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EQUIVALENCES
Press (English)
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DARMSTÄDTER ECHO
Monday, July 22, 1963
19th year / Nr. 166
Die erste Reihenkomposition
The first series of compositions
Chamber music concert conducted by Pierre Boulez
W.
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DARMSTÄDTER …
July 1963
225the year / Nr 166
Klang-Aktionen und Serenaden-Töne
Sound Actions and Accents of Serenade
A chamber music concert of the Kranichsteiner's summer session under Pierre
Boulez' direction
V. L.
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FRANCE SOIR
Friday, November 1, 1963
IT TOOK PLACE…
"DOMAINE MUSICAL"
AT THE THEATRE DE FRANCE
André Malraux paid tribute to
Olivier Messiaen
Jean Cotté
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LE MONDE
November 2, 1963
AT THE "DOMAINE MUSICAL"
"Seven Haïku"
by Olivier Messiaen
Robert Siohan
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PARIS-PRESSE l'INTRANSIGEANT
November 2, 1963
GREAT CONCERTS
by
Claude Samuel
Olivier Messiaen’s
Kimono Music
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LE FIGARO LITTÉRAIRE
November 1963
MUSIC
by
Claude Rostand
Overture at the
"Domaine musical"
*
ARTS
November 6, 1963
Music and dance
by
Jacques Bourgeois
On an exotic keynote,
the domaine musical makes a good start
*
FRANCE OBSERVATEUR
November 7, 1963
MUSIC
J.-C. Eloy :
a name to remember
Maurice Fleuret
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LE GUIDE DU CONCERT
November 23-29, 1963
DOMAINE MUSICAL
(Odéon-Théâtre de France, October 30)
Suzanne Demarquez
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ÉQUIVALENCES
Press (English)
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DARMSTÄDTER ECHO
Monday, July 22, 1963
19th year / Nr. 166
Die erste Reihenkomposition
The first series of compositions
Chamber music concert
conducted by Pierre Boulez
[...] Ever more vivace, fuller and more
vital was "Equivalences", a work by 25-year old composer Jean-Claude
Eloy, a former student of Darius Milhaud's, then of Pierre Boulez'. While
Lehman only used drums to a moderate extent, Jean-Claude Eloy definitely
created a concert for three drummers (Christoph Caskel, Heinz Hædler,
Rolf Rossman) accompanied by wood and brass instruments, a piano and a
harp. The ovation of the audience to greet the brilliant premiere of this
piece showed exceptional intensity and unanimity.
[...] Pierre Boulez, whom one learns to appreciate even more every time
as a genial conductor and musician, also executed the three subsequent
compositions scheduled for the evening in an outstanding and ideal way.
W.
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DARMSTÄDTER …
July 1963
225the year / Nr 166
Klang-Aktionen und Serenaden-Töne
Sound Actions and Accents of Serenade
A chamber music concert of the Kranichsteiner's summer session
under Pierre Boulez' direction
The chamber music concert of last Saturday
took place under the sign of conductor and professor Pierre Boulez who
conducted Schönberg's Serenade Opus 24.
[...] There had been premieres in which one could partially recognize
the master or the Boulez model. Those showed an inspiration and were not
just a mere imitation, as was the case with Jean-Claude Eloy's "Equivalences".
There was a personal mark in the arrangement of the sound actions, the
piano chords compounded by electronic sonorities and the pianissimo effect
of the percussions confronting the vivid dramatic accents. Then, the tension,
expressed as nicely in the violent and loud phrases as in the delicate
and murmured ones, abruptly rose. The listener experienced an involved
deployment of musical art. Contrasts grew sharper, and the sound play
only remained. The sheer success that it achieved with the public speaks
for itself. [...]
V. L.
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FRANCE SOIR
Friday, November 1, 1963
IT TOOK PLACE…
"DOMAINE MUSICAL"
AT THE THEATRE DE FRANCE
André Malraux paid tribute to
Olivier Messiaen
M. André Malraux presided yesterday
at the season’s opening concert of the "Domaine musical"
founded, ten years ago, by Madeleine Renaud, Jean-Louis Barrault and Pierre
Boulez. The Théâtre de France has thus become the sanctuary
for the most advanced expressions of contemporary music. [...]
Talent doesn’t strike everyday. But yesterday, we had a serious touch
of it : "Equivalences", by Jean-Claude Eloy (twenty-five years
old). Extremely beautiful material, laced with far-eastern tones. A shape
still needs to be given to them, but success was, nonetheless, instant.
