François-Bernard Mâche
Encyclopedia
François-Bernard Mâche is a French
composer
of contemporary music. Born into a family of musicians, he is a former student of Émile Passani and Olivier Messiaen
and has also received a diploma in Greek archaeology (1957) and a teaching certificate (Agrégation de Lettres classiques, 1958). He was a member of the Groupe de Recherches Musicales in Paris from 1958–63. He has composed electroacoustic
, orchestra
l, chamber
, choral, vocal and piano
works. He has been a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts
since 2002 and occupies the chair of the late Iannis Xenakis
.
Mâche's Music, Myth and Nature, or The Dolphins of Arion (Musique, mythe, nature, ou les Dauphins d'Arion) (1983, 1992 ISBN 3718653214), which as a whole argues for a return in composition to mythic thought
, includes a study of "ornitho-musicology" using a technique of Nicolas Ruwet
's Langage, musique, poésie (1972) paradigmatic segmentation analysis, shows that birdsong
s are organized according to a repetition
-transformation
principle. One purpose of the book was to “begin to speak of animal musics other than with the quotation marks”, and he is credited by Dario Martinelli
with the creation of zoomusicology
.
The book also describes the conception and composition of pieces by Mâche, where, "As a starting point, he borrows a tonal model from reality which he then submits to a highly intricate process leading to abstraction
." This technique leads Daniel Durney to describe Mâche as "one of the rare exponents of the naturalistic trend in music." Models often include human speech and bird song
. Given the extensive use of birdsong made by Messiaen, Mâche avoided using birdsong recordings in his own work until 1969: Naluan for ensemble and tape from 1974, "systematically explores" the model of birds; while Sopiana of 1980 pits recordings of Malayan shamas, icterine warblers and marsh warblers against the virtuosity of a live flute and piano. Recordings of birdsong, insect sounds, and other natural phenomena such as raindrops are integrated into Le printemps du serpent for large percussion ensemble of 2001. Earlier in Mâche's composing career, recording of a poem by the modern Greek poet Giorgos Seferis
, read by Mâche himself, formed the basis of the orchestral work La peau du silence (1962), and that of a text by Paul Éluard
for Le son d'une voix for small orchestra in 1964.
Other major works include Kassandra for large ensemble and tape, which won the Italia Prize in 1977; Eridan (1986) and Moires (1994), both written for the Arditti Quartet
; Kengir (1991), settings of ancient Sumerian love poems, and Manuel de résurrection (1998), setting texts from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, both written for the soprano Françoise Kubler and Ensemble Accroche Note. Several of Mâche's works from the 1980s onwards make use of the sampling keyboard, notably L'estuaire du temps (1993) for sampler and large orchestra.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
of contemporary music. Born into a family of musicians, he is a former student of Émile Passani and Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
and has also received a diploma in Greek archaeology (1957) and a teaching certificate (Agrégation de Lettres classiques, 1958). He was a member of the Groupe de Recherches Musicales in Paris from 1958–63. He has composed electroacoustic
Electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music originated in Western art music during its modern era following the incorporation of electric sound production into compositional practice. The initial developments in electroacoustic music composition during the mid-20th century are associated with the activities of composers...
, orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
l, chamber
Chamber music
Chamber music is a form of classical music, written for a small group of instruments which traditionally could be accommodated in a palace chamber. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small number of performers with one performer to a part...
, choral, vocal and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
works. He has been a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts
Académie des beaux-arts
The Académie des Beaux-Arts is a French learned society. It is one of the five academies of the Institut de France.It was created in 1795 as the merger of the:* Académie de peinture et de sculpture...
since 2002 and occupies the chair of the late 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...
.
Mâche's Music, Myth and Nature, or The Dolphins of Arion (Musique, mythe, nature, ou les Dauphins d'Arion) (1983, 1992 ISBN 3718653214), which as a whole argues for a return in composition to mythic thought
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
, includes a study of "ornitho-musicology" using a technique of Nicolas Ruwet
Nicolas Ruwet
Nicolas Ruwet was a linguist, literary critic and musical analyst. He was involved with the development of generative grammar.Ruwet was born in Saive in Belgium and studied philology in Liège...
's Langage, musique, poésie (1972) paradigmatic segmentation analysis, shows that birdsong
Birdsong
Birdsong may refer to:* Bird vocalization, the sounds of birds* Birdsong , a 1993 novel by Sebastian Faulks* Birdsong, Arkansas, USA* Birdsong , a channel on the UK Digital One digital radio multiplex...
s are organized according to a repetition
Repetition (music)
Repetition is important in music, where sounds or sequences are often repeated. One often stated idea is that repetition should be in balance with the initial statements and variations in a piece. It may be called restatement, such as the restatement of a theme...
