Canti prophani by Sabin Pautza: innocent child’s play illustrated through elaborate composition play

Abstract

Composer Sabin Pautza’s creation, of a style diversity that is rare in the contemporary landscape of Romanian music, stands out through its effervescence and colourfulness, backed by the extraordinary mastery of writing techniques. The work we are referring to in this article, Canti prophani , is a vocal-symphonic suite written for a children’s choir. The suite includes three contrasting miniatures (fast-slow-fast), united through their motif, Maico, Maico ..., Dalbe flori and Dimineața ziua bună , representing a translation into music language of the main features of childhood games: repetitive action, rhythm, word play. In terms of language, the children’s choir is assigned only the pure sonority of diatonic modes, while the orchestra overlays harmonic and polyphonic structures that are much more elaborate. The lay character of the lyrics, underlined in the suite’s title, shifts the emphasis from the religious area to that of purity of heart and of sincere joy, the focus being on the high emotions around the feast of Christmas. This brief analytical examination will only highlight the main approaches to the sound material, looking at both archaic influences and at the modern composition techniques, as well as at the manner in which the two blend together. The actual thread that binds all three sections of this work, the image of the mother, occurs everywhere, as the mother is invoked throughout the length of the three parts.

Full text

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Canti prophani by Sabin Pautza: innocent child's play
illustrated through elaborate composition play
CIPRIAN ION
“George Enescu” National University of Arts Iași
ROMÂNIA∗
Abstract: Composer Sabin Pautza's creation, of a style diversity that is rare in the
contemporary landscape of Romanian music, stands out through its effervescence and
colourfulness, backed by the extraordinary mastery of writing techniques. The work
we are referring to in this article, Canti prophani, is a vocal-symphonic suite written
for a children's choir. The suite includes three contrasting miniatures (fast-slow-fast),
united through their motif, Maico, Maico..., Dalbe flori and Dimineața ziua bună,
representing a translation into music language of the main features of childhood
games: repetitive action, rhythm, word play. In terms of language, the children's choir
is assigned only the pure sonority of diatonic modes, while the orchestra overlays
harmonic and polyphonic structures that are much more elaborate. The lay character of
the lyrics, underlined in the suite's title, shifts the emphasis from the religious area to
that of purity of heart and of sincere joy, the focus being on the high emotions around
the feast of Christmas. This brief analytical examination will only highlight the main
approaches to the sound material, looking at both archaic influences and at the modern
composition techniques, as well as at the manner in which the two blend together. The
actual thread that binds all three sections of this work, the image of the mother, occurs
everywhere, as the mother is invoked throughout the length of the three parts.
Keywords: Sabin Pautza, Canti prophani, composition play.
1. Foreword
Sabin Pautza is the composer that has crossed the most often the fine line
that separates the so-called academic music from the popular, entertainment
music. The natural manner in which he managed to do this, as well as his
mastery of blending together styles and genres that were apparently
antagonistic, make him an unpredictable creator, at the same time ludic and
fascinating, impossible to fit in the generally-accepted classifications. Jazz,
folklore, the serial dodecaphonic technique, modalism, tonality, the so-called
“light music”, have all been approached in an effervescent playful manner, in
pure form or in unusual style mixes, the foundation of the value of these
eclectic creations being the absolute mastery of all composition techniques.
Sabin Pautza composes similar to a child who is given a large number of
beautiful toys, which he uses all at once, and his play is so creative that it never
∗ andicip@yahoo.com
DOI: 10.2478/ajm-2019-0013
Artes. Journal of Musicology no. 19-20, 2019, 231-241

