The 32nd Summer Olympics concluded in Tokyo on the evening of August 8. As the host of the 33rd Summer Olympic Games, Paris's "Eight Minutes of Paris" shows the audience a vibrant city that combines fashion and classicism.
During these 8 minutes, as the Marseillaise progressed, the performers of the French National Symphony Orchestra appeared in famous corners of the city such as the Stade de France, the Seine, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, the railway tracks of the old railway station in Paris, and the combination and interaction of music and urban space were appropriate, especially the last paragraph of the "Marseillaise" was performed by the French astronaut Thomas Berger, who was on a space mission on the International Space Station. Pescay used the saxophone to blow, pushing the whole performance to a climax, so that many netizens changed the controversy over the opening and closing ceremonies of the Tokyo Olympic Games, unanimously agreed that "this romance is very French", and also looked forward to the Paris Olympic Games three years later.
It is not easy to show the characteristics of a country and a city in 8 minutes. The romantic French chose symphony, using the perfect combination of music and sports to achieve communication across national borders.
Is "Marseillaise" related to Mozart?
As the most "shining" instrument in the orchestra's woodwind arrangement, the flute attracts particular attention in every concert, and the composers love it in particular, giving the flute the most melodious and intoxicating solo fragments of the symphony. In "Eight Minutes in Paris", female musicians stand on the roof of the Stade de France and play their flutes, and the clear, melodious flute echoes in the air, intoxicating.
Violinists then played on the banks of the Seine and in front of Notre Dame Cathedral; back at the Louvre, the marimba filled the holy spaces with ethereal spirits; and against the backdrop of blue skies and sunlight, pianists played on the tracks of the old train station in Paris. Finally, on the International Space Station, the astronauts used the most romantic instrument, the saxophone, to blow out the last melody of "Marseillaise", showing the romantic, sunny and vibrant Paris.
As the national anthem of France, "Marseillaise" is probably one of the most familiar national anthems in the world, and its popularity is second only to the "Internationale". Not only because of its melodious melody, but also because the history it celebrates is the history of the people's struggle for freedom. Originally known as the Rhine March, the Marseillaise was the most popular hymn of the french Revolution.
There are different theories about the author of the Marseillaise, but the most widely known author is The Engineer Captain Rouge de Lierre of the Strasbourg City Guard during the French Revolution, and the work was first performed on April 24, 1792, igniting the revolutionary mood of the Workers of Marseille, and quickly sung, becoming the national anthem of the French Revolution. Hence the name "Marseillaise".
Another popular claim among scholars is that de Lier was merely a lyricist and that the composer of the Marseillaise was a student of Haydn and a friend of Mozart's masonics. Mozart died in December 1791, and his composer friend, in honor of him, slightly adapted a melody from his Piano Concerto No. 25 into the melody of the Marseille.
Due to the popularity and beautiful melody of the Marseillaise, many great composers have cited the melody of the Marseille and even used it as a representative and symbol of France. Tchaikovsky's Overture of 1812, commemorating the Russo-French War of 1812, used the melody of the Marseillaise several times and played in unison with a French trumpet, as the dominant motivation to refer to the menacing invasion of the French army. Shostakovich composed the soundtrack for a silent film about the Franco-Prussian War, Neo-Babylon, in which the composer mixed the Marseillaise with ofifbach's popular Konkan to create an eerie atmosphere of dancing in groups.
Female musicians show independence and freedom
In "Eight Minutes in Paris" was led by 29-year-old young French conductor Chloe Duforet. For Chinese audiences, Chloe Dufrey's face may still be a little unfamiliar. But she is already a "veteran" on the podium. The young female conductor, a graduate of The Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, has conducted the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Helsinki Symphony Orchestra. Marco has just finished third in the Grand Tour this year and was recently shortlisted for the 20 finalists of the 57th Besançon International Young Conductor Competition in France in 2021.
The Marco International Youth Conducting Competition was founded in 1965 and is held every three years. For young conductors, the Marko Competition's prizes are very attractive, with prizes ranging from the first prize to up to 20,000 euros, and not only that, but also the opportunity to study with Fabio Luis, the internationally renowned principal conductor of the Danish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, who often starts a good career. It is also because of the many international awards that Chloe Duforet stood out and was noticed by the world through "Eight Minutes in Paris".
Although only 29 years old, Chloe Duforet, standing on the podium, appeared sophisticated and calm, and had a tacit understanding with the gray-haired players of the French National Symphony Orchestra. Under the guidance of her baton, the musicians also led the audience to all the well-known corners of Paris through music.
With Chloe Duforet, the 87-year-old National Symphony Orchestra of France is the 87-year-old French National Orchestra. Founded in 1934, the National Symphony Orchestra of France is one of the most famous and representative symphony orchestras in France and the oldest of all the symphony orchestras in Paris.
It is worth mentioning that in 1991, the famous conductor Charles Dutois became the new music director of the French National Symphony Orchestra, and this conductor with a deep background in French music culture once again brought new musical thinking to the orchestra. In 1996, under the leadership of Dutois, the French National Orchestra and the internationally renowned pianist Agridge performed a sensational performance in Beijing.
The podium was once the world of men, and interestingly, the performance of "Eight Minutes in Paris" deliberately selected female conductors, and it was a young female conductor, whether it was a conductor, a flute player or a violinist, dressed in a black suit, full of professionalism and a sense of strength, reflecting the independence and freedom of women. This coincides with the freedom and equality shown in the Marseillaise.
Versatile astronauts show French romance
There's so much French flavor in just eight minutes, most notably the French astronaut Thomas Berger, who was on duty at the International Space Station. Pescay used the saxophone to blow the last paragraph of the Marseillaise. The saxophone highlighted the French romance, played in space, and multiplied this romance. So the versatile astronaut suddenly became the focus of public attention.
In fact, this is not the first time Thomas Pescay has blown the saxophone in space. As early as 2018, he played for the documentary "16 Sunrises", and the cover of the soundtrack record was the same scene.
In 2009, Thomas Pescay stood out from more than 8,400 people, becoming the youngest astronaut at the European Space Agency. After 7 years of training as a devil, he finally entered the International Space Station. In March, Thomas was appointed "station master" of the International Space Station, the first time a French astronaut has held such an important position. In April, he entered the International Space Station for the second time, once again embarking on his journey of space exploration.
Not only is he professionally persistent, Thomas Pesker also has a wide range of hobbies and can be said to be an all-rounder. Not only can he play saxophone, he is also proficient in languages, speaking English, German, Spanish, Russian and Chinese in addition to his native language. What's even more surprising is that he has a strong passion for sports, such as jogging, basketball, swimming, squash, surfing, mountaineering, mountain biking, sailing, skiing, diving, skydiving, etc., in addition, he is also a judo black belt. At the same time, Thomas is also a great photographer. He used his camera to take tens of thousands of photographs of the Earth through the space station's dome capsule and published a collection of photographs.
The freedom and breadth embodied in Thomas Pescay is probably what the French want to convey.
Text/Beijing Youth Daily reporter Tian Wanting
Editor/Ying Qiao