Cantique Des Créatures

Introduction

“Cantique Des Créatures” is a documentary by French director Frédéric Rossif, described as an ‘illustated evocation of the poem by Saint Francis of Assisi’. Produced by O.R.T.F. , it was first aired on French television on the 24th of December 1970. The documentary is scored by Vangelis and is the first collaboration between director Frédéric Rossif and Vangelis, a friendship that would last a lifetime. Vangelis later reflected: “Rossif was the first person I’d worked with who realised that spontaneity is the best way to work. He understood the way I functioned, so he purposely avoided showing me any of the footage in advance of the recording sessions. I was composing and recording while watching the images for the first time.”

The “Cantique Des Créatures” is the religious song or poem written by Saint Francis of Assisi near the end of his life, in 1224. It is believed to be the first work of literature written in the Italian language with a known author.

On the 17th of January 1971 Vangelis participated in a broadcast of the French radio show “Atelier de Création Radiophonique - Combien as-tu d'oreilles?”. Apart from an interview with Vangelis, the show includes a variation on the evocation of “Cantique Des Créatures”, which includes some of the music by Vangelis.

Note that the title “Cantique Des Créatures” is sometimes used to refer to a trilogy of documentaries by Frédéric Rossif about the painters Georges Mathieu, Georges Braque and Pablo Picasso, but I believe this is a mistake in the liner notes of Vangelis’ album “Direct” (1988).

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