Murail, Tristan

Murail, Tristan, remarkable French composer; b. Le Havre, March 11, 1947. He received training in Arabic and economics (1963–70), taking courses at the École Nationale des Langues Orientales and at the Institut d’Études Politiques in Paris. He also studied composition with Messiaen at the Paris Cons. (1967–71), taking the premier prix (1971). After winning the Prix de Rome, he pursued training at the French Academy in Rome (1971–73). Upon his return to Paris, he helped to found the contemporary instrumental music ensemble L’Intinéraire. In 1982–83 he was active at IRCAM in Paris. From 1989 to 1991 he was prof, of composition at the American Cons, in Fontainebleau. He also was a consultant at IRCAM from 1990 to 1992. In 1997 he was appointed a prof, at Columbia Univ. in N.Y. Murail has explored innovative approaches to all aspects of composition, often through imaginative uses of the computer.

Works

orch.:Couleur de mer for Chamber Orch. (Le Havre, May 13, 1969); Altitude 8000 (1970; Paris, Jan. 18, 1971); Au-delà du mur du son (Rome, June 10, 1972); Cosmos privé (Rome, June 3, 1973); La Dérive des continents for Viola and Strings (1973; Royan, March 23, 1974); Sables (1974–75; Royan, March 22, 1975); Les Courants de l’espace for Ondes Martenot and Small Orch. (1979; Paris, Dec. 20, 1980); Gondwana (Darmstadt, July 21, 1980); Désintégrations for Chamber Orch. and Tape (1982; Paris, Feb. 15, 1983); Sillages (Kyoto, Sept. 9, 1985; rev. 1990); Time and again (1985; Birmingham, Jan. 21, 1986); Les Sept Paroles du Christ en Croix (1986–89; London, Oct. 28, 1989); La Dynamique des fluides (1990–91; Parma, June 17, 1991); Serendib (1991–92; Paris, June 18, 1992); Le Partage des eaux (1995). chamber:Où tremblent les contours for 2 Violas (1970); Les Miroirs étendus for Ondes Martenot and Piano (1971); Ligne de non- retour for 7 Players (1971); Mach 2,5 for 2 Ondes Martenot (1971; Paris, Feb. 2, 1972; also for 6 Ondes Martenot); L’attente for 7 Players (Paris, Nov. 18, 1972; rev. 1992); Les Nuages de Magellan for 2 Ondes Martenot, Electric Guitar, and Percussion (Orléans, March 23, 1973); Tigres de verre for Ondes Martenot and Piano (1974); Transsahara express for Bassoon and Piano (1974); Mémoire- Erosion for Horn and 9 Players (1975–76; Orléans, March 5, 1976); C’est un jardin secret, ma soeur, ma fiancée, une fontaine close, une source scellée for Viola (1976); Tellur for Guitar (Paris, April 26, 1977); Ethers for 6 Players (Lisbon, June 6, 1978); Treize couleurs du soleil couchant for 5 Players (1978; Madrid, Dec. 4, 1979); La Conquête de VAntactique for Ondes Martenot (1982; Paris, March 2, 1984); Random Access Memory for 6 Players (1984–87); Atlantys for 2 Synthesizers (King’s Lynn, July 26, 1986); Vision de la cité interdite for 2 Synthesizers (King’s Lynn, July 26, 1986); Vues aériennes for Horn, Violin, Cello, and Piano (London, Dec. 1, 1988); Allégories for 6 Players and Synthesizer (1989–90; Brussels, March 13, 1990); Le Fou à pattes bleues for Flute and Piano (1990; Paris, Dec. 7, 1991); Attracteurs étranges for Cello (Radio France, Paris, Dec. 8, 1992); La Barque mystique for Flute, Clarinet, Piano, Violin, and Cello (1993); L’esprit des Dunes for 11 Players and Synthesizer (1993–94; Paris, May 28, 1994); unanswered questions for Flute (1995); Bois flotte for 5 Players and Synthesizer (1996); Feuilles a traves les cloches for Flute, Violin, Cello, and Piano (1998). piano:Estuaire (1971); Territoires de l’oubil (1977; Rome, May 22, 1978); Cloches d’adieu, et un sourire...in memoriam Olivier Messiaen (1992); La Mandragore (Tokyo, Nov. 27, 1993). vocal:Amaris et dulcibus aquis for Chorus and 2 Synthesizers (1995).

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis Mclntire