Le Bouquet for 2 clarinets and guitar

Description

This gentle and romantic piece, with interweaving melody instruments underpinned by an arpeggiato accompaniment on the guitar, is inspired by Prévert’s poem Le Bouquet.

Que faites-vous là petite fille
Avec ces fleurs fraîchement coupées?
Que faites-vous là jeune fille
Avec ces fleurs ces fleurs séchées?
Que faites-vous là jolie femme
Avec ces fleurs qui se fanent?
Que faites-vous là vieille femme
Avec ces fleurs qui meurent?

J’attends le vainqueur

What are you doing there, little girl,
With those freshly cut flowers ?
What are you doing there, young girl,
With those dried flowers ?
What are you doing there, pretty woman,
With those faded flowers ?
What are you doing there, old woman,
With those dying flowers ?

I’m waiting for the victorious one

The theme, written in the Dorian mode, was originally a vocal setting of the poem itself.