French Literature Reviews - 2026
A. Wald Lasowski, The Play of Ritornellos
Philosophy, Anthropology and Ideas
ALIOCHA WALD LASOWSKI
The Play of Ritornellos
Arcades Collection (No. 114), Gallimard
Published: 09-11-2017 — 384 p. — ISBN: 9782072745263
“Spin, spin, wooden horses, the music goes round and round; the play of ritornellos brings back to each of us the refrain running through our heads. Freud does not like listening to music, whether in private or in public, but his indifference conceals a secret passion for Mozart's Figaro. Gide counters the heaviness of gloomy minds with a barcarolle or an impromptu by Chopin, which he performs on the piano. Though he has suffered from respiratory insufficiency since childhood, Barthes practices singing and makes Schumann his ideal double. While his friend Guattari swears only by Fauré, Deleuze finds in Ravel's Boléro a repetitive motif that fulfills him, to the point of making it the very heart of his philosophy. A passion for melodies, rhythmic anxieties. Beyond this exceptional quartet, we find ourselves listening to passing refrains that leave, like a confession, the imprint of a life.” — Aliocha Wald Lasowski.
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An article about this book can be read on nonfiction.fr:
The concept of the refrain, or ritornello, holds a prominent place in modern French philosophy and cultural analysis, frequently associated with the intersections of subjectivity, repetition, and territory. In this tradition, musical motifs are understood not merely as aesthetic ornaments, but as structuring rhythms that accompany psychological states and intellectual formations. Readers exploring the connections between literature, philosophy, and music may find this volume a relevant contribution to the broader understanding of how auditory memory informs modern intellectual history.
The text outlines how various figures and writers incorporated melodic refrains into their personal lives and intellectual frameworks, reflecting a shared fascination with rhythm and repetition. The work specifically addresses the ways in which these musical elements function as personal confessions and underlying motifs within their respective oeuvres, drawing on examples involving notable thinkers and composers.