OISEAU DE LA VIE

In 1894 Valerie (Vally) Pick was born into a Jewish family in Vienna where she studied piano as a child. She won a place at Vienna University where she added Composition and Musicology to her piano studies, and in 1921 married fellow pianist and composer Karl Weigl. To escape Austria's National Socialist (Nazi) government in 1938, the Weigl family emigrated to New York where Vally worked as a music teacher and composer. After the award of a Master's Degree from Columbia University she branched out into Music Therapy which she practised at various institutions in New York.

'Oiseau de la Vie' published in 1979 comes late in Vally Weigl's output when she was 85. Nevertheless, the two inner movements have energy and sprightliness, and the whole piece is clearly tonal in the conventional sense. The first movement - 'Sweet bird of the night' features falling phrases which suggest restfulness and the approach of sleep while the second - 'Joyful bird at Dawn' is light, bright and suggestive of dance. After a fast and passionate introduction the third movement - 'Enchanted bird at Noon' continues in a lively 3/4 to the end. This contrasts with the Andante of the fourth and last movement in which the 'Bird' of the title bids farewell to the setting sun at the end of its day and the piece.

• Oiseau doux la nuit (Sweet bird of the night)
• Oiseau joyeux a l'aube (Joyful bird at Dawn)
• Oiseau ravi du midi (Enchanted bird at Noon)
• Chant d'adieu au soleil couchant (Bird's farewell to the setting sun)

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