Continuation was commissioned by the Johan Wagenaar Foundation on the occasion of the European Music Year 1985 with the idea of connecting 1985 and 1685. Not only was 1685 the year in which J.S. Bach was born but it is also remembered as a disastrous year for many because of the renunciation of the Edict of Nantes. As a result many Protestants (Huguenots) were murdered in France: those surviving sought refuge all over Europe. Since, in my own genealogy, Bruynèl derives from these same Huguenot families, I decided to create a musical 'revenge'. At the same time I soften the theme of this assignement by quoting from a letter by Judge Nicolas Boileau (1636-1711) in which there is a description of two gentlemen enjoying a delicious meal of oysters and quarrelling over the last one on the dish. Dame Justice notices their quarrel and asks the gentlemen to hand her the oyster. They do so reverently after which she opens the oyster, devours it and hands each gentleman back an empty shell saying: “Gentlemen, the oyster was delicious. Adieu. May you live in peace."
(from the sleeve notes of the CD Looking Ears 3)

‘Let us make haste; time flies and carries us away,
the instant in which I spoke is now far from me.’
(Boileau, 1636–1711)

With respect to the year 1685 and the music year 1985, I have chosen quotations of French writers who were alive in 1685.

The year 1685, in which Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes, proved disastrous for many Huguenots, a great number of whom fled northwards.

‘1685.
Hark! Delight in the memory
of that revoked Edict!’

Of the revocation of the Edict, Bossuet (1627–1704), preacher at the court of Louis XIV, said while performing a requiem most likely attended by Louis XIV:

‘This is the worthy work of your reign
and the true character.
Because of you, heresy exists no more:
Only God could have performed this miracle.’
(Bossuet, 1627–1704)

The choir sings the Dies irae melody to the first of Bossuet’s proclamations.

‘Massacres, death
1985
Music year?
Ah, the irony of fate.’

On his deathbed, Louis XIV said to the great clergyman:

‘I have followed your counsel, and you shall answer to God for it.’

L’année de la musique on the final chord of Bach’s St Matthew Passion with ‘the Cross’ as a solution to the notes of the text ‘Ich bin Gottes Sohn’, ‘Ah l’ironie du sort’.

A pronouncement by Racine, set as a spiteful children’s song:

‘Heaven is wise and just
And ordains nothing in vain.’
(Racine, 1639–1699)

This chorale:

‘We weep, we suffer boredom,
We suffer in love;
But what other life
Is as carefree?’
(Segrais, 1624–1701)

is set to a verse by Segrais (1624–1701), who spent much of his life at the court of Louis XIV. As he himself said,

‘At court, we live on the stupidity of others.’

A little spring song for Madame de Pompadour, who drank champagne every day to preserve her beauty, follows:

‘This happy time is no more
Everything looks different.’
(Racine, 1639–1699)

The opening theme of Continuation returns:

‘Let us make haste, time flies and carries us away,
the instant in which I spoke is now far from me.’
(Boileau, 1636–1711)

In conclusion:

Hark 1985
Comparing this with a good meal of oysters, washed down with a dry white wine, I rise from this table of sound and give you Boileau’s regards:
‘Gentlemen, the oysters were delicious.
Farewell, live in peace.’
(Boileau, 1636–1711)

(from the score Continuation, Donemus 1985)