Dans les dents de la guivre

“dans les dents de la guivre” is the opening movement of \"Valentina V.,\" an in-progress monodrama for harp, immersive electroacoustic sound (higher-order ambisonics), and lighting. \"Valentina V.\" is inspired by the medieval song “La harpe de melodie” and the provenance of the illuminated manuscript containing the song’s renowned pictographic musical score, which is preserved by Chicago’s Newberry Library. </p>
<p>In \"Valentina V.,\" the harpist adopts the persona of 14th-century noblewoman and virtuoso harpist Valentina Visconti, whose life ended in tragedy and exile. Research suggests that “La harpe de melodie” by Jacob de Senleches was likely composed as a vehicle to showcase Valentina’s prodigious musical talents. Married to the brother of the King of France, Valentina was eventually forced to flee after others at the royal court accused her of witchcraft. \"Valentina V.\" presents an imagined scene near the end of her life in which she is confined to her chamber with only her precious harp to confide in. Musical materials are partly derived from “La harpe de melodie,” which is at times referenced directly; at other times, it emerges in a fragmented or distorted form, representing Valentina’s reminiscences as they are filtered through her fractured psyche. The work’s electroacoustic component, in addition to augmenting the sound of the harp, incorporates pre-recorded sounds (speaking, singing, synthesized textures). Distributed over a loudspeaker array surrounding the audience, these sounds contribute to the work’s mysterious and dreamlike atmosphere. All elements of the piece — immersive audio, lighting, and dramatic actions of the performer — coalesce to engender an atmosphere not unlike that of a psychological thriller, whose narrative unfolds as a loose succession of “scenes” exploring various mental and emotional states of the protagonist. </p>
<p>Drawn from Victor Hugo’s poem “Canaris,” the opening movement’s title “dans les dents de la guivre” (“in the teeth of the viper”) refers to the Visconti family’s coat of arms: a serpentine creature devouring an infant. This horrifying image symbolized the Visconti’s despotic stranglehold over the city of Milan. “dans les dents de la guivre” intersperses fragments of “La harpe de melodie” with sounds imitative of the mythical serpent, engendering a feeling of trepidation, anxiety, and suffocation.<br />