The Garland

the Garland is a Acte of ballet composed by Jean-Philippe Rameau on a booklet of Jean-François Marmontel that the type-setter had known in his guard, the farmer general Pouplinière.

The action present of the analogies with that of the faithful Shepherd and the names of two characters of it are drawn. It occurs in Arcadie, area of idealized Greece and place of predilection of the literature Pastorale of the time. It is the pretext with many dances of a gracious and nostalgic charm as only Branch can write some: Minuet, Haversack, Gavotte, Fine, etc

Creation took place on September 21st 1751 with the royal Académie of Music. the Garland was the first taken again work of Branch, at the beginning of the 20th century, by the Schola Cantorum under the direction of Charles Bordes; this repertory had spent more than one century of complete lapse of memory.

The action

The lovers Zélide and Mirtil have magic garlands of flowers which have the property to remain fresh and green as long as they remain faithful one to the other.

But Mirtil courts Amaryllis and its garland starts to fade then is desiccated. Regretting its inaccuracy, he deposits its garland on the furnace bridge of the Love in the hope which God will make it reverdir and refleurir and which he will preserve to him the love of Zélide. Left Mirtil, Zélide finds on the furnace bridge the garland of his/her lover and the exchange with his which remained fresh.

Turning over to the furnace bridge of Cupid, Mirtil finds there a fresh garland, which he believes his. It rents God and will find Zélide to find this one in possession of a faded garland. He however refuses to admit that its beloved could mislead it, forgives him whereas she teaches him the stratagem: she forgives him too.

The garlands find their freshness, and the two lovers celebrate their love.

Discography

  • the Garland (with Zéphyre ) Flourishing Arts, William Christie (Erato, 2001)

Sources

  • Cuthbert Girdlestone Jean-Philippe Branch: His Life and Work (Dover paperback edition, 1969)
  • Philippe Beaussant Rameau of A to Z (Arthème Fayard/IMDA, 1983)

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