WAVES

Waves is an orchestral extension of Mémoire de Vague.

The soloist is a mediator between compositional complexity and the immediate listening experience.
Mémoire de Vague is composed of three principal moments.
The first part, more developed, is marked by the soft, flowing textures of the ensemble alternating with the solo inserts of the viola, played as rapidly as possible, pulsated by the accents of the wind instruments and the bass. The alternating principle is reflected in the constant changes of tempo.

Regular chords propel the work into its second part. A rustling polyphony of repeated notes surprises the listener. The music gradually splits in two homorhythmic groups and is interrupted by the incursions of the soloist. The other instruments freeze on the same chord, which permits the development of a viola cadence.

The third phase is characterized by a more overall treatment. Nonetheless, the viola passages increasingly stands out, while the rest of the ensemble recalls the forms that have marked the piece from the beginning. The composition densifies, then diminishes in intensity, leaving room for the muted lyrical passages of the viola. Finally, the work gently subsides.

The version for ensemble gives expression to the soloist, fully reveals the polyphonic aspect and suggests that this « orchestration » may yet continue in a work to come.

Michel Rigoni