232
ceases to amaze those who watch him. Maybe this is the reason why he has
turned with fascination towards the sounds and the feelings of the age of
innocence in two of his masterpieces, Ofranda copiilor lumii and Canti
prophani, and the manner in which he did it shows emotional depth and
synthesis capability. The composer did not stop at developing musical
structures based on folklore and child's play, but instead he depicted the depth
of an universe which is astonishing in its simplicity and innocence.
The two works mentioned above were written in approximately the same
period (Ofranda copiilor lumii – pentru cor triplu mixt in 1973 and Canti
prophani – suita pentru cor de copii și orchestră in 1974), the former being
recognised by the country's highest scientific and cultural forum, the Romanian
Academy, and awarded the George Enescu Prize. Although both works depict
with sound the universe of childhood, focusing on play, the major difference
between them consists in their degrees of difficulty. Ofranda requires an
experienced ensemble, consisting of high-level professionals, while Canti
prophani is written for child ensembles. Paradoxically, the way children would
not be able to perform the former solely for technical reasons, the same way a
professional choir would not be appropriate for the latter, for reasons of
expression. Another difference is the relationship between the universal
(represented by Ofranda) and the national (Canti prophani). Ofranda relies on
melodic structures and on word play that cover a significant number of
geographical areas, people and languages, highlighting the unity of play,
innocence and children's folklore across the globe, while Canti prophani only
refers to the Romanian geographic space and to the winter Holiday Season
traditions that the children are involved in.
2. Style and compositions elements
Canti Prophani is characterised by an ostinato rhythm and motif
repetition, a translation into musical language of the main features of childhood
games: repetitive action, rhythm, word play. The suite includes three
contrasting miniatures (fast-slow-fast), united through their motif: Maico,
Maico..., Dalbe flori and Dimineața ziua bună. The sound and some of the
word play refer, doubtlessly, to the winter Holiday Season, but it is worth
mentioning that no line refers to the religious underpinnings of this period of
the year. The lay character of the lyrics, underlined in the suite's title, shifts the
emphasis from the religious area to that of purity of heart and of sincere joy,
showcasing an intense experience of the holidays “separated” from the dogma.
A few symbols evoked in the text remind the listener of the sacrality of carols
(the basil, the mother, the mantle of stars), as do some orchestration elements –
the presence of a quasi-improvisational moment in which the semantron and
the bells take centre stage. Through the eyes of children, this is how the sacred

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is perceived: a few peripheral symbols, visual, olfactive or sonorous in nature,
overpowered by the symbol of love and security – the image of the mother.
It is obvious that the foundation of the entire structure stands simple
diatonic modes, with few elements (tetrachords and pentachords), characteristic
of children's folklore and of Romanian traditional carols, a language enveloped,
in a complementary manner, in various other forms of sound organisation.
More to the point, the children's choir is assigned only the clean sonority of
diatonic modes, while the orchestra ensemble overlays harmonic and
polyphonic structures that are much more elaborate. We could state that this
kind of harmonisation departs from the very clear canons of the 20th century,
but Sabin Pautza is precisely the kind of creator that cannot be pigeonholed by
conventionalism. The result is therefore an overlay of languages that is seldom
found in music history (the diatonic choir based on oligochords of diatonic
modes and a chromatic orchestra with sounds that cover a wide range of
styles). It becomes obvious that, in this context, the analysis of the vocal layer
must be carried out separately, while the orchestral part must be examined both
independently, and together with an observation of the areas of intersection or
complementarity in relation to the sound of the children's choir. The fact that
the voices were assigned the oligochordic diatonic modal language has two
explanations: a practical one, as this makes rehearsing and performing easier,
and a symbolic one, hinting at the purity and innocence of the young singers'
universe.
2.1. The children's choir – diatonic language and polyphonic play
If we dwell on the music written for the choir, we must mention the
composer's vast experience, this time in performing the repertoire of this genre.
Sabin Pautza used to be the conductor of the Animosi choir, a group that “for
more than a decade used to be a school for choir singing, harmonious,
expressive and absolutely professional” (Cozmei, 2010, p. 186). There are a
few features that can be identified in all three parts of the work. First of all, the
ambitus used is restricted, the phrases are short, repetitive, the rhythm
parameter is simple and ostinato, all these features being characteristic for
children's folklore. Secondly, to the musical play, the author adds word play,
the result of a remarkable, humorous inventiveness, with a remarkable effect
on both the performers and the audience. Canti prophani is, without a doubt,
the type of work that is performed and listened to with delight, despite its
complexity.
The main motifs of the three parts are related to each other in terms of
mode, rhythm and melody.

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Fig. 1 Sabin Pautza, Canti prophani
The four phrases shown in the figure above represent the entire thematic
material of the work. The first phrase belongs to the first part and is based on a
major diatonic tetrachord. The next two belong to the second miniature (Dorian
on E and, respectively, a minor diatonic pentachord), while the fourth
represents the fundamental thematic structure of the last miniature, being
constructed in the Ionian mode, on A. The use of these modes results in a
contrasting palette of emotional states, and the composer is recognised for the
masterful manner in which he creates sequences of antagonistic musical
moments, without affecting the structural and emotional unity of the whole.
The external miniatures, depicting the playfulness and the festive atmosphere
of the Holiday Season, are assigned major modes, while the median miniature,
more introspective, is based on minor modes.
One fascinating thing is the manner in which the author manages to
depict the lack of precision, the ruckus, the apparent lack of decorum deriving
from the cheerfulness of children's performance. We could say we are dealing
with a depiction of disorder through very precise, calculated, super-organised
composition devices. The most often used technique is that of imitation, taken
to the level of a small-size canon, but there are other forms of superposition as
well: the original with its reverse, two different melodic structures previously
appearing separately, the same motif in transposed modes (thus obtaining
bimodal moments).

