Migot, Georges : La Sègue
Work Overview
Publication Year:1929
First Publisher:La Sirène musicale, Esching
Instrumentation:Piano Solo
Genre:Various works
Total Playing Time:4 min 00 sec
Copyright:Under Copyright Protection
Commentary (1)
Author : Nishihara, Masaki
Last Updated: May 13, 2025
[Open]
Author : Nishihara, Masaki
This piece first appeared in "13 Dances," a piano collection published by Sirene in 1929, to which 13 composers each contributed one piece. This constitutes the first edition. After Sirene ceased operations, the copyright for "13 Dances" was transferred to Max Eschig, but separately, Leduc published a revised edition as a single piece in 1934. There are considerable differences in detail between the first and revised editions, which is interesting as it offers a glimpse into Migot's creative process and revision methods.
In France, from before World War I to the interwar period, so-called "project works" such as collaborations, anthologies, and homages by multiple composers flourished. "13 Dances," conceived by Michel Dillard, owner of Sirene, was one such project, notably known for its cover and spine illustrations by the Russian avant-garde painter Mikhail Larionov. Participating composers, besides Migot, included:
- Beck
- Delannoy
- Ferroud
- Harsányi
- Larmangnat
- Lopatnikoff
- Martinů
- Mihalovici
- Rosenthal
- Schulhoff
- Tansman
- Viéney
It is rare for Migot, who called himself a "one-man group," to participate in this kind of compilation. Furthermore, while most of the other composers' works reflected the social conditions and musical trends of the late 1920s, exhibiting jazz, popular music, or neoclassical styles, this work stands out remarkably for its detached and uniquely powerful character.
Since there is no pre-existing dance form called "Séguy," it can be understood as a kind of fictional dance invented by Migot himself, inspired by the Italian musical term "segue" (meaning "continue playing") and similar concepts. It bears the subtitle "Slow Dance" (Danse lente). In 9/8 time, marked "slowly and plastically" (Lentement et plastiquement). It is primarily in F major but is not tonally stable. It features low notes that seem to crawl along the ground, and a highly tense, somewhat magical melody. Three to four voices constantly intertwine. The indications "en écho" (echoing) appearing at key points serve as sectional divisions, and as the title suggests, the musical ideas continue (séguy) sequentially. Overall, it can be described as a unique and unusual dance, without parallel. Guy Sacre states that "a certain magic can be felt" (Sacre, Guy. 1998. La musique de piano T.02. Paris: Robert Laffont). The premiere of the complete "13 Dances" took place on February 28, 1931, performed by Lucette Descaves at a concert of the Société Musicale Indépendante (S.M.I.) in the concert hall of the École Normale de Musique. The first edition had no dedication, but the revised edition was dedicated to Anna Urani. Urani is one of the most important pianists in Migot's oeuvre, having given the world premiere of the complete Les Douze Signes du Zodiaque in 1933.