Tribute to Bernard Parmegiani

P-corde’s title is an allusion to Bernard Parmegiani’s work on strings in Violostries (1964). I wanted, with this piece, to pay tribute to a composer who managed to weave an incredibly subtle sonic fabric at a time when no one could imagine that the computer would one day become a musical instrument. The composer described his piece as “the work of a seamstress’ apprentice whose enthusiasm leads her to make lace.”

That’s what seduced me, that lacework, that focus on micromorphologies and extremely tight textures, with which I identified. This “tangible cathedral” built with a “brick violin,” as Michel Chion once said, left permanent marks in my mind and inspired my calling as a composer.

— Elsa Justel [English translation: François Couture, i-24]

P-corde [P-string] was realized in 2007 at the composer’s studio in Paris (France) and was premiered on October 20, 2007 as part of the 14th International Acousmatic Festival L’Espace du son at Théâtre Marni in Brussels (Belgium).

Premiere

• October 20, 2007, L’Espace du son 2007: Bernard Parmegiani, Théâtre Marni, Brussels (Belgium)