Glank-50

To the talent and ardour of the young fifty-something Jonty Harrison

Paris, 15 April 1985: a few of us composers were gathered in Radio France’s Studio 123, waiting for a GRM workshop to begin. One of us, in order to test the system, transferred in its circuits the contents of a tape reel. I immediately recognized a familiar sound. To this composer whom I had never met, I said: “Are you Jonty Harrison?” It was him, his identity revealed to me by his music. For what we were hearing was Klang, a brilliant lesson in electroacoustic composition.

Since we met through that piece, it felt natural to base this short tribute to the composer, the professor and my dear friend Jonty on the first few sounds of his unforgettable Klang.

— Francis Dhomont [English translation: François Couture, ix-20]

Glank-50 was realized in 2002 at the composer’s studio in Montréal (Québec).

Premiere

• April 27, 2002, Bottoms Up!, Concert Hall — The Barber Institute of Fine Arts — University of Birmingham, Birmingham (England, UK)

Dénaturé Parmé sons

To my friend Parmé

This is a short tribute to Bernard Parmegiani, for his 80th birthday, and to his music. In it I have used the first sound of De natura sonorum as its triggering and conclusive event. It is obviously used as a quote and a wink, further confirmed by the pun-like title.

— Francis Dhomont [English translation: François Couture, v-12]

Dénaturé Parmé sons was realized in 2007 at the composer’s studio in Avignon (France) and premiered on October 20, 2007 during the 14th edition of the L’Espace du son festival at Théâtre Marni in Brussels (Belgium).

Premiere

• October 20, 2007, L’Espace du son 2007: Bernard Parmegiani, Théâtre Marni, Brussels (Belgium)

forte-piano

For the 80th birthday of my double friend Oscar Wiggli (1927-2016)

Swiss sculptor Oscar Wiggli is a dialogue between strength and delicateness, a contrast between the huge power of the forged work and the lightness of drawings, between iron and sound, between the clamour of the workshop and the quietness of the composition studio, because Oscar Wiggli was also an electroacoustic composer. forte-piano draws inspiration from these dynamic opposites to sketch a portrait of the artist (who died in 2016).

— Francis Dhomont [English translation: François Couture, ix-20]

forte-piano was realized in 2008 at the composer’s studio in Avignon (France) and premiered on September 20, 2008 as part of a concert celebrating the 80th anniversary of Swiss sculptor and electroacoustic music composer Oscar Wiggli at the Town Hall of Saignelégier (Switzerland). The work was revised in December 2010.

Premiere

• September 20, 2008, Hommage à Oscar Wiggli, Salle de spectacle — Hôtel de ville, Saignelégier (Switzerland)

About this sound recording

This version is a stereophonic reduction of the 8-channel original.

Quelques éclats

To Miguel Azguime

A simple formal sketch: a set of contrasts in intensity and density, gradually accruing for the final outburst.

— Francis Dhomont [English translation: François Couture, v-12]

Quelques éclats [A Few Flickers of Brightness] was realized in 2010 at the composer’s studio in Avignon (France) and premiered on April 15, 2010 as part of the 25 anos MMP concerts at Instituto Franco-Português in Lisbon (Portugal). This work was composed for the concert Cadavre exquis musical presented as part of the 25th anniversary of Miso Music Portugal.

Premiere

• April 15, 2010, 25 anos MMP — Cadavre exquis musical, Auditório Philippe Friedman — Institut français — Portugal, Lisbon (Portugal)

Le flux des sons

To Annette Vande Gorne for her 65th birthday

For you, dear Annette, these few “permanences / variations” in celebration of an emblematic birthday and as a tribute to your successful acousmatic battle.

— Francis Dhomont [English translation: François Couture, v-12]

Le flux des sons [The Flux of Sounds] was realized in 2010 at the composer’s studio in Avignon (France) and premiered on May 9, 2011 during the concert Hommage à Annette Vande Gorne at Studio 1 of Flagey in Brussels (Belgium). Recorded voice: Annette Vande Gorne.

Premiere

• May 9, 2011, Hommage à Annette Vande Gorne, Studio 1 — Flagey, Brussels (Belgium)

La Bayle Music

To François Bayle, for his very creative 80 years

This musical joke, a parody of the transit 1 from Tremblement de terre très doux, highlights the humour of this highly sophisticated French composer, the spirit of variations consistently found in his works, his unique style and the originality of his one-of-a-kind music. With my faithful friendship, François, and my admiration.

— Francis Dhomont [English translation: François Couture, ix-20]

La Bayle Music was realized in 2012 at the composer’s studio in Avignon (France) and premiered on October 27, 2012 as part of the concert Guirlande François Bayle presented during the festival L’Espace du son at Théâtre Marni in Brussels (Belgium). Recorded voice: François Bayle.

Premiere

• October 27, 2012, L’Espace du son 2012: Guirlande François Bayle, Théâtre Marni, Brussels (Belgium)

Petit souper magazine

To Beatriz Ferreyra, who is pretending to be 80 years young

“Your Petit souper magazine made me laugh, because Tom Thumb [Petit Poucet, in French] is always running, skipping and having fun. Thank you, dear friend, for such a joyful ride.”

Dear Beatriz, your approval is perfectly in tune with my intention: to make you laugh (through the music, and the title’s spoonerism). And since our friendship began because of your Petit poucet magazine, this was also my way of thanking it.

— Francis Dhomont [English translation: François Couture, ix-20]

Petit souper magazine was realized in 2017 at the composer’s studio in Avignon (France).

Happy New Half-Century, Adrian

To the busy first half-century of my friend Adrian; what is the second one holding for us?

A friendly salute to Adrian Moore for his fiftieth birthday, and a return to Junky, an intense piece by this inventive composer, from which I grabbed a few sound sources that are typical of his writing and used here as the red thread running through my piece.

— Francis Dhomont [English translation: François Couture, ix-20]

Happy New Half-Century, Adrian was realized in 2019 at the composer’s studio in Avignon (France).

Tintamarre!

This short sonic racket is dedicated to Pete Stollery for his 60th birthday

The nice age, dear Pete. But how young you seem to me!

— Francis Dhomont [English translation: François Couture, ix-20]

Tintamarre! was realized in 2020 at the composer’s studio in Avignon (France).