Obscure Music Monday: Boulanger's Prelude in D-flat Major

Marie-Juliette Olga "Lili" Boulanger (Aug. 21, 1893 - March 15, 1918) was a French composer, and  the younger sister of the famed composition teacher/composer Nadia Boulanger. Born in Paris, Lili Boulanger was a child prodigy; at the age of two, it was discovered that she had perfect pitch. Her parents, both musicians, encouraged her musical education, and she would accompany her sister Nadia to classes at the Paris Conservatory, studying music theory and organ. Her sister Nadia was one of her teachers, and later on studied with Paul Vidal, George Caussade, and Gabriel Faure, who was particularly impressed by her abilities. Lili would go on to win the Prix de Rome at the age of 19; she was the first woman to ever win the composition prize. Tragically she died at the young age of 24.

Among her compositions, which were for a variety of instrumentations, is a short, beautiful work for piano: Prelude in D-flat Major. This harmonically intriguing work pulls from the whole tone scale all throughout, and is a clear display of Boulanger's brilliance. The work starts of quietly, with a peaceful and other-worldly atmosphere that grows and expounds upon itself, with the left hand grounding us, with the reminder that we are in D-flat major throughout.

Thankfully there is a recording of this work for you to enjoy!

Alexandra Dariescu