Boulez-Répons

The video »Boulez Répons « was created in 1985 by French video artist Robert Cahen. It is based on the work »Répons « (1981) by Pierre Boulez, which was composed for six soloists, an instrumental ensemble, and an electroacoustic system. The recording shows a performance by the Ensemble Intercontemporain under the direction of Pierre Boulez. »Répons« is considered one of Boulez's central compositions of the 1980s. The work combines traditional instruments with live electronics and is a milestone in the use of computer-aided sound processing in contemporary music. The six soloists (including piano, vibraphone, glockenspiel, harp and cimbalom) interact with the ensemble and with an electronic spatial sound system that uses algorithmic processes to modulate sounds in real time and project them back into the concert hall. Originally conceived for the acoustic conditions of IRCAM's Espace de projection, Répons explores the possibilities of spatial distribution of sound as well as the relationship between the original acoustic and the electronically modified replica. In Boulez's »Répons«, Cahen combines documentary footage of the musical performance with edited images of natural phenomena such as water waves or vegetation. Through techniques such as slow motion, image overlay and visual fragmentation, a multi-layered visual language unfolds that is independent of the musical structure. Image and sound enter into an asynchronous dialogue without seeking direct illustration or synchronization. The work was awarded first prize at the »L'immagine elettronica « festival in Bologna in 1986.

Production: INA, COL IMA SON, IRCAM/CGP in collaboration with the French Ministry of Culture and the Centre Georges Pompidou