Description
KASTNER (Jean Georges). Les Sirènes. Essay on the main myths related to incantation, enchanters, magic music, swan song, etc. Considered in their relationship with history, philosophy, literature and fine arts. Work decorated with numerous figures representing mythological subjects drawn from ancient and modern monuments and followed by Le Rêve d'Oswald ou les Sirènes, Grande symphonie dramatique vocale et instrumentale by Georges Kastner. Paris, G. Brandus and S. Dufour, Jules Renouard et Cie, 1858, large 4° of [2] f., VII-157-1 blank p., 12 plates h. t.; notated music with title f. and pp. 157-164 and 207 p. of notated music and 1 blank p., brown half cloth with bradel, smooth spine, title-piece (boards and endpapers renewed, traces of handling). First edition of this curious and erudite work illustrated with 12 plates offering more than 120 lithographed subjects. Directly inspired by Lucas' program, this is the last book-partition of the Alsatian composer and theorist, Jean Georges Kastner (1810-1867) after "La Danse des morts" (1852), "La Harpe d'Éole et la musique cosmique" (1856) and "Les Voies de Paris" (1857). It combines, on the same model as the previous ones, a learned treatise and an original musical composition. Les Sirènes brings together the traditions relating to these mythical creatures, before dealing in a final part with music, the magical song of the mermaids and that of the swan, auroral and solar sounds and cosmic harmonies. It is a still valid compendium of the esoteric ideas of the ancients on music. The accompanying score is a symphonic poem designed for a very modern orchestra capable of recreating these mysterious sounds.
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KASTNER (Jean Georges). Les Sirènes. Essay on the main myths related to incantation, enchanters, magic music, swan song, etc. Considered in their relationship with history, philosophy, literature and fine arts. Work decorated with numerous figures representing mythological subjects drawn from ancient and modern monuments and followed by Le Rêve d'Oswald ou les Sirènes, Grande symphonie dramatique vocale et instrumentale by Georges Kastner. Paris, G. Brandus and S. Dufour, Jules Renouard et Cie, 1858, large 4° of [2] f., VII-157-1 blank p., 12 plates h. t.; notated music with title f. and pp. 157-164 and 207 p. of notated music and 1 blank p., brown half cloth with bradel, smooth spine, title-piece (boards and endpapers renewed, traces of handling). First edition of this curious and erudite work illustrated with 12 plates offering more than 120 lithographed subjects. Directly inspired by Lucas' program, this is the last book-partition of the Alsatian composer and theorist, Jean Georges Kastner (1810-1867) after "La Danse des morts" (1852), "La Harpe d'Éole et la musique cosmique" (1856) and "Les Voies de Paris" (1857). It combines, on the same model as the previous ones, a learned treatise and an original musical composition. Les Sirènes brings together the traditions relating to these mythical creatures, before dealing in a final part with music, the magical song of the mermaids and that of the swan, auroral and solar sounds and cosmic harmonies. It is a still valid compendium of the esoteric ideas of the ancients on music. The accompanying score is a symphonic poem designed for a very modern orchestra capable of recreating these mysterious sounds.
