Medium & Large Ensembles

— Flute (+ Alto Flute)
— Clarinet in B♭ (+ Bass Clarinet in B♭)
— 1 Percussionist: Rainstick (medium low) / Bass drum / Suspended cymbal (ride) / 3 Bongos (high, med, low) / 3 Congas (high, med, low) / Tam-tam / Crotales (c6–c7) / Marimba (5 octaves) / Vibraphone (with bow)
— Piano
— Violin  ·  Viola  ·  Cello

After a bright and victorious flight, the insouciant Butterfly lands up a morning in an environment bathed with an entirely different light… Made heavy by atmospheric confusions and a sort of emerging maturity, the survival looks sometimes like a harmonic meditation or some forced acrobatics. However, the inner power remains the only sustainable light to explore a lane that soon will be of spiritual nature only.

Après un vol brillant et victorieux, le Papillon insouciant se retrouve, un matin, dans l’environnement qui est baigné cette fois d’une lumière toute différente... Alourdi par des troubles atmosphériques et une certaine maturité émergeante, la survie ressemble tantôt à une méditation harmonique, tantôt à quelques acrobaties forcées. La force intérieure demeure cependant le seul phare viable pour l’exploration d’un chemin bientôt purement spirituel.

opus 85  ·  Current version: v.2 — 2012
v.2 is 20 seconds longer than v.1 — some foggy atmospheres slightly extended. Not yet performed in v.2.

Dedicated to all who are dying.  ·  Dédié à tous ceux qui agonisent.

Written with the support of the Ministère de la Communauté Française de Belgique (Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles).

Première recorded by Daniel LEON for Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles.

Première — 2011, January 21st, Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles, Théâtre Royal de Mons (Belgium).
Antoine MAISONHAUTE (violin), Maxime DESERT (viola), Jeanne MAISONHAUTE (cello), André RISTIC (piano), Berten D’HOLLANDER (flute), Charles MICHIELS (clarinets) & Pierre QUIRINY (percussion).
Conducted by Jean-Paul DESSY. Produced by TACTUS / LE MANEGE MONS asbl.

MP3, 192kbps — 1′40" — Live concert, Théâtre Royal de Mons, January 2011.

— B♭ Clarinet  ·  Bass Clarinet
— Tenor Saxophone  ·  Alto Saxophone  ·  Baritone Saxophone
— Horn  ·  C Trumpet I  ·  C Trumpet II  ·  Trombone  ·  Tuba
— 1 Percussionist: Marimba (5 octaves) / Vibraphone (with bow) / 3 Tom-toms (with plastic mutes) / Bass drum / 2 Suspended cymbals / 2 Plastic bags
— Piano (option: extra ossia for Bösendorfer Imperial with extended bass)
— Violin I  ·  Violin II  ·  Viola  ·  Cello

The title invites the audience to guess and discover the origins of the inspiration. Yes, I love Jazz music but in this piece I tried to hide that influence as much as possible — however some traces remain… My native Transylvania and the recent archaeological discoveries of a Neolithic civilisation in Romania (writing and art preceding Mesopotamian civilisation) added mystery to the folklore, mixed with influences from George CRUMB, Igor STRAVINSKY and Arvo PÄRT. Some piano passages (bass register) are a homage to old thriller films. The ring bell of the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles announcing the end of an intermission also left traces at the end of the piece.

opus 52  ·  Current version: v.2 — 2006

Dedicated to Judith ENDERS.

First performance — 2006, January 20th, Orkiestra Nowej Muzyki, Akademia Muzyczna w Kraków (Poland).

MP3 — 1′18" — Live concert, Kraków 2006.

— Flute (+ Alto Flute)  ·  Oboe  ·  Clarinet in B♭ (+ Piccolo Clarinet)  ·  Bassoon
— Horn in F  ·  Trumpet in B♭  ·  Tenor Trombone
— 1 Percussionist: 4 Toms / 2 Bongos / 2 Tumbas / Bass drum / 3 Suspended cymbals (high, med, low) / Tam-tam / Tubular bells (F4–F6) / Glockenspiel
— Violin I, II, III & IV  ·  Viola I & II  ·  Violoncello I & II  ·  Double bass I & II

The happy graveyard of Sâpânța (“Cimitirul vesel”, north Maramureş, Romania) exhibits a funny and colourful approach to death. A Taraf is a band of traditional Romanian fiddlers (lăutari) that plays at weddings and large village parties — but not at funeral ceremonies. Throughout this composition I explore the attitude towards death.

