Alexandra Louise Harris
Ondine from Pierrette le Bon
This video features a version of Ondine that combines both Ravel and Debussy's compositions for piano.
Debussy's version was inspired by Arthur Rackham's beautiful illustrations that accompany the tale of Ondine the water nymph. Ravel's version is from Gaspard de la Nuit, inspired by the following poem by Aloysius Bertrand.
'Listen! - Listen! - It is I, Ondine, brushing with these drops of water the resonant lozenge panes of your window lit by the moon's bleak rays; and here, in her gown of watered silk, is the lady of the chateau gazing from her balcony at the fine starlit night and the beautiful sleeping lake.
Every wave is a water sprite swimming in the current, every current is a path winding its way to my palace, and my palace, with its flowing structure, lies at the bottom of the lake, in the triangle of fire, earth and air.
Listen! - Listen! - My father is beating the croaking water with a branch of green alder, and my sisters caress the fresh islands of grass, water-lily and gladiolus with their briny arms, or mock the deciduous, bearded willow, fishing with rod and line."
Her murmured song over, she begged me to receive her ring on my finger, to be the husband of an Ondine, and with her to visit her palace, to be the king of the lakes.
And as I answered that I loved a mortal, she became angered and hurt, wept a few tears, burst out laughing, and fainted in sudden showers that rustled white down my blue stained-glass windows.'
(The above translation is from https://www.euroasia.org.my/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Poem.pdf.
This musical video is from the short story 'Pierrette le Bon and All the Magic of the Universe'. It's a tale set in Paris, inspired by enchanted antiques, violins and Paganini's music.
To find out more, and to download the sheet music for this version visit,
https://www.alexandralouiseharris.com/paganinipoltergeist
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