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Fig. 2a Sabin Pautza, Canti prophani, part I, mm. 102-108, small-size canon
Fig. 2b Sabin Pautza, Canti prophani, part I, mm. 111-115, superposition of the original
version with its reverse
The superposition of minor seconds in example 2b are the result of the
simultaneous use of two symmetrical modes with the axis interval of a minor
second (F#-G). Dissonances (bad singing), in children's performance are quite
frequent, we could say they are part and parcel of the charm of such
performances for this particular age group. Sabin Pautza uses elaborate
technical means in order to obtain the beauty of this effect, showcasing the
children's lack of inhibition in their artistic effort filled with intonation
accidents.
It is not uncommon for different groups of children to simultaneously
sing different carols. The composer's skill has captured in this work precisely
such a moment of overlapping, but the musical discourse has at the same time
an outstanding expressive intensity. We note here the presence of two vocal
groups: the first is singing as a responsorial a carol cased on diminished values
in a pentachordic sequence, while the second overlaps with a slow melodic
line, expressive in the Dorian mode in E. The pentachord intoned by the first
group consists of the first five sounds of the Dorian mode, thus the
superposition of the two carols becomes natural and fluent.

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Fig. 3 Sabin Pautza, Canti prophani, part II, mm. 23-29
All the predictable and unpredictable circumstances of a carolling round
are depicted throughout this work. We have, for instance, chants consisting of
wordplay that makes no sense or of onomatopoeia that the composer merely
organises around a rhythm. The onomatopoeias occur in unison or chanted by
only one group of children, while the other group sing fragments of a carol – a
situation that is common in real life, when there is a lack of consensus among
the group. The combination between the collective declamation and the singing
is a result both of the artist's inspiration and extraordinary mastery of
composition techniques, but also of his ability to lend music an undeclared
dramatic meaning, which becomes apparent as the work progresses. The effect
has an immediate and definite effect on the listener, since it is spectacular and
surprising.
Interestingly, the “plot” of this suite cannot be deduced based on the text,
but instead based on a combination involving fragments of phrases and the
musical meaning. The text itself is a mosaic composed, in a manner that is
deliberately lacking coherence, of phrases specific to traditional carols (dalbe
flori), fairy-tale characters (Călin, Daliana), Christian symbols the basil, the
mother, the mantle of stars), wordplay (roască-broască, race-drace), without
giving any hints to a narrative thread. Instead, the expressiveness of music
allows us to distinguish the image of a group of children going carolling, going
through various moods: singing (part III, mm. 30-107), playing (part I, mm.
93-109), being sad and longing for their mother (part III, mm. 108-135),
disagreeing and, on the contrary, radiating happiness. The transition from one
mood to another takes place abruptly, the way it happens with children of
young age, in a short segment of time. Moreover, the entire suite ins
concentrated in a short time interval (around 15 minutes). The composer

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himself stated: “Many have told me that my music is film-like. I'm not aiming
specifically for that, but my desire is, indeed, to express myself, I believe in
communication, I'm not writing music for myself, I'm writing thinking about
those who will listen to it” (Vasiliu, 2005, p. 63).
2.2. The orchestra – complementarity and colours
Sabin Pautza's composition fantasy is fully manifest, however, in the
manner in which he envelops in terms of timbre the children's choir, using a
not-too-large, but a diverse orchestral formula. It is worth mentioning that,
originally, the formula for the instrument group included only two pianos, a
celesta and a few percussion instruments; later on, the composer expanded this
ensemble, bringing it to the level of a generous chamber orchestra. Its
composition, of an unusual diversity, includes a group of wind instruments
(piccolo, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn, one trumpet and one trombone), piano,
celesta, harp, a string instrument group and a large number of percussion
instruments, requiring three performers.
The mere listing of instruments gives a strong indication regarding the
two parameters on which the composer based his work: rhythm and colour.
Moreover, remarkably delightful timbral mixes are achieved, sometimes
underlining the delicacy of young age, other times showing humour, and yet
other times, more seldom, highlighting the mystical atmosphere of Christmas.
The suite structure includes several instrumental sections: the
introductions of the first and the third part, several short bridges between the
verses that are mainly sung by the choir, as well as a synthesis section located
before the coda of the last part. Whereas the two introductions have the well-
defined role of presenting the sound world specific to each of the parts, the
abovementioned synthesis section (mm. 108-135) stands out among all the
other moments of the suite in terms of depth. Firstly, it is remarkable due to the
oppressive sound, suggesting sadness caused by an unnamed event. The
children's sadness, so hard to bear in the eyes of adults, is masterfully described
by the piano, harp, celesta and a few effects produced by percussion
instruments, the most striking being that of a violin bow, which makes a
cymbal vibrate. This is the only part where rhythm disappears and the author
uses only elements he gives the variation treatment to, and which he augments
with the motifs that had previously constituted the base of the singing game.
Periodically, but not necessarily in a symmetrical manner, the choir sings about
the mother's arrival. The modal superpositions are joined by the polyrhythmic
ones (the celesta in triplets, the piano in syncopations on half-beats and the
harp in asymmetrical syncopations), the writing technique reaching the limit of
a texture polyphony based on an ostinato on the C#. For a brief period, the
composer suspends all play, rhythm, effervescence, in a static music, an
oppressive sound that lacks a gravitational centre.

