Nitescence crépusculaire

"Nitescence crépusculaire", the invitation to an imaginary and fantastic world:

The title itself refers to two words which have an almost opposite meaning. "Nitescence" in French is used to describe something clear and bright. It could be opposite to "crépusculaire" (twilight). The music refers to this ambiguity and evolves around two main themes.

The first theme is exposed from the very beginning by the Flute and the Glockenspiel, and then, the English Horn joins them. Although sometimes hesitant, he gradually strengthens and finds a path towards relative serenity. Then it gradually loses its clearness, it suddenly amplifies and gets carried away very quickly. It then surprisingly gives way to an imaginary and fantastic world in which rhythm plays a preponderant role. The initial theme is now played at a very fast tempo and is punctuated by aggressive interventions.

The second theme emerges from a brutal confrontation between the Timpani and the orchestra. It is played by the Euphoniums and the Clarinets. Its multiple faces highlight very different atmospheres: fantastic ride, bellicose scene but also full of tenderness, or scene of hope revealed through the Marimba, then soloist. Also, after a tormented waltz we return to an atmosphere already heard, but whose determination will lead to the climax of this part.

Then, a great Euphonium solo releases the accumulated tension and naturally leads to slow movement.

The absolute calm of this movement contrasts sharply with the above. Time seems to have stood still. Even an impromptu intervention of the Flute, such as a frightened bird, cannot succeed in disturbing the tranquility and the depth of this movement. Little by little, time resumes its course. Gradually. Calmly. We are directed towards fullness and carefreeness before being plunged back into this imaginary and fantastic universe.

From there, the listener is caught up in a frantic race. The different ostinatos quickly amplify the bubbling orchestra. The return of the waltz, here frenzied allows to release some of this tension but very quickly other thematic elements will re-emerge and follow on, always more dynamic and rhythmic, leading to total rupture.

By this rupture, we suddenly leave this imaginary world, like a return to reality. We find fragments of the atmosphere of the very beginning, then, after an intense epilogue of the English Horn, the music stops, little by little, until total immobilization. Was it a dream?