# Gérard Grisey (1946-1998)



## aleazk

"Grisey's music is often considered to belong to the genre of spectral music, which he is credited with founding along with fellow composer Tristan Murail, although he later disowned the label in interviews and writings. Nonetheless, he spent much of his career exploring the spectrum of tone colour between harmonic overtones and noise. In addition, he was fascinated by musical processes which unfold slowly, and he made musical time a major element of many of his pieces." (Wikipedia)

Certainly, his masterpiece is _Partiels_ (1975):






Amazing performance, btw.


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## niv

Well, that piece was pretty cool.


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## Kleinzeit

Grisey is on moderate to heavy rotation at my place. More than a few times friends with no interest in any kind of classical music hear Les Espaces Acoustics and perk up with interest. They've never quite heard anything like it, but they like it.

I like Saariaho, Murail & Dusapin too. Vivier, Eötvös, Gloria Coates & Dumitrescu I know less well. 
It's music that, while it's playing, makes me say 'all music should be like this!' which is silly of course, but an indication of good art.


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## Manxfeeder

I've noticed lately that I've been attracted to this kind of music. I hope it's a sign of growth. But it's doomed me to listening with headphones when my wife is around.


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## SimonNZ

I've also only recently discovered and become very enthusiastic about Grisey and this type of music after a lucky chance encounter with "Quatre Chants Pour Franchir Le Seuil". Heard maybe another half-dozen of his works since then and loved everything. Looking forward to hearing which other recordings to give priority.


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## aleazk

Nice interview: http://www.angelfire.com/music2/davidbundler/grisey.html

Definitely you can hear in Haas this idea of "extended time" and how is intrinsically related with continuity and a musical language with great emphasis on timbre.


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## Blake

*Gerard Grisey*








1946-1998

Like so many French composers of the latter third of the twentieth century, Gérard Grisey began more or less as an academic-style twelve-tone composer but found, as he moved through his twenties, that only a complete change of musical scenery -- a break from the ways of serialism and the embrace of what was to him a more instinctive approach -- would enable him to achieve his goals as a musician. The result of his new path was a kind of music-making that eventually became widely known as "musique spectrale," an exploration into the fundamentals of pitch, harmony, and musical time that exerted a heavy influence on the next generation of composers (French ones in particular); but the father of this new musical syntax was one of the first to have to abandon it -- Grisey died of an aneurysm in 1998, aged just 52.

Born in Belfort, in 1946, Grisey studied at several eminent French and German institutions: Trossingen Conservatory, the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique, l'École Normale Supérieure de Musique, the Paris Conservatoire, IRCAM, and the Darmstadt Summer Courses, all at various times between 1963 and 1974. While working as a freelance composer, Grisey co-founded the ensemble L'Itinéraire for the purpose of promoting and playing new music. From the mid-1970s on, he was active as a teacher as well, first at the Darmstadt Summer Courses (1976 - 1982), then on the faculty of the University of California, Berkeley (1982 - 1985), and finally at the Paris Conservatoire (from 1987 until his death).

According to contemporary scholarship, Grisey's most significant music is concerned, is contained in a large multi-piece cycle called Les espaces acoustiques (1974 - 1985). Although the components this work were composed separately for diverse ensembles and can be played independently of one another, the music is meant be performed in its entirety. Throughout Les espaces acoustiques Grisey inserts tonal elements (harmonies, gestures) into an essentially atonal atmosphere, and by virtue of carefully planned repetition, allows the raw sonic substances involved to develop on terms that seem as much theirs as his.

- As seen on allmusic.com

This link will take you to a youtube compilation of his work _Les Espaces Acoustiques:_


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## GioCar

Inspired by the recommended post-1950 works thread, last night I listened to his _Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil_ for the first time.










This morning, after listening to it a second time, I have been in doubt whether to post here or in the "Pieces that have you blown away" thread...
I finally decided to bump this thread that deserves more attention and contributions imo.

Thank you Gérard.

And many thanks to SimonNZ, who brought this hauting work to my attention.


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## SilverSurfer

I've recently heard, broadcasted by RAI3 as part of the last Milano Musica Festival, a great performance by MDI Ensemble of another of his major works, "Vortex temporum" (1994-96):






Liner notes can be read here:

http://mondayeveningconcerts.org/notes/grisey-vortex.html

And, being very fond of percussion, I'm also in love with his "Le noir de l'etoile" (1989-90), where the sound of pulsars in real time are the most spectacular moments:


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## Xenakiboy

I brought Les Espaces Acoustiques last month and it's quickly become one of my all time favourite works! It's a pleasure to play anytime and I've become quickly attached to it.


