Composed in 1942 during the Second World War, Enfantines Op. 52 is a song cycle comprising five settings for medium voice and piano, based on poems by Belgian poet Madeleine Ley. The texts—L’araignée, Le hérisson, Le petit garçon malade, La poupée mécanique, and Chanson—depict childhood with gentle simplicity.
Musically, the songs adopt a strophic or binary form, with a melodic, accessible vocal line supported by modest piano accompaniments. Absil’s approach avoids sentimentality, instead offering genuine lyricism with modal tinges and hints of polytonality. The cycle’s intimacy suggests it was intended for educational or domestic settings during wartime.
Though its première details are unknown, Enfantines was likely performed in private or semi-public contexts. Critical response at the time was muted, but later evaluations have praised Absil’s sensitive treatment of text and childlike themes. The songs have since found occasional use in music education, and a modern recording by soprano Emma Delivoria with children’s choir (Cypres, 2024) has brought renewed attention to this charming cycle.
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