A group of secondary school pupils, led by a music teacher, imagine themselves travelling across Europe on a magic carpet. They meet the countries and create poems about each of them. An altercation breaks out between the pupils, followed by a violent storm that submerges the classroom. When the floodwaters recede, they try to get back to normal routine, but the clichés of the beginning no longer apply: they discover the languages of these countries and what they have in common: landscapes, cathedrals… As night falls, they dream of shared stars, forget our fears, and sing of a peaceful Europe open to the world, with the theme of the Ode to Joy transposed into a samba.
Difficulty rating: easy to moderate
Between 2015 and 2016, secondary school pupils in Normandy wrote several hundreds of texts, with the help of their teachers; around thirty poems were selected and put into a booklet by the composer, then translated by volunteers from all over Europe.
All 24 official languages of the European Union are represented, as well as Luxembourgish, Maltese and Turkish.
Soprano narrator, school choir, mixed adult choir, piano
5 songs in French : Notre France, Migrants, Un souffle, Le ciel, Europa nova
7 parts the writing of which combines melodic elements and vocal games:
(Re)-commencements
Rencontres
Tohu-bohu
Passages
Lieux (18 short pieces in 27 European languages, out of which: Soleil, Arbres, Brumes, Pierres, Montagnes, Château, Lynx, Ruisseaux et fleuves, Maison, Falaises, phare, Le vieux bateau, Cathédrales, Douceur)
Étoiles
Vœux (final piece in the 24 EU official languages )
Estimation de la difficulté : très facile à moyen