[CLASSICAL MUSIC] Henri Dutilleux's Deeply Fascinating Musical Mysticism 🎻

steemswede (70)in #music • 7 years ago (edited)

For a long time, he was somewhat shrouded in obscurity, but when he died four years ago, the interest for his music began to surge and today he's generally considered not only as the grand old man of French modern music (he was 97 years old when he died) but also as one of the greatest post-war composers. I'm talking about Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013). Nowadays there are a multitude of recordings of his works, and several boxes with anything from 4 to 7 CD:s. If you want to start cautiously though, you get the perfect chance as Naxos is releasing a CD with three of his most important orchestral works.

Dutilleux gladly gave his compositions more or less philosophical titles drawing on the mysteries of existence. Among them are "Timbres, espace, mouvement" (1978) which also has an alternative title: La nuit étoilée (Starry night.) If you've seen Vincent van Gogh's famous painting with the same title, it's not difficult to associate the music with its sparkling and swirling stars. "Mystère de l'instant" (1989) consists of ten short and contrasting movements in which Dutilleux excels in a series of exciting timbral effects. The Second Symphony (1959) has been named "Le Double" and allows the clarinet to play a prominent role, sometimes with jazzy interruptions à la Gershwin. The symphony has a certain connection with Gauguin's painting "Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?" which is also adorning the cover, which can be heard in that each movement ends on a questioning note.

The music is quite atmospheric and expansive in its exploration of outer and inner spaces. But Dutilleux is not even near Arvo Pärt or any kind of easily digested musical New Age. Rather than Pärt and the more easy-on-the-ear kind of musical mysticism, think Alexander Scriabin (with a hint of fellow countryman Messiaen.) Yes, a French Scriabin would probably be the best way to describe Dutilleux. The orchestral treatment is both mystical and powerful and the rhythms are often very pregnant. All in all, this album is a brilliant gateway to Dutilleux's colorful and immensely fascinating universe.