Li R’vindje di l’Åbe is a choral and symphonic work inspired by the Walloon poems of Henri Simon (1856–1939), Li Mwért di l’Åbe (1909) and its sequel Li R’vindje di l’Åbe (1926). The first poem describes the majesty of an ancient oak tree, king of the landscape and refuge for birds and men. But the tree is felled for its commercial value, and its collapse leaves “a hole in the sky”. The second poem picks up the story where it left off: the woodcutters cut up the wood, which gradually leaves its homeland. The poem, both serious and caustic, highlights the cyclical nature of life and the inevitability of death, whether for trees or humans. Both texts are composed of 75 unrhymed alexandrines, carried by a subtle internal rhythm.
 
Patrick Leterme's musical setting unfolds these two poems over a period of approximately 90 minutes, featuring a mixed choir of 20 singers and an orchestra. It pays tribute to the Walloon region and its figures (trees, birds, farmers, craftsmen). The composition incorporates wood sounds (branches, saws, logs) and percussion, which take turns as orchestral sections and stage protagonists through performative “Wood Interludes”. The project is accompanied by ethnomusicological and linguistic research on popular heritage, aiming to connect the spirit of the poems with contemporary orchestration.
 
This book and CD set is an elegant edition featuring the original poems, their translations, illustrations, and reflective texts by various authors on the genesis of the project, the Walloon language, and the environmental dimension of Henri Simon's work.