Auguste Fauchard (1881-1957)
3e Symphonie Mariale pour orgue
Partition 225 x 320 mm, 85 pages, éditée en 2020, NEUVE ET RARE (tirage limité à 60 exemplaires).
– Préface de Thierry Adhumeau en français et en anglais 14 p.
– Fac-simile 4 p.
– 3e Symphonie Mariale 57 p.
Éditions musicales de l’Association Boëllmann-Gigout
« Depuis Vierne, rien n’a été créé de cette importance. » (Abel Decaux)
Disciple de Louis Vierne, influencé par Charles-Marie Widor et Marcel Dupré, Auguste Fauchard livre avec la 3e Symphonie mariale une partition magnifiquement charpentée, où l’unité le dispute à l’inspiration. La puissante personnalité du chanoine Fauchard transcende là de manière évidente ses modèles ; l’élégance de l’écriture, souvent suave, parfois sensuelle, le raffinement des timbres – véritable orchestration –, font de ce monument sonore un chef-d’œuvre de la littérature pour orgue du XXe siècle.
En 1941, le chanoine Fauchard a souhaité confier sa prière à la sainte Vierge en l’exprimant par une Symphonie mariale.
Le premier mouvement, écrit-il, est une méditation sur le Salve Regina. D’abord mélancolique, puisqu’elle s’adresse à la Mère de la Miséricorde, la prière devient tour à tour joyeusement confiante en la bonté de la Mère, extasiée devant les splendeurs de la Reine, douloureusement angoissée à la pensée de l’exil, de la vallée des larmes, dans lesquels nous soupirons, gémissons et pleurons. Enfin apaisée, pacifiée, elle s’achève dans une atmosphère de profond recueillement.
Le deuxième mouvement, l’Ave maris stella, sur l’air officiellement adopté pour l’office de l’apparition de Notre-Dame à Pontmain, a été traité en Choral et fugue.
L’O Sanctissima est choisi pour réaliser un pieux intermède. Le compositeur y chante les louanges de la Vierge très sainte par la nature, représentée par les petits oiseaux, par les anges, par les hommes.
L’éblouissante pièce symphonique cyclique finale est un hymne grandiose à la Vierge très sainte. L’écriture virtuose fait s’opposer les thèmes dans une énorme progression qui prépare la réexposition et la fusion des trois thèmes. Soudain les Voix célestes font entendre la triple supplication O clemens, o pia, o dulcis Virgo Maria, avant que l’œuvre ne s’achève en force.
Louis Vierne’s disciple, influenced by Charles-Marie Widor and Marcel Dupré, Auguste Fauchard delivers a splendidly well-structured score, where unity vies with inspiration. Canon Fauchard’s powerful personality transcends evidently his models; the often sweet, sometimes sensual, always elegant writing and the refined timbre amounting to genuine orchestration contribute to making this sonic monument a masterpiece of organ literature.
3° Symphonie Mariale - (3rd Marian Symphony)
It is based on three motets or hymns to the Virgin Mary; Salve regina in mode V, Ave maris stella, the hymn sung for the Office at Portmain, and O Sanctissima.
I – Andante con moto: Salve Regina, 5th mode
Drawing his inspiration from the words of this song, the composer has tried to convey the meaning through his music
First the mood is melancholic, being the prayer to the Mother of Mercy. It then becomes more joyful, confident in Mary's goodness, before going into extasies over the Queen of Heaven in all her splendour. Pain and anguish follow: exile, the valley of tears, sighing, mourning, and weeping. Then comes the final appeasement and an atmosphere of peace and profound contemplation.
II – Choral et Fugue (chorale and fugue) - Ave maris stella (the Pontmain hymn)
He was unable to convey in a single piece of music all the various feelings expressed in this hymn. So he concentrated on the first two words: Maris (the sea) and Stella (star). We have the Sea, lying sombre beneath heavy clouds, along with the various feelings it evokes; fear, anxiety, danger, hidden pitfalls. Then the clouds are torn apart, revealing the Star, which is hailed with joy.
The movement opens with a contrapuntal chorale treatment of the hymn, followed by a fugue with a subject of its own. A classical fugal exposition is followed by a counter-exposition and a second episode. Once the fugue is well under way, the composer brings in the hymn tune, using it as an accompaniment. A third episode launches a symphonic development, unleashing a majestic build up towards a final peroration blending the two themes; the fugue and the chorale.
III – Intermède: O Sanctissima
By chosing this piece, the composer was seeking to have Nature, the angels and Mankind all singing the praises of the Blessed Virgin.
He begins with Nature, represented by little birds, who at first flitter around, apparently oblivious of the chorale theme, before falling into line and joining in with their happy chirping.
Mankind tries to respond, but soon finds himself powerless. His song becomes one of sadness. But then the angels take up the theme, transforming it into joyful songs of praise in celestial spheres, serenading the Queen of Heaven, whose grandeur and purity eclipses them.
Again Mankind tries to join in, but is unable to attain the heights of angelic praise. He begins to mourn, before gradually finding his feet. The praise of his Queen may be more modest and worldly, but it is no less fervent.
IV - Pièce symphonique - Salve Regina, Ave Maris Stella, O Sanctissima
This symphonic movement makes up the Finale, and is intended to lend unity to the work by using all three themes. In the mind of the composer it constitutes a grandioso hymn to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Adopting a sonata allegro form, it takes the Salve Regina as the first subject, and O Sanctissima for the second. The beginning of Ave Maris Stella serves as a link between the exposition and the two previous themes.
In the development, the early bars of Salve Regina and Ave Maris Stella act as buffers for each other, mutually pushing each other aside before we reach the culmination of the piece, a new pianissimo exposition of O Sanctissima, with the Salve Regina theme running through the bass.
An enormous development passage prepares for a full bodied return of the two main themes. But when O Sanctissima makes its final reappearance, it is accompanied throughout in the bass, alternatively by Salve Regina or Ave Maris Stella. The fusion of these three themes ends up in a terrific C major chord, which is held on a double trill for 10 bars before coming to an abrupt halt.
Then in huge contrast comes the triple supplication played on the Voix célestes: O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria. Then, in equally violent contrast, the symphonie comes to an end with a forceful Hail to the Virgin, Salve Regina
Canon Auguste Fauchard