Bernard Parmegiani
Encyclopedia
Bernard Parmegiani is a composer best known for his electronic
or acousmatic music
.
, a period he later regarded as important to his work as a composer. He joined the Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM) in 1959 for a two year master class, shortly after its founding by Pierre Schaeffer
. After leaving his studies with Lecoq, he was first a sound engineer and was later put in charge of the Music/Image unit for French television
(ORTF). There he worked in the studio with several notable composers, Iannis Xenakis
, for example.
While at ORTF Parmegiani produced music for numerous film directors including Jacques Baratier
and Peter Kassovitz
, and for A, a 1965 short film animated by Jan Lenica
. He also wrote a number of jingle
s for the French media and the "Indicatif Roissy" that preceded every PA announcement at Terminal 1 of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport until 2005.
He composed his first major work, Violostries for violin and tape in 1964 for a choreography performed for Théâtre Contemporain d’Amiens directed by Jacques-Albert Cartier. During a visit to America in the late 1960s, he researched the link between music and video and on his return produced several musical videos, including L'Œil écoute, and L’Écran transparent (1973) during a residency at Westdeutscher Rundfunk
in Germany. In the 1970s he also became involved with live performances of jazz and performed with the Third Ear Band
in London.
At this time he also started writing acousmatic pieces for performance in the concert hall: examples are Capture éphémère of 1967 which deals with the passage of time, and L'Enfer (1972), a collaboration with the composer François Bayle
, based on Danté's Divine Comedy.
In 1992 Parmegiani left the GRM and set up his own studio in Saint Rémy. In April 2010 he sat on the jury at the sixth Qwartz Electronic Music Awards
, a promotional project and support group for electronic music artists.
Parmegiani has been cited as a major influence by younger experimentalists like Aphex Twin
, Autechre
and Sonic Youth
. Works of his were performed at the All Tomorrow's Parties
festivals in 2003 and 2008.
for Entre-temps composed the previous year.
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
or acousmatic music
Acousmatic music
Acousmatic music is a form of electroacoustic music that deals specifically with acousmatic sound as a compositional resource. The practice has a historical basis in musique concrète. It can be created using non-acoustic technology, exists only in a recorded format , and is composed for reception...
.
Biography
Between 1957 and 1961 he studied mime with Jacques LecoqJacques Lecoq
Jacques Pierre Lecoq born in Paris, was a French actor, mime and acting instructor.He is most famous for his methods on physical theatre, movement and mime that he taught at the school he founded in Paris, L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq from 1956 until his death in...
, a period he later regarded as important to his work as a composer. He joined the Groupe de Recherches Musicales (GRM) in 1959 for a two year master class, shortly after its founding by Pierre Schaeffer
Pierre Schaeffer
Pierre Henri Marie Schaeffer was a French composer, writer, broadcaster, engineer, musicologist and acoustician of the 20th century. His innovative work in both the sciences —particularly communications and acoustics— and the various arts of music, literature and radio presentation after the end...
. After leaving his studies with Lecoq, he was first a sound engineer and was later put in charge of the Music/Image unit for French television
Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française
The Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française was the national agency charged, between 1964 and 1974, with providing public radio and television in France.-Post World War II:...
(ORTF). There he worked in the studio with several notable composers, Iannis Xenakis
Iannis Xenakis
Iannis Xenakis was a Romanian-born Greek ethnic, naturalized French composer, music theorist, and architect-engineer. He is commonly recognized as one of the most important post-war avant-garde composers...
, for example.
While at ORTF Parmegiani produced music for numerous film directors including Jacques Baratier
Jacques Baratier
Jacques Baratier was a French film director and screenwriter. He directed 21 films. His film Goha won the Jury Prize at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival...
and Peter Kassovitz
Peter Kassovitz
Peter Kassovitz is a French film director and scriptwriter.He was born in Budapest, Hungary. He left the country at the time of the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. He is the father of film director Mathieu Kassovitz....
, and for A, a 1965 short film animated by Jan Lenica
Jan Lenica
Jan Lenica was a Polish graphic designer and cartoonist.A graduate of the Architecture Department of Warsaw Polytechnic, Lenica became a poster illustrator and a collaborator on the early animation films of Walerian Borowczyk. From 1963 - 1986 he lived and worked in France, while from 1987 he...
