A Composition of Shadows and Lights
Work: Noir
Composer: Juan Arroyo
Duration: 8 minutes
Instruments: 4 saxophones and 4 clarinets
Noir is a work where I wanted to integrate controlled improvisation parts, allowing musicians to choose from the materials proposed in the score. Inspired by the pictorial work of Pierre Soulages, this composition presents a play of shadows between the colored sounds of the saxophones and the uncolored sounds of the clarinets, thus exploring different types of opacity. My influences are numerous, but I must particularly mention composers Henri Pousseur and Iannis Xenakis. Their innovative and experimental approaches have greatly influenced my way of composing. During my stay in Bordeaux, I had the opportunity to meet Henri Pousseur and attend some of his classes. This experience enriched my perspective and allowed me to better understand the interactions between the improvised parts and the fixed parts in the score, bringing a unique flexibility to the form of the piece. Like a play of light, this flexibility allows dynamic interaction between the musicians and the written structure.The world premiere of this work took place in 2005 by the chamber music class of the Bordeaux Conservatory. This composition was commissioned by Marie-Bernadette Charrier.