In 1938 Britten discovered the prose-poetry of the French symbolist Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891) probably through his friend W.H.Auden. The highly charged, colourful language and images excited him and the poetry also chimed with Britten’s own heart-searchings at a time when he was confused about several personal relationships, as well as the threatening European situation, and indeed his place within English musical life. Britten and Peter Pears left for the USA in May 1939 for an indefinite period. He took with him the manuscript of what was to become Les illuminations finishing it in Amityville, New York, on 25 October 1938. The first complete performance (two movements having been performed separately) was given by Sophie Wyss (the overall dedicatee) and the Boyd Neel Orchestra with Neel conducting on 30 January 1940 at the Wigmore Hall, London.

Apart from teenage settings of Verlaine, these were the first texts in a foreign language that Britten had set and they mark a more cosmopolitan development in his art. Once again Britten’s consummate understanding of the stringed instruments is evident in the opening bars of Fanfare, where the listener’s attention is grabbed by stunning musical images: incisive fanfares on violas and first violins as well as swooping upwards glissandi from the latter. These lead to the soloist intoning the enigmatic recurring motto: ‘J’ai seul la clef de cette parade sauvage’ (‘I alone hold the key to this savage parade’). The motto is taken up by solo violin over icy glissandi harmonics on violas and cellos.

The relentless momentum of Rimbaud’s fantastical poetic prose evoking cities and their denizens is conjured in Villes over ever changing pulsating accompaniments as Britten responds vividly to the swiftly changing series of images created by the words, for example, the frenetic gallop of hooves at ‘Des cortèges de Mabs en robes rousses, opalines’ (‘Corteges of Queen Mabs in robes red and opaline’). In Phrase, over delicate widely spaced harmonics that seem suspended in the air, the soloist sings an ethereal line which culminates in a descending vocal glissando on the final word ‘danse’ and with it a magical change of harmony.

Antique is one of the miracles of Les illuminations where Britten creates his sensuous melody from the simplest of musical material (a B flat arpeggio) to make something completely new and original. It is set against the serenading strumming of the violas and cellos playing pizzicato as if like a guitar, in the same manner as in the Aria Italiana in the Frank Bridge Variations but to very different effect. The personal nature of this evocation of male beauty is reflected in the dedication of this movement to ‘K.H.W.S’—Wulff Scherchen—(son of the conductor Hermann Scherchen) who was a close friend of Britten at that time. Royauté describes how two lovers imagine that they become regents for a day, consequently the music has a suitably majestic gait. The setting in rondeau form has an almost operatic quality with its parlando directness that is a pointer to the composer’s future.

Marine is a sparkling seascape and this breezy setting suggests the brilliance of dancing light on waves. Britten’s evocation is achieved, not only by the string writing built around a glinting ostinato figure, but also through the crisp open-air vocal line. After all this activity, a pensive Interlude follows with a dark, sinewy descending idea; towards the end the motto returns, now sombre and muted. This movement was dedicated ‘To E.M.’—Elizabeth Mayer—at whose home Britten and Pears lived for several months during their American sojourn, and in whom the composer found a replacement figure to his own mother who had died in 1937.

Being Beauteous (Rimbaud wrote his title in English) is dedicated to ‘P.N.L.P.’—Peter Pears—whose long-term relationship with Britten had crystallised during their stay in America (even though the movement had been completed before their departure). Britten’s passionate lovesong to his lifelong companion floats over the softly rocking accompaniment. Britten’s setting of Parade is the most Mahlerian in the work where the nightmare images of the vocal line are heightened by a march in the strings with a twisting, uneasy theme which also refers back to the music of Fanfare. The climax is reached with the last appearance of the motto. Finally with Départ, the cycle ends in music of penetrating poignancy and regret in the aching, arching curve of the soloist’s melody.

from notes by Andrew Burn © 2005