Decoust, Michel
Decoust, Michel
Decoust, Michel , French composer and administrator; b. Paris, Nov. 19, 1936. He studied at the Paris Cons. (1949–50; 1956–65), where he took courses with Dandelot (premier prix in harmony), Desportes (counterpoint), Milhaud and Rivier (composition), Fourestier (premier prix in conducting), and Messiaen (premier prix in analysis), and where he won the Grand Prix de Rome (1963). He also attended courses in new music given by Stockhausen and Pousseur in Cologne (1964–65) and studied conducting with Boulez in Basel (1965). From 1967 to 1969 he was a prof, at Dartington Coll. in England. In 1967 he founded the Orchestre Philharmonique des Pays de la Loire in Angers, which he administered until 1970. From 1970 to 1972 he was in charge of musical activities of the Maison de la Culture in Rennes and Nevers. In 1972 he founded the Pantin Cons., serving as its director until 1976. From 1976 to 1978 he was president of the ISCM, and from 1976 to 1979 also in charge of its pedagogical dept. in Paris. From 1979 to 1991 he served as inspector general for the French Ministry of Culture, and then was director general for the district of Montpellier from 1991 to 1994. In 1980 he made a Chevalier de 1’ordre des Arts et des Lettres, and in 1987 he was made a Chevalier de la Legion d’honneur in 1987. In 1998 he was awarded the Grand Prix of the SACEM. He was made an Officier dans 1’ordre National du Merite in 1991.
Works
DRAMATIC M u s i c Th e a t e r : I/en-terreur (1970; Rennes, Feb. 1971); Quais (1985; Paris, April 1986). ORCH.: Polymorphic (Royan, April 1967); Si et si seulement (1971; Paris, Jan. 1972); Inference (Metz, Nov. 1974); Spectre (1978); T.H.T. (1982; Orleans, Dec. 1984); Lierre for Strings (1986); De la gravitation suspendue des memoires (1986; Paris, March 1987); Symetrie (1986; Strasbourg, March 5, 1989); Hommage a Maurice Ravel (Montpellier, July 1987); Synopsis (d’Evry, June 1989); Violin Concerto (1990; Paris, Jan. 1991); Onyx (1990; Cannes, Feb. 1991). CHAMBER : Distorsion for 3 Flutes (1965); Mobile for Percussion (1965; Rome, June 1982); Interaction for String Trio (Paris, Oct. 1967); Aentre for Horn, Trumpet, Trombone, and Tape (Sion, Aug. 1971); Sun for Viola or Viola and 12 Strings (1971; Marseilles, May 1975); C.H.9AM.J. for Chamber Ensemble (1971); 8.393.574.281 for Variable Chamber Ensemble (1972; also for Chorus); Actions for 2 Instruments (Angers, April 1972); lambe for Chamber Ensemble (1976); Pour 70 doigts for 7 Players (1980; Toulouse, Dec. 1982); Ondef wind quintet (1982; Paris, Jan. 1983); Le Cygne for Flute (1982); Sinfonietta for 10 Players (Metz, Nov. 1983); Olos for Tenor Saxophone and Electronics (1983; Zagreb, Oct. 1984); Folio 4 for Percussion Quartet (Strasbourg, June 1984); Les Galeries de pierres for Viola (Lugano, March 1984); Xelis for Percussionist (1984; Paris, June 1985); Eole for Flute Quartet (Paris, June 1985); Sonnet for 12 Players (Paris, April 1985); Cantilene for Oboe (1985; Geneva, July 1986); Figures II for Bassoon and Double Bass (Erlangen, Nov. 1986); Ombres portees for 8 Players (Angers, Oct. 1986); Ouverture for 5 Players (1986; Toulouse, Jan. 1987); Les Fruits de la passion for 10 Players (Champigny, April 1987); 1+1=4 for Piano and Percussion (Nice, April 1988); Travelling Ariane for Flute and Harp (1988); Lignes for Clarinet and String Quartet (1992; N.Y., Feb. 4, 1993); Octet for 8 Cellos (1996); Les Pas du temps for Violin, Viola, Cello, Flute, and Harp (2000). Piano : Et/Ou (Paris, June 1972); Le Temps d’ecrire (Nevers, Nov. 1988). VOCAL: Le Grand yacht Despair for Voice and Orch. (Paris, June 1962); Les Hommes sur la terre for Tenor, Baritone, and Orch. (Paris, June 1963); Horizon remarquable for Soprano and Orch. (Paris, June 1964); Les Rois mages for Voice and Orch. (Paris, June 1964); Releve d’escjuisse for Soprano and 4 Players (1964–82; Rome, June 1981); Etat for Chorus (Clermont-Ferrand, Feb. 1968); M.U.R. for Chorus (Nantes, March 1971); 8.393.574.281 for Chorus (Nevers, April 1972; also for Variable Chamber Ensemble); T’ai for Voice, Harpsichord, Electric Guitar, Percussion, and Double Bass (Paris, Jan. 1972); Ion for Soprano and Tape (1973; Champigny, Feb. 1974); Et ee ou e ee for Chorus and orch. (Paris, July 1973); Lapplication des lectrices aux champs for Soprano and Orch. (1977; Paris, March 1978); Traits for Soprano and 5 Players (1982); Cafe-Theatre for Soprano and Piano (1984;
Fontenay Bois, Jan. 1986); Aubes incendiees for Reciter and 12 Players (Montpellier, July 1985); 5 Melodies (Bleus) for Soprano and Piano (Paris, Dec. 1986); Sept Chansons erotiques for Soprano and Piano (1986; Paris, Jan. 1987); Je qui d’autre for Soprano, Tenor, Bass, and 14 Players (Paris, March 1987); Dodici voci for 3 Sopranos, 3 Altos, 3 Tenors, 2 Baritones, and Bass (1989); Duo pour trois for Mezzo-soprano, Flute, and Piano (Nice, July 1989); Ryojiri hishd for Soprano and Piano (Paris, Nov. 1989); Melodies en trio for Bass, Bass Clarinet, and Piano (Budapest, April 1991); L’oree des ajours for Voice and Instrumentalists (1994); A Jamais d’ombre for Voice and String Quartet (1997); Les Mains deliees for Reciter, Soprano, Chorus, and Orch. (1998); Cabaret X for Voice and Piano (1998). ELECTROACOUSTIC : Solstice (1968); 7.854.693.286 (Royan, April 1972); Interphone (1977); Marbres (Utrecht, April 1986).
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire