Two

for two pianos (1992)

This piece was written in 1992, and is as One a consequence of the discovery of minimalist music, particularly the fascination provided by a perfect formal structure ('gradual process') governing the whole as well as the smallest details.

Two is divided into 10 sections numbered from I to X, each of them approximately 50 bars long.

Each section is based on a 6-notes pattern that is repeated all over the section, one piano moving relatively to the other by the addition or substraction of one note, thus shortening or extending the 6-notes pattern to 5 or 7 notes.

In section I, the pattern of the first piano is reduced to 5 notes at each fourth occurence, so that it gradually shifts backwards until it is rephased with the second piano. At this point, it is the second piano that starts shifting in the exactly same manner. Section II is similar in shape, except that the patterns are periodically extended to 7 notes, making the shift movement going towards the other direction than in section I.

In section III, the changes occur alternatively between the two pianos, the first shifting backwards by insertion of 5-notes patterns, and the second forwards by insertion of 7-notes patterns, moving thus in opposite direction. Section IV is similar, the roles being exchanged between the two pianos.

In section V, the first piano repeats unceasingly a 5-notes pattern while the second, after a 5-bars introduction of a 6-notes pattern, repeats the enlarged 7-notes version of that pattern until rephasing with the first piano after 35 bars, finally resuming the 5 bars introduction with the 6-notes original pattern. The combination of these 5-notes and 7-notes patterns gives a feeling of loss of the rhythmic reference relatively to the the initial 6/8 measure signature.

The transition to the next section corresponds to the center of the piece. From this point, the next sections unfold symmetrically (VI, VII, VIII, IX & X being respectively similar to V, IV, III, II & I), the roles of piano I and piano II being exchanged.

Finally, the whole structure in enclosed by 'fading in' and 'fading out' sections, where the first and last patterns are respectly build and disassembled, so that the music returns to the silence from where it emerged. There is nevertheless a false feeling of 'returning home', since during the piece there occured several changes of keys (each time one flat more), bringing the end music a semi-tone lower than the beginning...