Le bœuf sur le toit

Le Boeuf sur le toit op 58 ( Eng.: The Ox on the Roof ) is a fantasy for orchestra by Darius Milhaud. In addition, there is also a ballet version. The performance lasts about 15 - 20 minutes.

Formation

During his stay in Brazil from 1916 to 1918 Milhaud came in contact with the local folklore and music world. Back home in Paris, he wrote the piece in 1919, using some Brazilian tunes and provided it with the subtitles Cinéma - Fantaisie (English: Cinema imagination ). Instead of the planned Milhaud use as film music (eg as background a silent comedy of Charlie Chaplin ), it served at its Paris premiere on February 21, 1920 at the Comédie des Champs- Élysées as music for a ballet - pantomime production of Jean Cocteau, now with the subtitle The Do - Nothing - bar ( Eng.: The Tu -nothing bar ). The title of Le Boeuf sur le toit is taken from a folk song of the same name.

Ballet version

The plot of the ballet version plays during the then newly introduced ban on alcohol in the U.S. in a bar there is a wide variety of types of people, including a boxer, a black dwarf, a noble lady, a red-haired woman dressed as a man, a bookie, a gentleman are in evening wear and the bartender. They wear masks Oversized and dancing in a slow, pantomime style. When the policeman enters the restaurant, the bar instantly mutated into a milk bar. He investigated further yet, but will soon beheaded it from the bartender by a monstrous fan. After the red-haired woman has danced with the head and all the guests have left the bar, the bartender reanimated the police and let him pay the bill of the evening.

Music

The plant mainly has a cheerful lively character. The musical form is substantially free, but reminiscent of a rondo, and can be described as a fantasy, sometimes even as potpourri. At the beginning occurs this theme in its original form. In other various tunes that are accrued from each other by the subject follow. Striking are the various tempo changes and modulations in the factory as well as the frequent transposition of the topic. The rhythms change permanent. Last but not least, the polytonality is noticeable that can occur in some places up to four keys at once and thus leads to harmonious frictions and distortions.

Reception

The premiere came across was extremely positive, although Milhaud became a musical clown. Soon, some bars were named after the plant. The composer, however, displeased the implementation as a comedy and spoof of the piece, which he had actually created only as a collage of Brazilian tunes. 1921 appeared a version for violin and piano. Likewise, there is an arrangement for piano four hands.