Arrangement for equal voices and instrumental ensemble (flute in C, Bb clarinet, 1 percussionist [bendir or zarb or darabokka and rattlesnake], harp, violin, viola, cello).

Order of the Sinequanon set.

Created in June 2002 Jacques Brel Cultural Center in Villebon sur Yvette

Duration : 3'30. Editions Francois Dhalmann

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As far as the arrangement itself is concerned, after a purely instrumental introduction, I treated each of the verses and refrains according to the meaning of the text, varying in a more or less elaborate way the instrumentation, the tempi and nuances so that none are alike. Like a theme and variations, one of the verses is treated in a minor mode, the initial melody being varied, and the whole concluded by a short coda. It should be noted that the percussion part requires the percussionist to know how to improvise from the given canvas, by introducing digital playing modes as well as technical variant modes specific to non-European music.

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I retained the " version feminine " from the text, which is the original. Depending on the context, there is of course no problem changing the lyrics to erase the rather explicit double meaning of the text.

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With regard to the instrumental formation, this arrangement of A la claire Fontaine, has the advantage of being able to be played, as much with school children as with a conservatory choir. As part of a school project bringing together the National Education and the Conservatoire, in addition to discovering the heritage of French songs - largely unknown to many schoolchildren of foreign origin - this may be their first contact with classical professional musicians (the teachers of the conservatory) playing the instruments of the orchestra.

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Finally, the instrumentation being identical to the Folksongs of Luciano Berio, they can be played in preview of a concert given by the professors of a conservatory. In an educational context, the harp can be replaced by a piano or a marimba.