. He also wrote a number of jingle
Jingle
A jingle is a short tune used in advertising and for other commercial uses. The jingle contains one or more hooks and lyrics that explicitly promote the product being advertised, usually through the use of one or more advertising slogans. Ad buyers use jingles in radio and television...
s for the French media and the "Indicatif Roissy" that preceded every PA announcement at Terminal 1 of Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport until 2005.
He composed his first major work, Violostries for violin and tape in 1964 for a choreography performed for Théâtre Contemporain d’Amiens directed by Jacques-Albert Cartier. During a visit to America in the late 1960s, he researched the link between music and video and on his return produced several musical videos, including L'Œil écoute, and L’Écran transparent (1973) during a residency at Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Westdeutscher Rundfunk is a German public-broadcasting institution based in the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia with its main office in Cologne. WDR is a constituent member of the consortium of German public-broadcasting institutions, ARD...
in Germany. In the 1970s he also became involved with live performances of jazz and performed with the Third Ear Band
Third Ear Band
Third Ear Band evolved within the London alternative and free-music scene of the mid 1960s.-History:Members came from The Giant Sun Trolley and The People Band to create an improvised music drawing on Eastern raga forms, European folk, experimental and medieval influences...
in London.
At this time he also started writing acousmatic pieces for performance in the concert hall: examples are Capture éphémère of 1967 which deals with the passage of time, and L'Enfer (1972), a collaboration with the composer François Bayle
François Bayle
François Bayle is a composer of Musique concrète or acousmatic music.In the 1950s he studied with Olivier Messiaen, Pierre Schaeffer and Karlheinz Stockhausen. In 1960 he joined the Office de Radiodiffusion Télévision Française, and in 1966 was put in charge of the Groupe de Recherches Musicales...
, based on Danté's Divine Comedy.
In 1992 Parmegiani left the GRM and set up his own studio in Saint Rémy. In April 2010 he sat on the jury at the sixth Qwartz Electronic Music Awards
Qwartz Electronic Music Awards
Qwartz Electronic Music Awards is a promotional and supportive program dedicated to new and electronic music. It recognizes and awards grants to independent labels and artists. It brings together the different waves of new and electronic music, from the most demanding to the most festive, from ...
, a promotional project and support group for electronic music artists.
Parmegiani has been cited as a major influence by younger experimentalists like Aphex Twin
Aphex Twin
Richard David James , best known under the pseudonym Aphex Twin, is an Irish-born electronic musician and composer described as "the most inventive and influential figure in contemporary electronic music"...
, Autechre
Autechre
Autechre are an English electronic music duo consisting of Rob Brown and Sean Booth, both natives of Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1987, they are one of the most prominent acts signed to Warp Records, a label known for its pioneering electronic music and through which all Autechre albums...
and Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
. Works of his were performed at the All Tomorrow's Parties
All Tomorrow's Parties Festival lineups
This page lists past lineups for all past UK and US All Tomorrow's Parties music festivals, as well as other festivals the ATP organisation has been involved with such as the Pitchfork Music Festival and Primavera Sound. Unlike most music festivals, ATP lineups are chosen by a curator, usually an...
festivals in 2003 and 2008.
Awards
His music has won awards, among them prizes from the Académie du Disque Français in 1979, SACEM in 1981, Les Victoires de la Musique in 1990, and the Prix Magister at the Concours International de Bourges in 1991. In 1993 he was awarded the Golden Nica Award at Prix Ars ElectronicaPrix Ars Electronica
The Prix Ars Electronica is one of the most important yearly prizes in the field of electronic and interactive art, computer animation, digital culture and music...
for Entre-temps composed the previous year.
Partial discography
- 1964 Violostries
- 1967-1968 L’Instant mobile, Capture éphémère
- 1970 L'Œil écoute
- 1971 Chronos
- 1971 L’Enfer (based on La Divine Comédie)
- 1972 Pour en finir avec le pouvoir d’Orphée
- 1974 Chants Magnétiques
- 1975 De Natura Sonorum
- 1980 L’Echo du miroir
- 1984 La Création du monde
- 1985-1986 Exercismes 1 - 2 - 3
- 1991 Le Présent composé
- 1992 Entre-temps
- 1996 Sonare
External links
- http://www.parmegiani.fr Bernard Parmegiani- official website.
- http://www.ina.fr/grm/ Musical Research Group (GRM), in French language.
- http://www.scaruffi.com/avant/parmegia.html
- http://www.forcedexposure.com/artists/parmegiani.bernard.html