Mâche, François-Bernard

views updated

Mâche, François-Bernard

Mâche, François-Bernard, French composer,musicologist, and philologist; b. Clermont-Ferrand, April 4,1935. Following training in piano and harmony (with Emile Passani) at the Clermont-Ferrand Cons., he went to Paris and studied at the Ecole Normale Supérieure (diploma in Greek archaeology, 1957; agrégation in classical literature, 1958) and at the Cons, (composition with Messiaen, 1958–60). He later was awarded his Docteur d’Etat es Lettres et Sciences Humaines by the Sorbonne for his diss. L’idée de modèle en musique aujourd’hui(1980). In 1968 he was made prof. of classical literature at the Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris. He became prof. of musicology at the Univ. of Strasbourg in 1983. In addition to many articles and reviews in the periodical literature, he pubi. Musique, mythe, nature ou les dauphins d’Arion(1983; 2^nd. ed., aug., 1991). In 1977 he received the Prix Italia, in 1984 he was awarded the Prix Chartier de l’Académie des beaux-Arts, and in 1988 he won the Grand Prix National de la Musique. In 1985 he was made an Officier and in 1990 a Commandeur de Tordre des Arts et Lettres. While Mâche has been notably influenced as a composer by his study of philology, in particular structural linguistics, he finds the basis of his sound world in nature. His imaginative manipulation of that sound world embraces such procedures as imitation and transliteration, which he utilizes with more traditional compositional modes of expression.

Works

orch:La Peau du silence I(1962; Tokyo, Oct.24, 1986), II(1966; Warsaw, Sept. 29, 1968), and (1970; Strasbourg, Jan. 12, 1971); Synergies(Paris, March 18, 1963); Le Son d’une voix for Chamber Orch. (Warsaw, Sept. 23, 1964); Rituel d’oubli for Chamber Orch. and Tape (1968; Strasbourg, June 11, 1970); Répliques(Royan, April 3, 1969); Rambaramb for Orch. and Tape (1972; Radio France, Paris, May 8,1973); Le Jonc à 3 glumes(Seillans, July 8, 1974); Andromède for Orch. and 2 Choruses (1979; Radio France, Paris, June 4,1980); L’estuaire du temps(Strasbourg, Sept. 17, 1993); Planh for Strings (Warsaw, Sept. 21, 1994); Braises for Amplified Harpsichord and Orch. (1994; Radio France, Paris, Feb. 12, 1995). chamber: Duo for Violin and Piano (1956); Canzone I for 5 Instruments (1957), II for 5 Instruments (1963); III for 7 Instruments (1967), and V for 4 Instruments and Theater Set (1969); Sporanges for Harpsichord and Violin (1965); Remit for Darboukka or Zarb (1970); Korwar for Modern Harpsichord and Tape (Bourges, June 30, 1972); Temes Nevinbür for 2 Pianos, 2 Percussion, and Tape (Royan, April 16, 1973); Naluan for 8 Instruments and Tape (Sudwestfunk, Baden- Baden, Feb. 28, 1974); Maraé for 6 Amplified Percussion and Tape (1974; Le Roche-Courbon, March

25, 1975); Solstice for Modern Harpsichord and Organ or Tape (La Roche-Courbon, March 28, 1975); Rassandra for 14 Instruments and Tape (Paris, Oct. 16, 1977); Octuor for 8 Instruments (Paris, June 6, 1977); Aera for 6 Percussionists (1978; Paris, March 30, 1979); Amorgos for 12 Instruments and Tape (Metz, Nov. 16, 1979); Sopiana for Flute, Piano, and Tape ad libitum (Pecs, Hungary, July 12, 1980); Anaphores for Modern Harpsichord and Percussionist (1981; Radio France, Paris, March 1, 1982); Phénix for Percussionist (Beijing, Sept. 28, 1982); Aulodie for Oboe or Soprano Saxophone or Piccolo Clarinet and Tape (Amsterdam, June 25, 1983); Iter memor for Cello and Sampler (Radio France, Paris, Nov. 12, 1985); Heol an Ankou for Organ and 3 Trombones (Rennes, Nov. 28, 1985); Uncas for 9 Instruments, Voicetracker, Sequencer, and Tape (Paris, June 9, 1986); Éridan for 2 Violins, Viola, and Cello (1986; Radio France, Paris, Jan. 17, 1987); Aliunde for Clarinet or Contrabass Clarinet, Soprano, Percussion, and Sampler (London, July 4, 1988); Tempora for 3 Clavier Samplers and Sequencer (1988; Paris, Feb. 27, 1989); Figures for Bass Clarinet and Vibraphone (1989); Guntur Madu for Harpsichord (1990); Khnoum for Sampler and 5 Percussion (Strasbourg, Sept. 28, 1990); Athanor for 10 Instruments (1991; Brussels, March 9, 1992); Hiérogamie for Piccolo Flute and Percussion (1993); Moires for Quartet and Tape (Radio France, Paris, Dec. 2, 1994); Ugarit for Guitar (1998); Brûlis for Clarinet, Cello, and Piano (Venice, Sept. 25, 1999). keyboard: piano:Areg for Piano, 4-Hands (1977); Nocturne for Piano and Tape (1981); Autonomie for Piano, 4-Hands (1981; also for other instruments); Styx for 2 Pianos, 8-Hands (1984); Léthè for 2 Pianos, 8-Hands (1985); Mesarthim for 2 Pianos (1987). harpsichord:Ziggurat(1998). organ:Guntur Sari(1990). vocal:Safous Mèle for Alto Solo, 4 Sopranos,

4 Altos, and 9 Instruments (1959; Paris, Oct. 5, 1963); Nuit blanche for Reciter and Tape (Warsaw, Sept. 18,1966); Canzone IV for 2 Sopranos, Alto, Tenor, and Bass (1968); Danaé for 3 Sopranos, 3 Altos, 3 Tenors, 3 Basses, and Percussion (Persepo-lis, Sept. 3, 1970); Rituel pour les Mangeurs d’Ombre for 3 Sopranos, 3 Altos, 3 Tenors, 3 Basses, and Percussion (Bordeaux, May 16, 1979); Temboctou for 2 Sopranos, 2 Mezzo-sopranos, 3 Baritones, Tenor, Bass, 8 Instruments, Tape, and Electronics (Colmar, June 16, 1982); Trois Chants Sacrés: No. 1, Muwatalli for Mezzo-soprano or Baritone and Percussion (1984), No. 2, Rasna for Voice (1982), and No. 3, Maponos for Voice and Drum (1990); Cassiopèe I(1988; Radio France, Paris, March 20,1989) and II(1998) for Chorus and Percussion; Kengir,5 pieces for Mezzo-soprano and Clavier Sampler (1991); Manuel de Résurrection for Mezzo-soprano and 2 Samplers (Radio France, Paris, April 10, 1998). other:Da capo for Organ, 2 Percussion, 3 Medieval Reed Players, 10 Comedians, Sound Environment, and Tape (Avignon, July 15, 1976); many tape pieces.