Hymne

for theremin, oboe, string quartet and piano (2018)

Hymne was commissioned for the 12th Music Festival of the town of Uzerche (France) where it was first performed on the 11th August 2018 by the Alba Septet (Grégoire Blanc, Anne Willem, Floris Willem, Serge Willem, Sophie Ackermann, Guillaume Wang and Laurent Beeckmans). It is scored for the same setting required for the performance of the well known Fantasy for theremin, oboe, string quartet and piano by Martinů.

Hymne is a monothematic work in the form of variations of a simple melodic line, which itself is made of the repetition and combination of smaller melodic cells. This melody, always performed by the theremin, undergoes slight but constant metamorphoses and evolves in seven sections, each of them characterized by a distinct accompaniment texture. These textures were intentionally sparse and the general mood is meditative and contemplative, as the work was intended to be heard in the reverberant acoustic of a tall 12th century roman church.

The sections can be briefly described as follows:

1. theremin alone over low bass notes of the piano ;
2. gentle caressing and wavy support from the strings ;
3. melody echoed by Messiaen-like piano chords ; this section is linked to the next by a solo oboe cadenza ;
4. swirling waves from the strings punctuating the melody ; a second cadenza for the violin leads to :
5. vigorous rhythmic and canonic texture by the string quartet ending abruptly and introducing :
6. climax of the work, a massive and monorhythmic chorale answered by the swirling waves played now by the piano ;
7. the final ebb where all the previous sections are briefly recalled in reverse order, leaving the theremin alone to conclude the work.

Listen on Youtube

Performed by the Alba Septet : Grégoire Blanc (theremin), Anne Willem (oboe), Floris Willem (violin I), Serge Willem (violin II), Sophie Ackermann (viola), Nicolas Deletaille (cello) and Laurent Beeckmans (piano).

Score

Score available at Geyser Music Edition