A full house and the State Minister applauded so enthusiastically that
a second performance immediately followed the first.
M. André Malraux, at the end of Olivier Messiaen’s "Seven
Haïku" stood up to pay tribute to this author, the greatest
composer of our time [...]
JEAN COTTÉ
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LE MONDE
November 2, 1963
AT THE "DOMAINE MUSICAL"
"Seven Haïku" by Olivier Messiaen
The last concert at the Domaine musical
will certainly be counted among the most memorable, the first four pieces
focusing on two composers, Stravinsky and Webern, whose works, written
nearly a half century ago, appeared instead as the initiators of the new
style now flourishing in the up and coming composers of the younger generation.
[...]
Equivalences by Jean-Claude Eloy, its young twenty-five year old composer,
is a work of another caliber: and the audience reaction was clear in its
unreserved demand for an encore, obtained after warm applause. World premiering
in Darmstadt in July 1963, performed in Donaues-chingen a few days ago,
this work was composed upon the request of Pierre Boulez. The title refers
to a search for equilibrium between two opposing forces. Although still
somewhat stuck in an experimental mode, this is the work of a true musician,
who has revealed definite gifts in the manipulation of contrasts and tone-colors,
the entire work lying within the scope of a very attractive baroque style.
The highlight of the evening was a new work by Messiaen entitled Seven
Haïku, inspired from impressions gathered by the composer during
his recent trip to Japan. In his mind, this work was to substitute for
a composition of chamber music that the General Direction of Arts and
Letters had commissioned from him for the Debussy centenary. As this substitution
took place with the agreement of M. An-dré Malraux, it can thus
be seen as a true commission emanating directly from the Minister and
made towards a great contemporary composer. Wishing to emphasize the solemnity
of this choice, the Minister insisted on attending the first performance
in person, thus underlining the interest he brings to contemporary musical
art. [...]
A truly exceptional evening and the result of strenuous work (eighteen
rehearsals) under the masterful conducting of Pierre Boulez, the guiding
force of the Domaine musical and who took the opportunity to dedicate
the concert to the late Roger Désormière.
ROBERT SIOHAN
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PARIS-PRESSE l'INTRANSIGEANT
November 2, 1963
GREAT CONCERTS
by Claude Samuel
Olivier Messiaen’s Kimono Music
We are aware that modern Japanese music
has undergone westernizing influences. But the last concert at the Domaine
Musical has shown us that Occidental composers have not been ungrateful
and are turning towards the Japanese school as well. Brilliant demonstration
with Stèle for Sei Shônagon (Japanese poet from the 10th
century) by Pierre Froidebise, Three Japanese Lyrics by Igor Stravinsky,
Seven Haïku (subtitled : Japanese sketches) by Olivier Messiaen,
and even Equivalences by Jean-Claude Eloy, who says: "Echoes of some
traditional Japanese music can be noted" [...]
It must be said, nevertheless, that the ambassador from Japan did not
preside over the concert ; on the other hand, M. André Malraux
lent his presence to the Théâtre de France, discreetly attending
the opening concerts of the Domaine Musical’s 1963-64 season.
The major attraction of the series, in addition to the Japanese flirtation,
was the world premiere of Seven Haïku, the last work of Olivier Messiaen.
[...]
The writing for instruments is superb, very delicate and varied, and the
4th movement entitled "Gagaku" is particularly impressive. These
Haïku were conducted (as was the entire program) by Pierre Boulez
[...]
The evening included three French world premieres as well: the Suite op.
11 [...] by the Englishman Alexandre Goehr, Stèle for Sei Shônagon
by the Belgian composer Pierre Froi-debise, [...] and Equiva-lences by
Jean-Claude Eloy.Profound
SubstanceThis last work, due to the originality of its profound substance
and to the subtlety of its orchestration (particularly the measured use
of the Strasbourg Percussion Group) worked a spell of fascination on the
Domaine Musical audience and was hailed for an encore. Jean-Claude Eloy,
25 years of age, can today be considered one of rising stars of the young
French school.
CLAUDE SAMUEL
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LE FIGARO LITTÉRAIRE
November 1963
MUSIC
by Claude Rostand
Overture at the "Domaine musical"
On the threshold of its eleventh season,
the Domaine musical’s vitality is far from weakening and has shown
only steady progress since its heroic beginnings at the Petit Marigny
theater, and this in spite of the always possible blunders and ventures:
Pierre Boulez draws a full house, and this is saying something since the
"house" is the large Odéon-Théâtre de France.
