LA MORT DU ROI

Delegations representing Henry IV, King of France, and Carlo Emanuele I, Duke of Savoy, met in 1610 from April 21 to 25 in the Bruzolo Castle (Turin) to sign two treaties that, even though they are little known, constituted the first attempt at the unification of Italy. The treaties foresaw a military alliance between the House of Savoy and France with the establishment of an army of 28,000 foot soldiers, 2,200 horsemen, 1,400 musketeers and 40 cannons to fight against the Spanish military forces. In particular, they were supposed to conquer the Duchy of Milan (at the time under Spanish dominion) and give it to the House of Savoy, thus starting the creation of a new State under the reign of Carlo Emanuele I. The wedding between Elisabeth (daughter of Henry IV) and the first-born of Carlo Emanuele I strengthened even more the alliance between the House of Savoy and France. But the assassination of Henry IV by Ravaillac, on the 14th of May of the same year, abruptly changed the course of history, as the stabbing of the French sovereign went against what had been settled in the Bruzolo Treaties. This composition is divided into multiple sections highlighting events associated with the Treaties. The first, "Pavane de la Guerre," has a boisterous character typical of 17th-century music, and employs explicit onomatopoeic gestures recalling a battle. After sound effects portraying the wind that reportedly raged during the meeting of the two delegations on April 21, a new section introduces the two court themes. Through modulations and rhythmic transformations, these themes symbolize the two delegations struggling to come to an agreement. The Andante evokes the ghost of a beautiful noblewoman who, according to the legend, lived in the castle; a sense of serene expressivity permeates this section. In the Allegro (measure 211), which describes the days that elapsed between the agreement and the assassination of Henry IV, the mood is excited and full of tension. A two-note cell, representing the two stabs inflicted to the King, looms menacingly over the composition until measure 257, where every member of the band cries "Le Roi est mort." The concluding Andante functions as “End Credits” of the story: the sad and painful character portrays the regret for what could have happened in 1610 in Italy and all of Europe if the Bruzolo Treaties had been fulfilled. The “Filarmonica di Bruzolo,” conducted by the composer, premiered this work on June 6, 2010 during the celebrations for the four-hundredth year of the Bruzolo Treaties.