Magic Circus

2004

Wind octet

11 mn

• World premiere: 01/06/2005, Conservatoire, Lille (France) – musicians of the Orchestre national de Lille.

• Publisher: Gérard Billaudot.

• Scoring: 2 oboe, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 French horns.

• Commissioned by Orchestre national de Lille.

Tightrope walkers, sad clowns, hybrid and uproarious brass bands: it is in this circus decor that this piece for wind octet evolves. But a Felliniesque circus, a circus where the most unbridled vitality suddenly descends into enigma, where the apparent vulgarity runs alongside underlying drama, where dreams are pierced with bursts of laughter.

Absurd waltz themes, memories of old melodies from La strada or other films… Burlesque and offbeat mechanics, so many characters bumping into each other on several levels, at times in several tempi to call to mind this joyfully crepuscular twirling.

Thierry Escaich
Translation: Eileen-Rose McFadden