Five concerts are on the program for this winter, unleashing and mixing
three distinct waves among them: the elders, that is, the contemporary
classics such as Schönberg, Stravinsky, Webern, Varèse and
Messiaen ; the thirty-somethings, that is, Boulez’ own generation
; and finally, the twenty-somethings, which already is marking its difference
with the preceding group, and will be represented as well by some ten
or so world premieres. [...]
The best moment of the concert was undoubtedly the performance of the
youngest of the composers featured on the program: Équivalences
for twelve instruments and six percussions by Jean-Claude Eloy, twenty-five
year old French composer whose success last week at the recent Donaueschingen
festival I have already written about. This time, success was even greater
and an encore of this perfectly proportioned and balanced work was called
for. The flaw of many compositions from the current younger generation
is the lack of proportion and balance, based on the more or less sound
pretext of respecting theoretical requirements. Eloy’s work, which
is frank, rich, refined, transparent, and obviously belonging to the country
where Debussy was born, avoids this pitfall. But, rest assured, the work
could not be qualified as post-Debussy serialism, no more than for Boulez
himself. The link is both profound and distant.
Speaking of Boulez, past hearings of Equivalences made me think that Jean-Claude
Eloy might have undergone a bit too much influence from his former teacher.
But on second thought and new exposure, I realize this is not the case
; a very defined personality is asserting itself in this work where nothing
is laborious, where inventiveness is endlessly and spontaneously renewed,
and where the clichés of musical pointillism and tachisme are most
fortunately sidestepped. The writing itself is extremely pleasing in its
combinations of tone-colors-, but not sugary pretty. There is an instrumental
verve, a liveliness in its chosen contrasts and constraints that, though
carefully drawn, seem to spring forth naturally.
I would particularly like to salute the remarkable execution of this work
by the Domaine musical’s Instrumental Ensemble and the Strasbourg
Percussion Group who performed marvelously: here is a group of young musicians
who have acquired such a prodigious technique in a genre of such prodigious
difficulty and seem to manage with the same ease as if they were playing
no more than an innocent Chaminade lullabye.
A special mention should go towards the six Strasbourg percussionists
– three bearded and three non-bearded– for whom the work was
written. These musicians are very praiseworthy for their passion for music,
the quality of their work and their supple virtuosity, the equivalent
of which I believe is not possible to find elsewhere in the world. [...]
And in conclusion, I cannot resist the need to mention the names of the
prestigious instrumentalists: Bernard Balet, Jean Batigne, Lucien Droeller,
Jean-Paul Finkbeiner, Georges van Gucht and Claude Ricou. They are great
soloists, conducted by Pierre Boulez who does so with the sober refinement
that is his custom and which makes us look forward to hearing the next
Wozzeck that he will be conducting in a few days at the Opera.
CLAUDE ROSTAND
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ARTS
November 6, 1963
Music and dance
by Jacques Bourgeois
On an exotic keynote,
the domaine musical makes a good start
The "Domaine musical" opened
its season featuring the Far-East as its dominant theme. Out of the six
composers on the program, five of them were inspired by China or Japan.
The major event of this concert was naturally the world premiere of Seven
Haïku by Olivier Messiaen. This work, subtitled "Japanese sketches
for solo piano, xylophone, marimba, four percussions and small orchestra",
is apparently the result of a recent trip made by the composer to Tokyo.
His inspiration is uncommonly rich and Messiaen further deepens his search
for tone and rhythm in the expression of the work. The inner organization
is so rigorously defined that the complexity of the result falls on the
ear as if these heretofore "unheard of" sounds were suddenly
easy to access and understand [...] … the fourth one of these "Haïku",
entitled Gagaku, suggests, through modern sound processes most typical
of Messiaen, learned classical music as it was practiced in the imperial
court of 7th century Japan. One can scarcely resist such beauty. It should
be noted that Messiaen’s approach runs counter to the National Music
Schools developed at the end of the 19th century. Whereas musicians from
every country attempted to "nationalize" their inspiration as
much as possible by calling on folk sources, Messiaen, on the other hand,
is universalizing music that was at its origin purely Japanese.
