Product Description
Three Latin
Elegies to Lesbia
is a setting of three poems written by the ancient Roman poet, Gaius Valerius
Catullus (84-54 B.C.E.). His muse in these poems is understood to be
Lesbia, the name believed to have been given by Catullus to his mistress.
Lesbia was really Clodia, the sexually promiscuous wife of proconsul Quintus
Caecilius Metellus Celer. Clodia was said to have many lovers, and Catullus
torment and obsession for her is well documented in 13 of his poems where the
name, Lesbia, is used. His first poem addressed to Lesbia (Catullus 51) is a free
translation of a poem by the ancient Greek poet, Sappho. Scholars have
suggested that Catullus chose the name, Lesbia, because of his affinity for
Sappho, who it is believed was a lesbian.
Odie et Amo (Catullus 85), one of the most
celebrated elegiac couplets composed by Catullus, has inspired many composers with
its duality of emotions. The most well-known setting is from Carl Orffs Catulli Carmina, part of Trionfi, the
musical triptych that also includes the Carmina Burana and
Trionfo di Afrodite. Unlike Orffs driving rhythms of outwardly
expressive anguish, my setting is a more introspective interpretation. It is as
if the music is surrendering to the mercurial personalities that Catullus and
all humans possess, the tortured ability to hate and love at the same time.
Lesbia mi dicit semper male (Catullus 92) consists of two elegiac
couplets. Catullus earlier poem, 83,
brings some context to 92. In the
first part of 83, Catullus says:
Lesbia keeps insulting me in front of her husband:
this
fills the fatuous idiot with delight.
Mule, do
you perceive nothing? If she shut up and ignored me
thatd
show healthy indifference;
In 92, Catullus expounds on the idea of why
Lesbia insults him in front of her husband. Catullus reckons that he is always
cursing her, and he loves her. She always curses him, so she must love him as
well. In his desperation, Catullus uses his wit and humor to reason that his
obsessive love for Lesbia is reciprocated. This setting of 92 uses incessant driving rhythms in the womens voices to paint the
words, "Lesbia mi dicit semper male nec tacet
umquam de me" (Lesbia always speaks ill of me, never shuts up about me). The repeating rhythms
return in the mens voices when Catullus says he does the same, "quia sunt totidem mea: deprecor illam
assidue" (its the same with me: Im continually complaining.) The piece
comes to a final rest after Catullus realizes the he will always be cursed to
love her.
Mea Lesbia (Catullus 87) also consists of two
elegiac couplets. Catullus was only one of Lesbias many lovers, and he often
wrote of his jealousy and disdain for her unfaithful actions. This elegy was
written at a time when Lesbia had been particularly cruel toward Catullus.
Despite being broken hearted, his obsession with her never waned. In his
despair and desperation, he basically says, "My love for you is so great that
no other woman could possibly even know what love is." This setting of 87 returns to a more introspective
nature where Catullus surrenders his love forever to Lesbia.
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