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## Weston

Is this the work that has lots of solo viola segments? If so, I love it except for all the solo viola. I've just never been into solo stringed instruments But I could be remembering it completely wrong. The rest of the one Grisey album I have is phenomenal.


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## Xenakiboy

Weston said:


> Is this the work that has lots of solo viola segments?


The first piece (Prologue) in the cycle is entirely viola, the second piece (Periods) continues it (to some degree) with accompaniment, then you know Partiels....


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## Guest

Which particular CDs might one recommend to this spectralist?


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## Sina

dogen said:


> Which particular CDs might one recommend to this spectralist?


The Kairos CDs are treasures. Beside the one SimonNZ and GioCar mentioned, there are 3 more releases, one with chamber works (wind solos and duets and two works for percussionists, the longest being the great _Tempus Ex Machina_ for 6 percussionists), another containing the whole above-mentioned _Les Espace Acoustiques_ cycle, and the other containing two lengthy works: _Le Temps et l'Écume_ for 4 percussionists, 2 synthesizers & chamber orchestra, and the five-part _Les Chants de l'Amour_ for 12 voices & tape. All recommended!

Here you can find the CDs and flick through the whole offered booklets to find out more!
https://www.kairos-music.com/people/gérard-grisey


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## Guest

Sina said:


> The Kairos CDs are treasures. Beside the one SimonNZ and GioCar mentioned, there are 3 more releases, one with chamber works (wind solos and duets and two works for percussionists, the longest being the great _Tempus Ex Machina_ for 6 percussionists), another containing the whole above-mentioned _Les Espace Acoustiques_ cycle, and the other containing two lengthy works: _Le Temps et l'Écume_ for 4 percussionists, 2 synthesizers & chamber orchestra, and the five-part _Les Chants de l'Amour_ for 12 voices & tape. All recommended!
> 
> Here you can find the CDs and flick through the whole offered booklets to find out more!
> https://www.kairos-music.com/people/gérard-grisey


Brilliant; thank you!!!


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## Guest

There doesn't seem to be much available in the UK currently, which is a shame.


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## Guest

Due for British release 29 July, should anyone be interested. Double CD, £13 at Presto.

View attachment 86230


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## Xenakiboy

dogen said:


> Due for British release 29 July, should anyone be interested. Double CD, £13 at Presto.
> 
> View attachment 86230


I already have this baby! 







I'd recommend it to anyone looking for anything specialist, love it! :tiphat:


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## GioCar

This year's program of Milano Musica, the annual contemporary music festival in Milan, is centered around Gérard's works.

Here's the program

http://www.milanomusica.org/it/sezione-festival/calendario/concerti-spettacoli.html

I've already booked two dates:
Friday 14 October - Les espaces acoustiques
Saturday 29 October - Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil
and I'm thinking to add a third one:
Saturday 12 November - Le noir de l'étoile


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## Guest

GioCar said:


> This year's program of Milano Musica, the annual contemporary music festival in Milan, is centered around Gérard's works.
> 
> Here's the program
> 
> http://www.milanomusica.org/it/sezione-festival/calendario/concerti-spettacoli.html
> 
> I've already booked two dates:
> Friday 14 October - Les espaces acoustiques
> Saturday 29 October - Quatre chants pour franchir le seuil
> and I'm thinking to add a third one:
> Saturday 12 November - Le noir de l'étoile


Jammy get, as we say. I've got Les espaces acoustiques on heavy rotation, maaan.


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## Guest

dogen said:


> Due for British release 29 July, should anyone be interested. Double CD, £13 at Presto.
> 
> View attachment 86230


Thanks for the reminder!


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## Xenakiboy

dogen said:


> Jammy get, as we say. I've got Les espaces acoustiques on heavy rotation, maaan.


I've got my copy out, I need to get back into the groove, I've been to preoccupied with new discoveries. Still love that beast of a cycle!!!


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## millionrainbows

Iancu Dumitrescu is another interesting spectralists.


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## Xenakigirl

millionrainbows said:


> Iancu Dumitrescu is another interesting spectralists.


I'll have to check him out, thanks!!


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