The other event of the evening was the first hearing in France of Equivalences
by the young Jean-Claude Eloy who already created a sensation with one
of his works last year at the "Domaine Musical". Naturally,
this music is pure music, expressing the composer’s interests to
seek a balance between opposing forces: continuing-discontinuing, negative-positive,
noise-pure sound, static-dynamic, etc. Rather oddly, the work seems to
recall traditional Japanese music. However, it refrains from evoking it:
only parallel preoccupations (and rather foreign for that matter to Occidental
music) lead to such similarities and they remain, in any case, extremely
subtle. As such, Equivalences asserts Jean-Claude Eloy’s very individual
and strong personality.
Among what Pierre Boulez qualifies as contemporary "classics",
we heard Webern’s op. 13: four melodies accompanied by orchestra,
two of which were Chinese poems set to music [...]
Three Japanese Lyrics by Stravinsky , composed prior to Webern’s
melodies, are every bit as concise as the later work. [...]
[...] And such success contrasts with the relatively banal Stèle
for Sei Shonagon, a cycle of melodies by Pierre Froidebise dedicated to
the great Japanese poet from the 10th century. This Belgian serial composer
has recently died [...]
There is not much to be said about the Suite op. 11 for flute, clarinet,
French horn, violin, viola, cello and harp by Alexander Goehr [...]
JACQUES BOURGEOIS
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FRANCE OBSERVATEUR
November 7, 1963
MUSIC
J.-C. Eloy : a name to remember
One can only rejoice at the flourish of
interest by the Parisian "serial" smart set that has kicked
off this new season of contemporary music. Generous television publicity
and radio coverage were followed by Mr. Malraux and even Mr. Bondeville
who attended the opening concert of the Domaine musical. One would think
we are dealing with a national institution, and that, before we know it,
La Marseillaise will be sung on a dodecaphonic series ! [...]
The sensation of the evening was neither Boulez’ conducting nor the
world premiere of Messiaen’s last work, but rather the first hearing
of an unpretentious piece whose originality of vocabulary rivals only
with its sensitive density. "Equivalences" for twelve instrumentalists
and six percussionists world premiered in Darmstadt last summer, and was
performed just recently in Donaueschingen where it met with the same success
as here, enthusiastic audiences demanding an encore. An audience has good
instincts: Jean-Claude Eloy (born in Rouen in 1938, student of Milhaud,
then of Boulez) doesn’t settle for easy effects. He has something
to say and he says it concisely. He refrains from sacrificing his heart
on the altar of mathematics and, in addition, he demonstrates a rare power
of persuasion. Last year, after hearing his Etude III for orchestra, I
spoke of "personality", today, I am not afraid to write the
dangerous word "genius". [...]
MAURICE FLEURET
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LE GUIDE DU CONCERT
November 23-29, 1963
DOMAINE MUSICAL
(Odéon-Théâtre de France, October 30)
Exceptional concert, where two works clearly
stand out, one of which is a world premiere by Messiaen. But, let’s
start at the beginning.
Addressing the audience and Mr. Malraux in attendance, Boulez spoke a
few simple and heartfelt words in tribute to Roger Désormière,
an incomparable figure, whose courage and independence he praised. He
then leapt onto the platform to conduct – without a baton, of course,
but with such precision ! - [...]
The Far-East, Japan and China were featured on this well-composed and
homogeneous program – here are the two significant pieces of the
evening. Firstly, "Equivalences" by Jean-Claude Eloy. Last year,
in this same place, I stated how gifted I found this young product of
our National Superior Conservatory (sometimes, we do a good job at raising
our youth), a disciple of Milhaud, then reviewed and perfected by Boulez.
This new work, which world premiered in Darmstadt last July, brings new
evidence to my belief. "Équivalences" ? What does that
mean ? Translate oppositions, or rather, an equilibrium achieved between
opposing forces. Équivalences of every imaginable percussive effect,
of a variegated vibraphone sound along with a few inexpressible notes
of piano, a dull striking of the xylophone, of the calabash, against the
glissandi of xylophone, etc. I’ll refrain from describing "the
random localized structures, articulated on variable paths of intensity"
to arrive more quickly at the climax of the work, a prodigious unfurling
of all the instruments at once, producing a marvelously controlled storm,
which then extinguishes itself as if by magic. A work from a young master
who knows how to construct and who, I promise you, will go far.
And to conclude, the precious souvenir by Messiaen brought back to us
from Japan: Seven Haïku in the form of sketches [...]
SUZANNE DEMARQUEZ
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