Musical and Poetic Symbolism of «Poème de l'Amour et de la Mer» by M. Bouchor – E. Chausson

Abstract

The purpose of the work is to decode the symbolism of the vocal cycle «Poème de l'Amour et de la Mer» by E. Chausson based on poems by M. Bouchor. The research methodology consists in the application of semiotic, comparative, historical and biographical, hermeneutic, as well as structural and functional methods. The specified methodological approach allows us to reveal and decode the symbolism of the musical and poetic text of E. Chausson's vocal cycle based on M. Bouchor's poems «Poème de l'Amour et de la Mer». The scientific novelty of the research lies in the perception of the vocal cycle «Poème de l'Amour et de la Mer» by E. Chausson based on the poems by M. Bouchor as a complex symbolic formation intended for the communication of the recorded, meaningful authorial information. Consideration of this work in the semiotic and information space allows us to identify and decode the symbolism of the musical and poetic text of the work as well as to understand the musical universe of the French composer and his version of symbolism. Conclusion. Analysis of «Poème de l'Amour et de la Mer» proves that the poetic and musical text of the work is saturated with symbols, the decoding of which helps to immerse into and understand the authors’ ideas most deeply. It can be argued that the vocal cycle is inspired by and based on the symbolism of the poetic text, as well as that the composer's interpretation is as close as possible to the aesthetics of symbolism. E. Chausson’s work seems to evoke memories, he knows how to maintain an imaginary, in modern terms, virtual, deliberately ambiguous world composed only of unique fragments, for that reason, the author is constantly in that word as different figures and possible interpretations, which are his inner need. This freedom and independence of mind, to a certain extent, correspond to the mentality of the Symbolists. «Poème de l'Amour et de la Mer» preserves the already existing cultural and musical frameworks, but E. Chausson adapts them to his own requirements and offers a unique version of symbolism, that is, E. Chausson’s universe develops in two parallels: some testaments of the symbolists persist, but the perceptivity passes through the filter of author's beliefs and sensibility.

Key words: symbol, aesthetics of symbolism, vocal cycle, poetry, composer's interpretation.