Search - Pascal Dusapin, Pascal Rophé, Orchestre National de montpellier :: Pascal Dusapin: Concertos - Watt, Galim, Celo

Superb concertos for trombone, flute and cello

R. Hutchinson | a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds | 06/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Pascal Dusapin (born 1955) has long worked in the shadow of the Darmstadt generation (Boulez and IRCAM especially in France, but also Xenakis and Ligeti), and apart from the spectralists (Grisey, Murail), but is finally now established as a major voice with a confident series of vocal works, as well as these stunning concertos. "Watt" (1994 -- 16'59) features the trombone of Alain Trudel, "Celo" (1996 -- 23'23) features the cello of Sonia Wieder-Atherton, and "Galim" (1998) features the flute of Juliette Hurel -- Pascal Rophe directs the Orchestre National de Montpellier.



Of the three works, only "Watt" is clearly in the avant tradition Dusapin has been associated with (he studied with Xenakis, and some of his works, including "Extenso" and "Apex" for orchestra very much reflect the influence of both Xenakis and Ligeti). "Watt" is, of course, the early Beckett novel, and the trombone protagonist finds himself in a very angst-filled Beckettian soundscape, eventually joined by a piccolo, and finally ending alone, in despair. "Galim" is a short, meditative work, and the tones of the flute are as lovely as the tones of the trombone are unlovely. The work is dedicated to the composer's stepmother, who had recently died. (The album as a whole is dedicated to Dusapin's father.) "Celo," the longest work, in three movements, is a word-play -- "celo" with one L means "I keep secret, hidden, I do not reveal." (Thanks to Harry Halbreich's excellent liner notes.) "Celo" is another work of lament and suffering. The orchestral sounds are often ominous, menacing, confronting the bereaved protagonist as is so often the case in the concerto form. Certain aspects of "Celo" remind me of Schnittke -- the dramatic setting and tone, as well as the anguished cello, which is somewhat odd given the disparate backgrounds of the two composers. In the end, though, Dusapin comes nowhere near Schnittke's characteristic melodrama.



A success in every respect, Dusapin's CONCERTOS would be an excellent introduction to a fine lesser-known composer of our time."