-transformation
Transformation (music)
In music, a transformation consists of any operation or process that may apply to a musical variable in composition, performance, or analysis. Transformations include multiplication, rotation, permutation In music, a transformation consists of any operation or process that may apply to a musical...
principle. One purpose of the book was to “begin to speak of animal musics other than with the quotation marks”, and he is credited by Dario Martinelli
Dario Martinelli
Dario Martinelli is an Italian musicologist, semiotician and composer.He is Adjunct Professor of Musicology and Semiotics at Helsinki University and until 2007 Guest-Professor at the Finnish Network University of Semiotics....
with the creation of zoomusicology
Zoomusicology
Zoomusicology is a field of musicology and zoology or more specifically, zoosemiotics. Zoomusicology is the study of the music of animals, or rather the musical aspects of sound or communication produced and received by animals....
.
The book also describes the conception and composition of pieces by Mâche, where, "As a starting point, he borrows a tonal model from reality which he then submits to a highly intricate process leading to abstraction
Abstraction
Abstraction is a process by which higher concepts are derived from the usage and classification of literal concepts, first principles, or other methods....
." This technique leads Daniel Durney to describe Mâche as "one of the rare exponents of the naturalistic trend in music." Models often include human speech and bird song
Bird song
Bird vocalization includes both bird calls and bird songs. In non-technical use, bird songs are the bird sounds that are melodious to the human ear. In ornithology and birding, songs are distinguished by function from calls.-Definition:The distinction between songs and calls is based upon...
. Given the extensive use of birdsong made by Messiaen, Mâche avoided using birdsong recordings in his own work until 1969: Naluan for ensemble and tape from 1974, "systematically explores" the model of birds; while Sopiana of 1980 pits recordings of Malayan shamas, icterine warblers and marsh warblers against the virtuosity of a live flute and piano. Recordings of birdsong, insect sounds, and other natural phenomena such as raindrops are integrated into Le printemps du serpent for large percussion ensemble of 2001. Earlier in Mâche's composing career, recording of a poem by the modern Greek poet Giorgos Seferis
Giorgos Seferis
Giorgos or George Seferis was the pen name of Geōrgios Seferiádēs . He was one of the most important Greek poets of the 20th century, and a Nobel laureate...
, read by Mâche himself, formed the basis of the orchestral work La peau du silence (1962), and that of a text by Paul Éluard
Paul Éluard
Paul Éluard, born Eugène Émile Paul Grindel , was a French poet who was one of the founders of the surrealist movement.-Biography:...
for Le son d'une voix for small orchestra in 1964.
Other major works include Kassandra for large ensemble and tape, which won the Italia Prize in 1977; Eridan (1986) and Moires (1994), both written for the Arditti Quartet
Arditti Quartet
The Arditti Quartet is a string quartet founded in 1974. The quartet is associated particularly with contemporary music.-Early history:The quartet was founded in 1974 by violinist Irvine Arditti together with John Senter, Levine Andrade and Lenox Mackenzie...
; Kengir (1991), settings of ancient Sumerian love poems, and Manuel de résurrection (1998), setting texts from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, both written for the soprano Françoise Kubler and Ensemble Accroche Note. Several of Mâche's works from the 1980s onwards make use of the sampling keyboard, notably L'estuaire du temps (1993) for sampler and large orchestra.
Published books
- (as editor) Music, Society and Imagination in Contemporary France (1993) ISBN 3718654210.
- Musique, mythe, nature, ou les Dauphins d'Arion (Paris: Méridiens Klinksieck, 1983)
- Music, Myth and Nature: or, The Dolphins of Arion (Harwood Academic Publishers, 1992) (transl. from the French by Susan Delaney) ISBN 3718653214.
- Entre l'observatoire et l'atelier (Paris: Éditions Kimé, 1998)
- Un demi-siècle de musique... et toujours contemporaine (Paris: L'Harmattan, 2000)
- Musique au singulier (Paris: Éditions Odile Jacob, 2001)
- François-Bernard Mâche: de la musique, des languages, et des oiseaux: entretien (by Bruno Serrou). (Paris: Éditions Michel de Maule, 2007)
Discography
- Styx, Areg, Mesarthim, Léthé, Nocturne. Naxos, 2006.
- Maraé, Aera, Khnoum, Le printemps du serpent. Accord, 2005.
- L'Estuaire du temps, Braises, Andromède. Densité 21, 2005.
- Kengir, Phénix, Brûlis, Figures, Aulodie. Assai, 2002.
- Manuel de résurrection, Kassandra, Sopiana, Amorgos, Moires. Musidisc, 1999.
- Aliunde, Phénix, Trois Chants Sacrés, Figures, Kemit, Aulodie. Erato, 1993.
External links
- Living Composers Project
- XENAKIS, REYNOLDS, LANSKY, AND MÂCHE DISCUSS COMPUTER MUSIC Moderated by Thanassis Rikakis 4 July 1992, Delphi Computer Music Conference/Festival