "pushes" the boundaries of the space depicted by the composer (See Musical example 5). Musical example 5

Zh. Mook uses another topos of pastoral in the Sonata – the technique of "depicted genre". A. Korobova points out that it is achieved through the use of meters and rhythms of Sicilian, burre, gavotte and other dances in pastoral works [See: 11, p. 13]. It should be noted that for French musical art, dance, especially ballet, was a traditional component. Perhaps that is why J. Mouquet tried not only to depict "dance scenes", but also to create dance allusions. In particular, the Sonata "Pan's Flute" by J. Mouquet opens with a small piano introduction. This is a kind of theme-epigraph not only to the entire first movement, but also to the Sonata as a whole. The syncopated whimsical rhythm, the intervals of the theme (the use of thirds and quarts), the wide arrangement of duplicate voices at a distance of two octaves, help the composer to simulate the playing of a shepherd's pipe and contribute to a sense of spatial characteristics (recreating the vastness of nature). Cheerful, cheerful character, energy, size 2/2 with division into two indirectly resemble a burr (See Musical example 6). At the end of the first part of the Sonata, we also encounter a direct reproduction of the dance (See Musical example 7). Musical example 6

Indirect reproduction of the dance in J. Muke's Sonata "Pan's Flute"

Musical example 7

Direct reproduction of the dance

Based on the above, we can conclude that the sonata "Pan's Flute" by J. Mouquet was written in the pastoral traditions of France at the turn of the XIX – XX centuries.The work is permeated with pastoral topics on different levels:

both verbal and actually musical. The means of musical expression used by the composer – figurative dramaturgy (appeal to the ancient plot, images of Pan, nature, nymphs), tonal plan, features of texture and techniques of depiction, as well as the principles of shaping help to reveal the typical "genre code" of pastoral – "man and nature".J. Muke assigns a special role to the verbal aspect.

The presence of headings, subheadings, epigraphs, programs, text remarks contribute to understanding not only the actual musical text. With the help of verbal "descriptions", the composer creates a "myth within a myth". That is, the genre of pastoral itself is perceived as a utopia, an idyll created by the French culture of the "Golden Era".In his composition, the composer applies the "anti-politicized model of pastoral".

At the same time, the features of neoanticism, neobukolics and symbolism are revealed in the work of J. Muke. Therefore, it can be assumed that the author in this case acts as one of the followers of K. Debussy.It should be noted that the Sonata "Pan's Flute" was created by J. Mouquet in the interval between the Prelude "Afternoon Rest of the Faun" in 1894 and the ballet of the same name in 1912, and was also written before Debussy's play "Syrinx" (which, as you know, the author wanted to call "Pan's Flute").

This suggests that, perhaps, one of the most popular works of J. Mouquet, in turn, influenced K. Debussy. Such reflections once again lead to the problem of insufficient knowledge of some French composers of the "Belle Epoque" and underestimation of the importance of their work in art.Notes

1 In art history, this stage of French culture has other names: the "Golden Age", the period of the Third Republic of France.

^{More precise time frame of the specified period: 70s-80s – 1914}

² Pan fell in love with the nymph Syrinx. But the nymph was afraid of his appearance. Syrinx turned into a reed in the hope of hiding from a persistent suitor. Then Pan made himself a reed flute [See: 13, p. 417].

³ Apollo is the god of music, art and poetry, who fell in love with the nymph Daphne. But Daphne did not reciprocate and ran away. Trying to hide from her pursuer, she turned into a laurel tree.

⁴ Both myths (about Apollo and Orpheus) remained the most popular in opera art in the future [See: 11, p. 14].

⁵ A. Korobova notes that France has become the leader (after Italy) in the history of the development of the genre of musical and theatrical pastoral, to which the national tradition - ballet has joined [See: 11, pp. 14-15].

⁶ Researchers (V. Azarova, O. Gagarina, A. Korobova) also believe that the ancient myths used by K. Debussy in his writings "serve as the key to the discovery of a new incarnation of antiquity" [See: 1, p. 19].

⁷ The features of neobucolics were identified based on the work of A. Korobova. The researcher writes that the main features of non-bucolic are: 1. the use of an ancient myth, in which the ideal of man's ideas about harmony with nature is imprinted [See: 10. p. 3]; 2. The author of "in classical bucolic" is "one of the "shepherds-poets"" [See: 10, p. 3]. 5]; 3. Contemplation prevails in bucolic [See: Ibid.].

⁸ the translation of literary epigraphs sent by the composer to all parts of the musical composition was performed by Associate professor of the Department of Foreign Languages of the DVGII, Candidate of Historical Sciences A. A. Sapelkin.9 We also recall that French opera music was formed based on ancient Greek tragedy.

¹⁰ V. Azarova notes that at the turn of the XIX – XX centuries in the art of France, "an appeal to Homeric Greece" becomes popular [See: 1, p. 11]. Since Plato lived in this era, perhaps this was another reason for J. Mouquet's appeal to Plato's text in the third part of the Sonata.

¹¹ The choice of the pastoral model was based on the classification developed by A. Korobova. The researcher identifies three types of pastoral: antique, Christmas and gallant [See: 10, 11, 12]. The term "pastoral model" was taken from the work of O. Gagarina [See: 6, p. 13].

¹² K. Debussy's prelude has the following composition: a group of woodwinds (3 flutes, 2 oboes, an English horn, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons), 4 French horns, antique cymbals, 2 harps and strings [See: 9, pp. 261-262].