In addition to his vast output of German poetry Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) composed nearly 400 poems in French. His poems on roses struck me as especially charming filled with gorgeous lyricism deftly crafted and elegant intheir imagery. These exquisite poems are primarily light joyous and playful and the musical settings are designed to enhance these characteristics and capture the delicate beauty and sensuousness of the poetry. Distinct melodicand harmonic materials recur throughout the cycle especially between Rilke's poignant “Contre qui rose” (set as a wistful nocturne) and his moving “La rose complète.” The final piece “Dirait-on ” is composed as a tuneful chanson populaire or folksong that weaves together two melodic ideas first heard in fragmentary form in preceding movements.--Morten Lauridsen
