DO REMI FA SOL LALA

The 1720s had brought a new fashion and young ladies paraded in long evening dresses created from stiff fabrics with a high waisted corset and fully boned skirts.

Remi couldn’t take his eyes off pretty Lala. He had already crossed path with her several times since the beginning of Spring. She was wearing one of those scandalous dresses with fine silk shimmering patterns and a very form-fitting corsage.

Listening and singing along a joyful and heady refrain, Lala continually displayed a smile on her lips and she bounced and hopped happily through the streets of Venice.

She seemed to be dancing, waltzing from arm to arm, leaning on a child next to her or grabbing the helping hand from the tall man with a hat on, who was bending down outside his window from the second floor.

Lala’s magical grace amazed passers-by who all wanted to spin around with her to the sound of the violins. The young lady twirled, waving her long dress around her to the rhythm of the murmurs of the Venetian waters, and scattering small pieces of coloured fabric in her path. The labyrinths formed by the streets of the city reinforced the magic of the dancer who cheerfully appeared and disappeared.

Remi was never far away, spectator of the zest of life demonstrated by Lala, he could only enjoy the laughter and her sweet outburst of voice. Picking up the little strip of cloths left here and there, he dreamed of being able to draw the sweet one into his arms. He languished on pianissimo nuances and dozing in a regular rocking move while holding the pieces of silk close to him, he imagined rocking the sweet Lala. “You can’t run forever.”, is what he was thinking.

All of of a sudden, the Beauty passed not far from him. Sowing her melody and her littles pieces of fabric, she encouraged the inhabitants of the beautiful city to leave their houses.

A hurrying and enthusiastic crowd was now dancing and running in the streets. Remi immediately came out of his torpor and joined the ambiant joy. The collective happiness transported him, and he too started to dance and to run with everyone, but he couldn’t help but wonder : Why wouldn’t Antonio let him near Lala? He, however, had felt Remi’s heart speed up and he also saw his cheeks blush when he placed them together, one close to each other. “ He must be doing this on purpose.”, railed Remi.

Despite everything, Spring passed in the freshness under the strains of violin solos and soon the promise of a meeting arrived when Lala finally approached Remi.

“I saw you.”, she whispered winking to him before disappearing again into the twists and turns of the narrow streets of the city. She left quickly, only leaving behind her her intoxicating refrain.

Summer arrived.

The season set in slowly at first.

Lala was still playing hide and seek, but she approached Remi more and more often, closer and closer and for longer and longer.

He could finally smell her flowery perfume. The ruffles of her dress brushed against him and he was filled with a real sense of well-being and infinite joy. He loved it when he could dance with her, run through the crowd to catch her eyes, getting so close to her that he could finally smell the scented Lily’s perfume brought by the long winding cramped streets of Venice. But above all, when she would come so close that he could finally touch her, he couldn’t help but shiver.

The long languorous twists that she formed around him were followed by several furtive dance steps during which he tried to steal a kiss from her. But the Beauty was too fast and she had already left, running and twirling away to a mysterious place.

Antonio was watching the lovebirds dance. He would let them wave a little longer, but he was already warning, growling dully in the distance, amid the songs of doves and goldfinches.

For now, Remi wasn’t listening to him. He just wanted to enjoy the hot breeze of Summer and Lala’s shy and delicate rapprochements. The couple danced to an adagio rhythm. The birds accompanied them on their way and the now intense summer heat began to make their steps a little heavier. The loud music that played in the alleys calmed down as if to help the lovers rest.

Antonio growled in the distance.

Remi turned around, this time, he was worried.

The sky was darkening in the horizon but the first drops of rain didn’t seem to worry Lala who was still twirling around. Remi on the other hand was starting to get scared.

As long as the melody resonated, as the rhythm echoed and as the symphony could be heard everything was fine. “ But what if Antonio decides to take a silence?” Remi was afraid of silences. He couldn’t stand them. That’s why he loved Lala so much. The pretty Lala and her bewitching refrain.

And then, with no other warning, Antonio called Zephyr. Already the tremolos could be heard from far and the wind suddenly began to blow with a new vitality.

Remi and Lala were now running on the range, under the furious attacks of swarms of flies and horseflies. Remi realised that Lala always seemed to be dancing, swinging happily and whirling to the sound of the melody despite the close gusts of wind.

But, getting more and more concerned, he dreaded the third part of the Summer. The end of the season promised to be eventful. Behind him, he saw large lightnings streaking the sky. The score was sticky and sweating in adagio rhythm. He was still running forward and continued to look back in worry over his shoulder when suddenly:

“ Stop!” Lala shouted at him.

Remi stopped abruptly.

A silence.

A long broad silence faced them both. So dull and so deep.

Around them the elements were now unleashed. Zephyr was still blowing as hard as he could and the waters were pounding furiously against the city’s canals and the propelled waves splashed the bottom of Lala’s dress. The Beauty could no longer run, nevertheless, Remi was determined to escape the long passages of soloists organised in advance by Antonio and without an hesitation he carried her in his arms.

“We should jump over the silence.”, she said.

Remi hesitated, but then, transported by the courage Lala gave him, by simply holding on to him, he rushed forward and jumped as far as he could.

More lightnings cut the sky and thunder rumbled. Despite everything, Remi continued the race he has started, still holding his beloved close to him.

At that moment, a second silence appeared. Despite the fear, Remi knew he couldn’t avoid it. This one too, they would have to pass, and resume the race that they recently started together.

But this silence, nearly identical to the first, did not bode well. Remi knew it and he hesitated, trying not to shake as he felt Lala’s body against his.

Taking his courage in both hands, he closed his eyes and rushed towards the silence. His instinct told him to run forwards and to let himself be lifted away by the strong wind.

Only then Boreas arrived and began to blow, joining Zephyr on his mission. Great descending gusts and ascending flares came in a flash.

Remi held Lala even tighter against him and both of them clung to the nearest reach with all their strength.

The violent winds lifted the Beauty’s many frills and petticoats, and thunder raged in the sky. Zephyr and Boreas, redoubling their vigour, managed to pull the lovers apart and carried them along the long black lines that formed the range.

The music had to go on and Lala returned to dancing and running presto with the crowd of notes which quickly invaded the score. Remi also proceeded with his melody along with the symphonic ensemble, under the persistent rain of violins and furious piano.

But Summer wasn’t over yet.

Antonio was about to close the notebook he held before him. Fatigue was starting to overwhelm him. “I’ll finish this tomorrow and I’ll start the Fall too.”, he said to himself, satisfied with the work he achieved so far. “Ho! I was about to forget!” He turned the pages until the last one he had filled and, as usual, he scribbled: Vivaldi.