Uploaded January 2023 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago

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***** I LOVED writing this work! ... Imagine - clock strikes midnight - the pale moon hangs on a cloudless night. Suddenly, the clamor bones rattle - graves open wide and the midnight games and party begin! Skeletons race over fences, laugh, and play in jovial dances around a fire in a athletic display of rhythmic and technical facility. Then at the first light of daybreak, they scurry back to their "earthly" homes and rest until the next night.

This is not a "Halloween work," although it certain would fit that holiday. It could be performed anytime! The poet intended its message to be two-fold: 1) a playful, almost humorous work, replete with a grand display of frivolity, and 2) on a more serious side, death is portrayed as a great equalizer – rich and poor, famous and obscure, whatever one’s lot in life – no one escapes.

A limited excerpt of the text was chosen, which captured the essence of the story (IPA and English translation in the music). "Danse Macabre" is a work for "virtuosic piano accompanied by chorus." The aural impact of the piano/voices wastes no time in leading the performers and audience through an exciting journey into the night and back. I attended an incredible performances of it last year, including CORNELL COLLEGE - wow - what a fantastic performance!

English translation:
Tap, tap, tap - Death rhythmically (in cadence) taps a tomb with its heel.
At midnight, it plays a tune on the violin.
The wind of winter blows and the night is dark.
Moans come out from the lime trees.
Everyone is stirring, and one hears the clacking of bones from dancers!
Tap, tap, tap! One can see the king and the peasant dancing together.
Dance, dance, skeletons dance!
But sssh!! Take flight! The rooster has crowed! [The sun is coming up!]
Skeletons, take flight!
Hooray!

SATB and Piano; Walton Music #2015 3'20"

HENRI CAZALIS, poet, was a French physician. He often wrote of DREAMS and VISIONS, believing that the purpose of art was not to represent reality, but to access trust through metaphorical images and language. Cazalis wrote under the pseudonyms of Jean Caselli and Jean Lahor.

Join the over 4,180 subscribers to Randall's channel, and see/hear the other 108 videos he has created. Several new works have just been recorded, including his new extended (six-movement) work, IN PARADISUM - released in the spring. (Go to zrstroope.com to listen and see a score.)