Pascal Dusapin: Concertos - Watt, Galim, Celo

Pascal Dusapin (Composer), Pascal Rophé (Conductor), Orchestre National de montpellier (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Orchestre National de montpellier
• Conductor: Pascal Rophé
• Composer: Pascal Dusapin
• Audio CD (July 15, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Disques Montaigne
• ASIN: B0000AC8L5
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,018,225 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Watt, concerto for trombone & orchestra

2. Galim (Requies plena oblectationnes), concerto for flute & string orchestra

3. Celo (avi, arum, are), concerto for cello & orchestra: [Part 1]

4. Celo (avi, arum, are), concerto for cello & orchestra: [Part 2]

5. Celo (avi, arum, are), concerto for cello & orchestra: [Part 3]

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars superb concertos for trombone, flute and cello, June 1, 2005

By 

R. Hutchinson "autonomeus" (a world ruled by fossil fuels and fossil minds) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pascal Dusapin: Concertos - Watt, Galim, Celo (Audio CD)

Pascal Dusapin (born 1955) has long worked in the shadow of the Darmstadt generation (Boulez and IRCAM especially in France, but also Xenakis and Ligeti), and apart from the spectralists (Grisey, Murail), but is finally now established as a major voice with a confident series of vocal works, as well as these stunning concertos. "Watt" (1994 -- 16'59) features the trombone of Alain Trudel, "Celo" (1996 -- 23'23) features the cello of Sonia Wieder-Atherton, and "Galim" (1998) features the flute of Juliette Hurel -- Pascal Rophe directs the Orchestre National de Montpellier.

Of the three works, only "Watt" is clearly in the avant tradition Dusapin has been associated with (he studied with Xenakis, and some of his works, including "Extenso" and "Apex" for orchestra very much reflect the influence of both Xenakis and Ligeti). "Watt" is, of course, the early Beckett novel, and the trombone protagonist finds himself in a very angst-filled Beckettian soundscape, eventually joined by a piccolo, and finally ending alone, in despair. "Galim" is a short, meditative work, and the tones of the flute are as lovely as the tones of the trombone are unlovely. The work is dedicated to the composer's stepmother, who had recently died. (The album as a whole is dedicated to Dusapin's father.) "Celo," the longest work, in three movements, is a word-play -- "celo" with one L means "I keep secret, hidden, I do not reveal." (Thanks to Harry Halbreich's excellent liner notes.) "Celo" is another work of lament and suffering. The orchestral sounds are often ominous, menacing, confronting the bereaved protagonist as is so often the case in the concerto form. Certain aspects of "Celo" remind me of Schnittke -- the dramatic setting and tone, as well as the anguished cello, which is somewhat odd given the disparate backgrounds of the two composers. In the end, though, Dusapin comes nowhere near Schnittke's characteristic melodrama.

A success in every respect, Dusapin's CONCERTOS would be an excellent introduction to a fine lesser-known composer of our time.

5.0 out of 5 stars Extraordinary concertos from the 1990s that will appeal to a wide contemporary music audience, October 13, 2011

By 

Christopher Culver - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pascal Dusapin: Concertos - Watt, Galim, Celo (Audio CD)

On this Naive release from 2003 we find three of Pascal Dusapin's concertos from the 1990s. Pascal Rophé leads the Orchestre de Montpellier with the composer's hand-picked soloists: Alain Hudel (trombone), Sonia Wieder-Atherton (cello) and Juliette Hurel (flute). This disc and elements of another were reissued together, but for reasons I explain in my review of that product, Dusapin fans would do well to buy the two earlier recordings individually.

"Watt" for trombone and orchestra (1994) is inspired by Samuel Beckett's eponymous novel where a lonely protagonist gropes his way through the strange, often unintelligible world around him. The piece uses the extended techniques one has come to expect with contemporary trombone concertos. Halfway through, the soloist sings through the instrument while behind him the orchestra launch a mock-serious cantabile line, it'll make you laugh. While I imagine the humour in the piece is even more apparent in a live context where the soloist is visibly a clown, even on disc this is a fun piece and a fine introduction to this composer.

With "Celo" for cello and orchestra (1996) we encounter a sudden evolution in Dusapin's music. Gone are the abrasive textures and the humour of the earlier concerto, and instead the composer plumps expressionist depths after the death of a family member. But Dusapin's expressionism is not that of a Schoenberg, for he shows great restraint: the title is Latin for "I conceal". The cello strings are washed with alcohol, providing an austere, morose tone. Tempos are glacial and the orchestra provides only isolated, subdued accompaniment for half the work or more. The effect is utterly gripping, like late Schnittke but with suspense instead of tedium. "Galim" for flute and orchestra (1998) continues that poignant atmosphere, but the slow orchestral writing is contrasting with a solo line that moves at a fast pace and almost never lets up for the entire 9-minute duration. The heterophony between soloist and orchestra gives the piece an exotic feel.

This CD contains a tad less than 50 minutes of music and is long out of print, but I urge Dusapin fans seek it out, and any fan of contemporary music should snatch up a copy. Dusapin goes for very direct communication with the audience, and while that may sometimes manifest itself as an uncomfortable visceral impact, there always an excellent sense of drama. Highly recommended.