Aprés Moi, Le Déluge is the first major work of concert music commemorate the flooding of New Orleans. Released on cellist Matt Haimovitz’ own label, the choral work features poetry by popular poet Eleanor Wilner dealing with what she felt about the happenings in the Gulf Coast. Erroneously believe to be the last words of Louis XV, the French phrase has come to epitomize the psychology of those who ruin people and earth with no thought for tomorrow.
Composer Woolf, who lives in Montreal, is noted for her lyricism and wit, has been heard on NPR’s All Things Considered, and will have a new work for soprano, cello and piano issued on a PentaTone SACD shortly. Her tonal work is a lamentation for solo cello and a cappella choir focusing on the cracks in the American Dream which caused people to be left to die in New Orleans. The Orpheus work creates a new myth carrying on from the conclusion of the original where Orpheus is torn limb from limb by the Maenads. His head is washed up on the isle of Lesbos and the confrontation between Sappho – the famed woman poet – and Orpheus constitutes the rest of the work. The work is somewhat less tonal than the preceding. Complete texts and English translations of the French lyrics of both works are provided in the notes. A portion of the proceeds from the CD goes to he New Orleans Musicians Hurricane Relief Fund.
– John Sunier
