Description

Born into a musical family in Paris, Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) was described as a child prodigy by Gabriel Fauré when he noticed she had perfect pitch at only two years old. Despite her fragile health after contracting bronchial pneumonia at a young age, she pursued private music education and created a significant body of vocal and instrumental works. In 1913, Lili became the first woman to win the Prix de Rome with her cantata “Faust et Hélène”. After Lili’s untimely death at 24, her sister Nadia established a composition prize in Lili’s honour, ensuring her sister’s legacy endured as one of history’s greatest female composers.

Boulanger composed “Les Sirènes” for mezzo solo, mixed chorus (SAT) and piano in 1911, with text written by Charles Grandmougin. The poem depicts the Greek mythological creatures who lured victims to their demise with irresistible songs. Boulanger was likely inspired by Debussy’s work of the same title, written in 1901, both inhibiting murmuring vocalisation and similar harmonic progression.