Les Danses du Loo

La danse de la fureur, pour les sept trompettes, taken from Olivier Messiaen's Quatuor pour la fin du temps (Quartet for the End of Time), inspired the writing of this piece. The use of odd rhythms, essentially modal writing, an orchestration using unison, etc. are all "materials" used by Messiaen and in which I also like to travel.

Written during the heatwave of summer 2018, the first part of these Dances of the Loo [a hot, dry wind, 45°C to 50°C, blowing in the north of India] speaks to us of breath, of air, whether its breezes, its whirlwinds of sand or its harsh breath with its heavy, aggressive power.

The central passage, largely modal, based on canonical writing, is a moment of airy calm, of serenity and appeasement, of gentle torpor.

Then the tingling returns, gradually, everything is again heat, energy, harshness, the dance takes us away, intoxicates us and makes us spin until we are drunk.

This piece won the Audience Award in 2018, during the Vedrarias composition competition.