Michel, Paul-Baudouin

Michel, Paul-Baudouin, Belgian composer; b. Haine-St.-Pierre, Sept. 7, 1930. He studied humanities at the Mons Cons., then took courses in composition with Absil at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Brussels (1959–62) and in conducting at the Royal Cons, in Brussels; attended summer courses in Darmstadt with Ligeti, Boulez, Maderna, and Messiaen. He was later appointed director of the Academy of Music in Woluwe-St.-Lambert. His music adheres to the doctrine of precisely planned structural formations in a highly modern idiom.

Works

dramatic:Pandora, ballet (1961); Jeanne la Folk, opera (1983–87). orch.:Variations symphoniques (1960); 5 inframorphoses for Strings (1963); Symphonium (1966); Concaténation for Chamber Orch. (1967); Hors-Temps (1970); Confluences for 2 Chamber Groups (1974); Lamobylrinthe ou Dovetailed Forms, concerto for Piano and 21 Instruments (1979); Humoresque-Nocturne-Rondo for Chamber Orch. (1979–80); Trois nocturnes (1981); Piano Concerto (1986); Harpsichord Concerto (1986); Concertinetto for Piano and Orch. (1987); Symphonium “Jeanne la Folle” (1988). chamber: String Trio (1956); Violin Sonata (1960); Hommage à François Rabelais, wind quintet (1960); Clarinet Sonatina (1960); String Quartet (1961); Sérénade concertante for Violin and Piano (1962); Quadrance for String Quartet (1965); Conduit et Danse hiératique for Harp (1964); Monologue double for Flute and Tape (1965); Ultramorphoses for Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Percussion, Piano, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1965); Clarbassonance for Bass Clarinet and Tape (1966); Basso-nance for Bassoon and Tape (1966); Oscillonance for 2 Violins and Piano (1967); Colloque for Piano, Trumpet, and Percussion (1967); Gravures for 2 Trumpets and Horn (1972); Intonations for Brass (1972); Parelléloide for Clavichord and Tape (1974); Trois sur quatre for Flute, Cello, and Piano (1979); Décentrement for Wind Quintet (1980); Expansion I for String Quartet (1981); Versets for 2 Ondes Martenot (1982); Ellipse for 4 Saxophones and 2 Harps (1983); Poème for Cello and Piano (1985); Hommage à Paul Delvaux for Saxophone and Harpsichord (1986); Polyèdre for 2 Percussionists (1988). keyboard: piano: Partita No. 1 (1955); Transsonance (1965); Libration I (1971; rev. 1973); Lithophanie for Prepared Piano (1971); Variations concentriques (1971); Musicoïde for 2 Prepared Pianos (1971); Orbe (1972). organ:Transphonies pour plusieurs nefs (1969); Puzzlephonie (1972). VOCAL: Equateur, cantata (1962); Motet aléatoire sur le “Veni creator” for Chorus, 19 Instruments, and Percussion (1962); Rex pacificus, radiophonie motet for Bass, Chorus, Orch., and Tape (1968); Le Feu et le monde for Narrator, Soloists, Chorus, Organ, 12 Trumpets, and Percussion (1970); Systoles—Diastoles for Soprano and Instruments (1973); Le Graal gras, ode au pétrole for Speaker, Soprano, 10 Instruments, and Tape (1980); Ecce Homo for Bass and Chorus (1983); Itinerrance for Soprano, Clarinet, and Piano (1988).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire