singer, one-man choir, guitarist and composer
Ode to a Nose for piccolo, two flutes and guitar
SM-000519848
- Composer
- David W Solomons
- Publisher
- David W Solomons
- Genre
- Classical / Instrumental
- Instrumentation
- Flute, Flute piccolo, Classical guitar
- Scored for
- Quartet
- Type of score
- Full score, Parts
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Year of composition
- 2021
Description
Inspired by the poem "A son Nez" by the Renaissance poet Olivier Basselin.
Beau nez, dont les rubis ont couste mainte pippe
De vin blanc et clairet,
Et duquel la couleur richement participe
Du rouge et violet
Gros nez! qui te regarde à travers un grant verre
Te juge encor plus beau:
Tu ne ressemble point au nez de quelque lierre
Qui ne beoit que de l’eau
Un coq d’Inde sa gorge a toy semblable porte:
Combien de riches gens
N’ont pas si riche nez! Pour le peindre en la sorte
Il faut beaucoup de temps.
Le verre est le pinceau duquel on t’enlumine;
Le vin est la couleur
Dont on t’a peint ainsy plus rouge qu’une guigne
En beuvant du meilleur
On dit qu’il nuit aux yeux, mais seront-ils les maîtres?
Le vin est guarison
De mes maux; j’ame mieux perdre les deux fenestres
Que toute la maison.
The original French poem has been translated into English by my father S N Solomons (and sung by me) as follows:
O gorgeous Nose bedight
With wine and claret
So rutilant and ripe
With red and violet
Nose looming through a glass
Finer by far
Than that of some poor ass
Who drinks but water
Mottled and luminous
What wealthy men
Can boast voluminous
Noses magnificent?
Crimson with hue so merry
Painted with wine
Redder than is the cherry
With drink so fine
They say it does you harm -
A pox on them,
For wine is sovereign
Remedy and charm.