« Volubilis »
« Convolvulus »

Duration : about 7 minutes

This piece, commissioned by the Paris Conservatory (Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique) was composed in 1981.
The language is not tonal ; from time to time one can remark the use of microtones imitating a spoken voice.
On the whole the character is rather sustained and passionate.
Like ivy climbing and entwining itself around a treillis, the music is a spiral progression in which diverse elements continually intermingle, each one undergoing its own evolution.
These are variations of short motives in a state of perpetual becoming in which a lyrical development tries to introduce itself.English translation : Michael Wladkowski
This piece has been played by outstanding cellists, as Dominique de Williencourt (on the occasion of his first Price of the Paris Conservatory), or Barbara Marcinskowska, Lluis Claret and Xavier Gagnepain, whose interpretation was recorded on a CD.

Here is a review by Elisabeth Sikora in « Diapason » Magazine (february 1997) :
« With her piece for cello solo, VOLUBILIS, the composer suggests an interesting splitting of the instrument into two layers holding a dialogue between each other. »

In the September-October 2003 issue of the review « L’Education Musicale », Gérard Denizeau wrote about the CD produced by REM :
“As for Edith Lejet, …, she develops here, in “Trois Eaux-Fortes” for piano and “Volubilis” for cello as well, such a poignant poetry - although of exclusively musical essence, therefore impossible to translate into words - that one may wonder why this music is not broadcast more frequently.”

Publisher : Amphion

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