2. The Owl and the Echo
An owl, puffed up with pride and vanity, sings his doleful song at midnight from the hollow of an old oak.
"For what is this silence which reigns in the forest, if not to favor my melody? Surely the groves are charmed by my voice; and when
I sing, all nature listens."
An Echo immediately repeats: "All nature listens."
"The Nightingale," continued the Owl "has taken my right; his warbling is musical, it is true; but mine is much more sweet."
The Echo replies again: "Is much more sweet."
Encouraged by the phantom voice, the Owl, at the rising of the sun, mingled his doleful cries with the harmony of the other birds:
but disgusted with his noise, they all chased him away. They continue to pursue the Owl wherever he appears, so that he avoids the
daylight and only entertains himself under cover of darkness.
Jean Baptiste Perrin (trans. A. Bolmar)
6
&4
6
&4
Flute
Bß Clarinet
6
&4
6
&4
∑
√
m m œœœœœ œœœœœ
Ø
∑
placid, delicate
Piano
6
&4
6
&4
Ó
(√)
5
œ kœ nœ kœ n œ ˙
*
π
œœœœœ wwwww
6
6
Ó
6
4
6
4
Ó
∑
w
m œœœœ wwww
6
4
6
4
∑
6
4
6
4
K‰ Œ Œ Ó
œ
w
m œœœœ wwww
mœ lœ mœ lœ mœ
π
5
4
5
4
5
4
Ó
œ
Œ
w
m œœœœ wwww
ww
m œœœœœ ww
m m m m œœœœ œœœœ
Ó
doleful, melancholic
Ó
w
www
5
4
5
4
m œ l œ m œ lœ m œ ˙
*π
∑
5
w
www
6
4
6
4
6
4
6
4
∑
wwww
∑
Ó
wwww
Ó
K
œ kœ .
p
œÂ n œ k œ œ
∏p
m m m mm œœœœœ œœœœœ wwwww
Œ
m œ È œÂœ
p
∑
Ó
m m m m œœœœ œœœœ wwww
6
4
6
4
K
œ ‰Œ Ó
5 œœœ
4 b œœ
5
4
∑
6
4
6
4
∑
5 œœœ
4 b œœ
5
4
∑
mœ È œÂ œ
p
Œ
5
4
5
4
∑
∑
6 m m m m œœœœ œœœœ
4
6
4
∑
5
4
5
∑
∑
∑
(√)
6 m œœ œœ ww
& 4 m œœœ œœœ www
∏
m m m œœœœ œœœœ wwww
6
&4
9
5
4
5
4
∑
&4
&4
5
4
5
4
∑
doleful, melancholic
6 m œœ
& 4m œœœ
6
&4
9
∑
5
4
5
4
wwwww
dampers up to m.29
5
5
5
4
5
4
Slowly; very calm, flexible and atmospheric %=58
m œ lœ m œ l œ m œ
π
5
Œ
π
6
4
6
4
6
4
6
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
* The microtonal symbol indicates a pitch at least a quarter-tone higher (but less than a semitone). The symbol signals
a downward, inexact 'fall off' in pitch, using a combination of embouchure and fingering. For the flute, the effects may
be best achieved by playing the semi-tone above the written note and 'lipping' down.
9
12
5
œ Œ
&4
5
&4
Œ
Œ
6
4
Ó
6
4
Œ b œ j œ b œ5 j œ b œ œ
(√)
w
5 b œœœœ www
&4 œ
b œ b www
5
b œœœ ww
&4
12
&4
6
Ó
&4
6
Ó
15
(√)
6
4
6
4
m œ lœ m œ lœ m œ œ
5
&4
Ó
5
∏p
m œ lœ m œ l œ m œ œ
5
(√) ww
5 m œœœœ www
&
18
4
5
&4
ww
m œœœœœ ww
Ó
π
?
◊
6
4
6
4
˙.
6
& 4
Ó
5
m m œœ
m m m m œœœœ m œœœ
m m m mm œœœœœ m m œœœœ
Ó
œ kœ nœ k œ nœ
5
5
4
Œ Ó
wwwww
wwww
?
Œ
mœ ˙
œ k œ.
J
p
Ó
nœk œ ˙
∏p
π
Œ
m œœœœœ
wwwww
?
Œ
œ
∏
5
5
4
5
4
5
& 4
˙
6
4
Œ
6
4
œ kœ nœ kœ nœ œ
Ó
5 b b œœœœ
4 Ó
5
4
Ó
œœœœ wwww
œ nœ kœ nœ kœ nœ œ
5 œœœ
4 b œœ
&
œ
4
5
4
6
4
6
4
wwww
6 m m œœœœœ
4
6 m m m œœœœ
4 Ó
b wwww
w
m œ l œ m œ lœ m œ œ
wwww
w
œ
m œœœœ
6
Â4
œ
wwww
Ó
5
m œœœœ
5
6
4
œ kœ nœ kœ nœ œ Œ
œ
nœ kœ nœ 6 k œ nœ
Œ
œ k œ.
J
p
Ó
5 b œœœœ
4 œ
5 b œœœ
4b œ
6
4
Œ
4
5
4
5
Œ
5
6
4
Ó
5
5
4
5
4
m œ lœ m œ 5 l œ m œ œ
5
œ kœ nœ kœ nœ œ
5
4
œ kœ nœ kœ nœ
m œ w
m m m œœœœ œœœœ wwww
wwww
œ Ân œ k œ ˙
Ó
5
4
Œ
π
œ œœ ww
m m œœœœ œœ ww
m œ wwwww
5
&4
18
œ Ân œ k œ œ
∏ p
Ó
œ k œ n œkœ nœ œ
Œ
m m m œœœœ m m œœœœ
6
m
&4
m m m mm œœœœœ m m œœœœ
6
&4
15
œ k œ.
J
p
5
wwww
b wwww
w
?
b˙.
◊
6
4
&
6
4