Xocoatl (Caratini)

Xocoatl is a work for great chorus, jazz band and reciting composed by Patrice Caratini in 2006 and created with the theater of Seals on January 12th, 2007 by the Chœur Nicolas de Grigny and the Caratini Jazz Together. Work lasts approximately 80 minutes.

Genesis of work

At the origin, Jean-Marie Puissant had required of Caratini to compose a work for its chorus rémois. Caratini tells that sat at table to a coffee in front of a chocolate cup the idea came to him to join together the chorus and its jazz band around the topic of the chocolate. Once the found idea, there was a length works of search for texts as well in the literature (Balzac, Proust,…), historical documents (historical letters, tests, European directives,…), but also in the recipe books.

Composition of work

Reciting: Shortly after the discovery of the cocoa

Work starts and ends in a text of reciting only accompanied by claves pointing out the etymology by the word chocolate. The text opening and closing work is the same half-compartment into two formant a great structure of enshrining, framing all the remainder of work. This text is of Nicolas de Blégny: the good use of the, the coffee and the chocolate of 1687.

Tutti: Of the chocolate, curious speech

The second piece is built completely on a rhythmic Ostinato played with the Piano. On this basis, the chorus speaks only by jolts, in general in unison or the third. It is often separate in voice of men and voice of women, the women stating an end of the text, taken again at once by the men. This makes it possible to underline the complexity of the almost incomprehensible text today. It is about a text of Antoine Colmernero de Ledesma, Of chocolate, curious speech going back to 1631.

Reciting: days ago

Then reciting it reads a text of Marcel Proust drawn from the book In the shade of the young girls in flowers .

Tutti: Moctezuma

Reciting and small chorus: One picking this fruit

Reciting and instruments: Then as so of touching its belt

Reciting and double bass: Presentation of All these grounds

Tutti: All these grounds

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