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Another moment that makes use of polyrhythmy is assigned to the bells,
semantron and piano, precisely in order to suggest the random manner in which
the two percussion instruments are used during the religious ritual.
Fig. 4 Sabin Pautza, Canti prophani, part II, mm. 90-91
The richness of timbres is enhanced using various effects from the string
instrument group. The most common in this piece is the flageolet, followed by
the use of extreme registers, of alternations of pizzicato with legato and of
superpositions of effects that increase the charm and the richness of the
orchestration. We also note the use of the trill not as a mere ornament, but
instead as a colour effect in combination with the muting effect and with
playing sul ponticello (m. 16, m. 17 in part II). The composer's imagination,
combined with an astonishing mastery of the science of orchestration,
contributes to creating an original approach of the way in which the ancestral
melodic lines distributed to the choir are accompanied and completed in a
modern manner by the orchestra.
Complementarity also works in terms of harmony. It is easy to
understand that, in the context of a diatonic modal language, the choir does not
display very elaborate chordal structures and linkages. The orchestra overlays
on this harmonic simplicity, which is in its own way sufficient and fascinating,
complex complementary structures that do not de-structure the modal vein, but
instead lend it a modern nuance.
The composer also plays with the metric organisation, using extremely
unusual superpositions. The performance of juxtaposing a voice (the flute)
intoning a melody in a giusto-syllabic rhythm and another, whose metric
structure is divisionary (2/4 measure) cannot go unnoticed. We also note the
concern Sabin Pautza shows for the performers, taking care that they do not
exert themselves: whenever the melody in giusto-syllabic is exposed on its
own, an alternance of measures is used, but whenever the melody is in a

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polyphonic and polymetric context, it fits the base measure, and the strong
beats are underlined using accents.
Fig. 5a Sabin Pautza, Canti prophani, part III, mm. 1-5
The initial metric of the theme, exposed monodically
Fig. 5b Sabin Pautza, Canti prophani, part III, mm. 14-18
Fitting the theme in a divisionary metric in the context of a superposition
of different metric plans
If we take a closer look at the second half of the example above, we note
the elaborate manner in which the accompaniment is achieved. The harp
clearly marks the beats, while the two voices assigned to the piano create
polyrhythmic and polymetric effects by using triplets, however with the values
clearly grouped in fours using legato and accents. This is the reason why the
lower voice is a rhythmic augmentation of the upper one, by doubling the
values. This counterpoint device is also used in relation to the voices of the
choir ensemble. Throughout the suite we can see that the orchestral
composition is to a great extent polyphonic, elaborate, frequently using motif
variation, augmentation and diminution, sectioning motifs, using polymodal
and polyrthythmic superpositions. All these complex devices never overload
the musical discourse, the auditory effect being always a natural fluency,
clarity, suspense and contrast.

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The architecture of the three parts of the suite is simple, strophic, without
any ample developing sections, unitary due to the circulation of the motifs
within the genre.
3. Conclusions
This article is just a brief analytical examination of the structure and
depth of this suite, a starting point in the effort to clarify that behind its light-
hearted and delightful sound stand, in fact, carefully elaborated constructions.
The combination between the archaic, the children folklore's naïveté (in the
best sense), the neoclassical and the modern composition techniques requires
creative force, spirituality and much stylistic and aesthetic taste.
The result is a rare masterpiece in contemporary music, speaking to all
ages, even though the performers are themselves children. Each of us,
depending on our level of musical knowledge, can find something in this
musical text: the children will enjoy the playfulness, the effects, the ruckus,
while the commentators (the erstwhile children) will appreciate in the
superlative the composition technique, the polystylism, the profundity.
Canti prophani, although a suite of carols clearly referring to the winter
Holiday Season and to the traditions of the period, does not refer to the
religious essence of Christmas. However, the icon that all children can relate to
–the mother's image – is present throughout the work. When playing, when
squabbling, when crying, always the carollers in the piece call the name of the
person who is the centre of their universe “maico” (“mother”). The actual
thread that binds all three sections of this work is the image of the mother.
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