Interview with Etienne Perruchon about Dogora and dogorian works
Can you tell us about the origin of this « language », the dogorien.
This idea of dogorien was born by chance but in a very consistent. In 1996 I was working on writing music for a text by Peter Turini Éléments moins performants directed by Charlie Brozzoni. The action of this drama had been implemented in an imaginary country in Central Europe. The show was mounted in the form of « musical », that is to say that the scenes were punctuated by songs performed by a troupe of actors/singers. The director wanted me to put in music, not the theatrical text passages, but poems that Peter Turini would have written. These texts never camed and I found myself without words with melodies. The idea came to me then connect with the idea of inventing an imaginary country grommelo I called at the time the brozzof. It was a complete success as the characters began to sing in this language incomprehensible as soon as the words were not strong enough to convey a particular emotion tied to a specific situation.
So from the songs you have composed the orchestral suite Dogora ?
Absolutely. In 1999, I received an order from the Music School in Chambéry in the Savoie for a major work for chorus and orchestra celebrating the Year 2000. Strangely, there was no author of a booklet for this project. I immediately thought of offering my songs that I wanted dogoriens deal from the start to a great choral and orchestral training.The idea was immediately pleased the director of the Conservatoire and choir leaders, especially as foreign choirs were to join this event. So I wrote a 28-minute work for mixed choir, children's choir and orchestra from the melodies of songs composed for the show Éléments moins performants. I called this suite Dogora the name of a song.
This is the version that inspired Patrice Leconte's idea of making a film. But how did you go to compose new songs ?
Patrice Leconte knew the Dogora version of Chambéry and he asked me if I could extend this music for making a movie. In fact, I took my manuscript and I reworked the existing titles. I wrote other songs to achieve a score of 70 minutes of music. I just kept my experience dogorienne images without worrying that Patrice Leconte was going to put on. Besides, I had no idea what he would do, I just knew he would turn in Cambodia. So 28 minutes, the work grew to 70 minutes. The 21 titles are Dogora a balanced and it is this version which is played in concert.
Thousands of singers have sung in front of the rooms Dogora enthusiastic. The dogoramania gaining ground at every concert! How do you explain this success ?
I can not explain this phenomenon. Maybe do this work came at the right time? I realize however that this partition and the dogorien concept have a strong emotional power. It is as if the work had failed repertoire. A singer once told me: « Dogora is the missing link between pop and classical music ». This is certainly an exaggeration but there a bit of that. The profoundly popular of these songs dogoriens must surely bring back the roots common to all these people.
You then composed a new work inspired dogorienne Tchikidan but this time for children's voices. Why ?
I have always and still full of ideas and desires in this world that I invented. I feel good. For Tchikidan, I had long in mind the desire to write specifically for children's choir. I always wanted to enhance the timbre of the voices of children and the excitement they generate.
With dogorien I could do this. I wanted Tchikidan take children seriously and that the score offers them a wide range of feelings. It's very moving to hear the children sing the sentence or anger and just as touching to feel the deep joy in their voices. This partition is more theatrical in my opinion. One feels almost a story to listen to the work. Moreover it is for the most Tchikidan I wrote about the dogorien legend.
And then there is Skaanza now ... how did this new work was born ?
After the recent concert tour Dogora, I wanted to continue my work on the collective practice of singing. I ordered myself a new partition! This desire to continue this kind of repertoire of « popular » songs led me naturally to writing Skaanza. In addition, various trips I made recently (in Morocco, Sweden, Chile, China ...) allowed me to expand my dogorien imagination
What special offers Skaanza from Dogora and Tchikidan ?
Dogora is a score for mixed choir and children's choir. Tchikidan is written for children's choir with audience participation in the final. Skaanza is a bit the concentrate of that.
The work uses the mixed choirs and children's choir, but this time the audience is involved throughout the work. I wanted also the aspect of « folk tunes » is even stronger. For this, I first wrote all the songs to one voice. There are even two versions of the chorus for Skaanza : one for mixed choir and one for female voices and male voices in unison.
So it is a work conceived for the concert ...
Yes, of course. All three are designed for the concert! But with Skaanza, people who will work will have the opportunity to make a real moment of sharing. On the other hand, the version for « one voice » is made to integrate amateur choirs made for the occasion. For example, I would like in business, in sports clubs, wherever people live and work together, amounted choirs, work and play Skaanza concert. I dream of that, that chorus are born with all this work !
Dogorien legend invented 10 years ago still inspires as much.
What in the Dogorians Skaanza ?
This Dogoriens is just an excuse art to speak of mankind. I need this to apply my imagination.
Now dogorien in me for granted. Yes I invent stories ever, but that is secondary now. For Skaanza, I told myself that these nomads came together to make great feasts where they were learned new songs and shared them.
You see, fiction meets reality!
Vocal works
DOGORA
Suite populaire dogorienne de Proszeshny orientale
In 1996 Etienne Perruchon composed the first songs in Dogorien, imaginary language invented by him. In 2000, he created a masterpiece and popular for mixed choir, children's choir and orchestra, Dogora, inspired by his dogoriens songs. In 2004 Patrice Leconte makes a movie musical, impressionistic, humanistic « Dogora, ouvrons les yeux » and concerts of the work began to organize throughout France. Today, thanks to concerts, thousands of spectators and singers have discovered the emotional power of Dogora.
Versions:
Are also for brass band and piano
TCHIKIDAN
Suite dogorienne pour choeur d'enfants et orchestre
The Legend of tchikidan
People have a band put on a show, played, sung and danced by children, tracing the history of nomadism dogorien enigmatic. Recovered from the famous manuscript Proszeshniak or transmitted by oral tradition, here are a few of these songs. Their character and dramatic narrative gives an idea of what could be the operatic genre popular. A poster recently found evidence of title of the show. Public performances were then held. Previously, Tchikidan was the name of a great annual festival dogorienne where the children had all rights. They could, on this occasion to express their desires and wishes for the coming season. If it was not a secular party, one might associate with Christmas in our society. These seven days of jubilation were punctuated, as always in Dogoriens, with songs and dance very often.
SKAANZA
Chants de foule traditionnels des nomades dogoriens
Skaanza: the night dogorienne
Once a year the nomads dogoriens gathered to be transmitted and sing the songs invented
during their travels. These evenings, Skaanza were punctuated by dancing around a festive
banquet and started every time with this sweet and nostalgic melody: Djônia.
Versions:
The work is designed to integrate the voices of men and women to one voice on all of the
work.
LA PETITE SUITE DE DOGORA
(D'après DOGORA)
This « Petite suite de Dogora » was conceived by the composer to allow to give a concert of
excerpts from dogora. You will find the major themes of the original work arranged in a suite
for mixed choir, children's choir and piano. This partition must be played without cuts or
times by linking the different themes.
LA PETITE SUITE DE DOGORA arranged for wind band and percussion:
For this release, the singers sing with the original scores of LA PETITE SUITE DE
DOGORA for choir with piano part.
