OMBRE 2

Ombre 2 is part of a cycle of solo pieces with and without live electronic devices (Ombre 1 for Cello and electronics, Eleistä for 6 cellos and electronics, Nodus 1 for clarinet, Nodus 2 for cello). These works were written for musician friends who are very committed to contemporary music. Ombre 2 was written for Chen Halevi.
In the two works, Ombre 1 and Ombre 2, the electronic part is a shadow of the instrumental part and is totally constructed with sounds of the solo instrument.
The sound atmosphere is the one of composition, not a technological demonstration, (as in works such as Jeux for piano and live electronics).
Ombre 2 begins with 8 clarinets which construct a soft neutral carpet. This pattern is found in the first section, in the middle of the piece and in the last section, modulated by a system of pitch and register driven by the solo clarinet.
The second section gives more autonomy to the solo clarinet, shadowed by a « harmonic résumé » of the clarinet phrase played by the electronics.
The third section is a two-voice part for the clarinet, of which the main notes are captured and spatialized through the speakers. The fourth section is based on one instrumental gesture given by the clarinet as well as the electronic part which « echoes » the long notes using a system of random spatialization. A transition of chords and a reminiscence of the introduction leads to the last section which amplifies the clarinet in counterpoint while saturating the entire space in a global pianissimo.

D. Cohen