Pitiè de moi

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 SATB and soprano soloist

Given the first line of Apollinaire’s poem, it seemed absurd to set without a soloist. Since self-pity is something that builds on and sustains itself to its own negative conclusions, I wrote a choral ostinato that turns over and over again while the soloist slowly sings the bulk of the text.

Pitiè de moi (“Self-pity”) is the first movement of the song cycle, Chansons de la Vigne (“Songs from the Vine”). It can be purchased and performed separately.

The Text

By Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918)

Je n’ai plus même pitié de moi
Et ne puis exprimer mon tourment de silence
Tous les mots que j’avais à dire se sont
           changés en étoiles

I have no more pity even for myself
And cannot express my silent torment
All the words I had to say have
changed themselves into stars

Performed by the Chapman University Singers
(Dr. Joseph Modica, conductor).