(The following is a transcription* of the monologue from the opening of the film Tous Les Matins du Monde, written by Alain Corneau & Pascal Quignard. It is delivered by Gerard Depardieu, playing the French composer Marin Marais (1656-1728) in old age. Marais was a very important Court musician at this time, and is supervising a lesson with a large group of students .... he becomes impatient with what he appears to regard as the nonsense being talked by the sub-instructors, who are actually taking the lesson .... he calls for a viola da gamba & plays the start of a piece of music ... then he orders the shutters to be closed, & in almost-darkness he begins to reminisce about his own teacher, Monsieur de Sainte Colombe .... he appears completely transported, lost in memory, & says :)
Austérité. Il n'était qu'austérité et colère. Il était muet comme un poisson..... Je suis un imposteur [murmurs of dissent from the students], et je ne vaux rien [louder murmurs] .... J'ai ambitionné le néant, j'ai récolté le néant; du sucre, des louis, et la honte .... Lui, il était la musique. Il a tout regardé le monde avec la grande flamme du flambeau qu'on allume au mourant. Je ne suis pas venu au bout de son désir .... J'avais un Maître. Les ombres l'ont pris. Il s'appellait Monsieur de Sainte Colombe ....
Austerity. He was nothing but austerity & anger. He was mute like fish .... I am an impostor [murmurs of dissent from the students], & I'm worthless [louder murmurs] .... I aspired to nothingness, I reaped nothingness; some sugar, some gold coins, and shame .... As for him, he was music itself. He always looked at the world under the great flame of the torch that is lit for the dying. I didn't live up to what he wanted for me .... I had a Master. The shadows took him. He was called Monsieur de Sainte Colombe ....
* Since this is a transcription there may well be errors in the grammar.
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