In Search of Lost Time in Word and Sound: about the Influence of Marcel Proust on the Work of Reynaldo Hahn

In the late 19th century two young and original artists — Marcel Proust, who worked not only as a writer, but also journalist (a music critic, well), Reynaldo Hahn, composer, critic public figure, fall into orbit of mutual influences. Having remained friends (which can be seen, in particular, from their correspondence) up until Proust’s death, they have maintained artistic dialogue one way or another. As result this, number Hahn’s compositions dedicated to Proust appear at that time, well cycle Portraits d’artistes – four piano pieces by Hahn with declamation texts early same title. The composition presents peculiar double ekphrasis, since it portrays baroque (Albert Cuyp, Paulus Potter, Anthony van Dyck Antoine Watteau), using poetic musical means, generating synthetic images-metaphors. other permeated aesthetics is his Le Rossignol éperdu, which were composed time first volume Search Lost Time was written. Unifying certain resemblance cycle, are effect miniature sketches images different nature (poetic, pictorial, architectural, natural, mythological, etc.), affixed epigraphs verbal commentaries. demonstrates stylistic features essential French Belle Époque: passéisme, ornamentality, impressionistic hearing sound-color, special attitude towards time. outcome, this results compilation-cycle continuing romantic tradition traveler’s album (Franz Liszt), turning out concordant contemporaries (in Debussy’s Preludes) and, addition, presenting an metaphor novel.