The 2006 revised version (v.2.1) has not yet been performed.

opus 63  ·  Current version: v.2.1 — 2006 (significantly revised)

Composed for the Acanthes Composition Workshop, Metz — France, July 2006.

First performance — 2006, July 17th, musicians of the Orchestre National de Lorraine, Arsenal Concert Hall, Metz (France).

Winds: Flute (+Piccolo)  ·  B♭ Clarinet  ·  B♭ Clarinet (+Bass Clarinet)  ·  Soprano Sax  ·  Tenor Sax (+Baritone Sax)
Brass: Horn  ·  C Trumpet  ·  Trombone  ·  Tuba
Percussion 1: Conga high / Anvil + metal hammers / Vibraphone / Gong G / Crash Cymbal / Cymbales frappées
Percussion 2: Claves / Whip / Triangle / Conga low / Snare drum / Marimba / Tam-tam / Crash Cymbals (2) / Hi-Hat / Splash Cymbal
Percussion 3: Wind chimes / Sleigh bells / Bongos / Bass Drum / Timpani (high+low) + Cymbal + Wine glass + bow
Voices: Soprano solo 1  ·  Soprano solo 2  ·  Alto solo
Keys & Strings: Piano  ·  Electric keyboard  ·  Accordion  ·  Electric guitar  ·  Bass guitar
Strings: Violin 1,2,3  ·  Viola 1,2,3  ·  Violoncello 1,2,3  ·  Double Bass  ·  DJ

My adventures are dedicated to those who desire them fervently while miracles are reserved for those who believe in them… Paying tribute to a certain “tradition of travel”, I allowed myself to make inroads (sometimes secretly) into the fantastic universes. Several scenes are presented:

Propulsion and Northern lights  —  Miracle  —  Warriors parade in the catacombs  —  Pursuit in electric dresses  —  Chu-Chu-moving  —  Miracle again  —  On the tip of the dome  —  Wonders and sweets  —  Tenderness from the little fingers  —  In the magic Wood  —  Acid!  —  View of the fire field  —  Memory and nostalgia.

opus 86a  ·  Current version: v.1 — 2012/June

Dedicated to all those who wish fervently.
Commissioned by LE MANEGE.MONS / MUSIQUES NOUVELLES (Belgium) for the European Contemporary Orchestra.

Première recorded by Jarek FRANKOWSKY.

Première — 2012, June 15th, European Contemporary Orchestra (ECO) conducted by Raoul LAY.
Brigitte Peyré (soprano)  ·  Els Janssens-Vanmunster (mezzo)  ·  Raphaële Kennedy (soprano)  ·  Philippe Petit (DJ)
Ballet National de Marseille, France.

Winds: Flute (+Piccolo)  ·  B♭ Clarinet  ·  B♭ Clarinet (+Bass Clarinet)  ·  Soprano Sax  ·  Tenor Sax (+Baritone Sax)
Brass: Horn  ·  C Trumpet  ·  Trombone  ·  Tuba
Percussion 1: Glockenspiel / Vibraphone / Gong G / Crash Cymbal
Percussion 2: Triangle / Conga (low & high) / Snare drum / Marimba / Crash Cymbals (2) + metal chain / Hi-Hat / Splash Cymbal
Percussion 3: Wind chimes / Bass Drum / Timpani (high+low) + Cymbal + Wine glass + bow
Voices: Soprano solo 1  ·  Soprano solo 2  ·  Alto solo
Keys & More: Piano  ·  Electric keyboard  ·  Accordion  ·  Electric guitar  ·  Bass guitar  ·  DJ
Strings: Violin 1,2,3  ·  Viola 1,2,3  ·  Violoncello 1,2,3  ·  Double Bass

A short version of Aventures et miracles (opus 86a). My adventures are dedicated to those who desire them fervently while miracles are reserved for those who believe in them…

Scenes: Propulsion and boreal lights — Miracle again — On the edge of the dome — Wonders and sweets — Tenderness of the little fingers — In the magic Wood — Acid! — View over the fields of fire — Memory and nostalgia.

Aventures intérieures et petits miracles is a condensed version of Aventures et miracles (opus 86a, ca. 18′).

opus 86b  ·  Current version: v.1 — 2012/June

Dedicated to all those who wish fervently.
Commissioned by LE MANEGE.MONS / MUSIQUES NOUVELLES (Belgium) for the European Contemporary Orchestra.

Première — 2012, December 6th, European Contemporary Orchestra (ECO) conducted by Raoul LAY, DJ Philippe Petit.
Flagey Studio 4 Concert Hall, Brussels, Belgium.