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Trans-Sylvanian Chants
Uncommented fragrances No. 119
Sylvan Song fascinated me right away, even if not completely for himself, and when commenting on this fragrance, there is no way around an examination of powerful images.
I have written extensively enough about forest scents and also about the Germans' confrontation with their favourite subject, the forest. Since Sylvan Song means forest song, the bottle with its label shimmers green and Grossmith's fragrance was due for a green one, I immediately associate it with dark green tree shadows. You don't need a talent for synthesis to do this; just take a look at the picture above.
And yet there are still some things that do not fit together! The ingredients listed point in a different direction: bergamot (light white), jasmine and ylang ylang (white), rose (rosé) and then a base that could hardly be darker (patch: woody, earthy; vetiver: grassy, earthy; benzoin: dark resinous, chocolaty). Why should something green come out of it?
It seems to me that a fougère-like chord is being redefined here in a different and original way. Since 1882 ("Fougère Royale" by Houbigant), the dark green fougère chord is created by combining lavender, coumarin, bergamot, geranium and moss. Unfortunately there is nothing of this in here, so that one could say that I smell something here, but definitely no fougère. This is certainly true, but the combination of light flowers (e.g. jasmine) and very dark, partly earthy tones (e.g. patch, benzoin) leads to a similar impression. Not for nothing Grossmith called this fragrance Sylvan Song.
The overall result is on the one hand floral (especially after you have worked your way through to the heart note) and on the other hand quite somber without being disturbing. To me, the woodland song seems melancholic, melancholy, a bit old-fashioned, by no means modern, deliberately nostalgic. A beautiful fragrance!
Sylvan Song fascinated me right away, even if not completely for himself, and when commenting on this fragrance, there is no way around an examination of powerful images.
I have written extensively enough about forest scents and also about the Germans' confrontation with their favourite subject, the forest. Since Sylvan Song means forest song, the bottle with its label shimmers green and Grossmith's fragrance was due for a green one, I immediately associate it with dark green tree shadows. You don't need a talent for synthesis to do this; just take a look at the picture above.
And yet there are still some things that do not fit together! The ingredients listed point in a different direction: bergamot (light white), jasmine and ylang ylang (white), rose (rosé) and then a base that could hardly be darker (patch: woody, earthy; vetiver: grassy, earthy; benzoin: dark resinous, chocolaty). Why should something green come out of it?
It seems to me that a fougère-like chord is being redefined here in a different and original way. Since 1882 ("Fougère Royale" by Houbigant), the dark green fougère chord is created by combining lavender, coumarin, bergamot, geranium and moss. Unfortunately there is nothing of this in here, so that one could say that I smell something here, but definitely no fougère. This is certainly true, but the combination of light flowers (e.g. jasmine) and very dark, partly earthy tones (e.g. patch, benzoin) leads to a similar impression. Not for nothing Grossmith called this fragrance Sylvan Song.
The overall result is on the one hand floral (especially after you have worked your way through to the heart note) and on the other hand quite somber without being disturbing. To me, the woodland song seems melancholic, melancholy, a bit old-fashioned, by no means modern, deliberately nostalgic. A beautiful fragrance!
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