LAURENT METTRAUX
Route Principale 160, CH-1791 Courtaman
(Switzerland),
tel. + fax: (+41) 26/684.18.65, E-mail :
laurent.mettraux(at)bluewin.ch
Welcome ¦ Biography
¦ Principal
works ¦ Catalogue
of works
Donation and
support ¦ Documents to download ¦ Score excerpts
¦ Audio
examples
CDs ¦ Critics and articles ¦ (First) performances ¦ Texts
¦ Links
Suite for three flutes
M.649 (2005-6)
COMPLETE RECORDING OF THE 4 MOVEMENTS
AND EXCERPTS OF THE SCORE
:
I. POCO RUBATO :
II. SCHERZANDO :
III. MOLTO SERENO – COMME SUSPENDU :
IV. VOLUBILMENTE :
Performers :
Les Chemins de Traverse (Barbara Minder, Isaline Dupraz and Matthieu Amiguet, flutes)
This work has been commissioned by the Chemins de Traverse Ensemble, and
has been first performed by the same ensemble on April 23rd, 2007,
in Neuchâtel (Switzerland). The recordings have been realized in Geneva and
Lausanne on November 9th and 11th, 2007.
Duration of the work : approximately
13’10
Commentary of the work by the composer :
This
suite for three flutes has been written on request of the ensemble Les Chemins de
Traverse, which gave its first performance on April 23rd, 2007, in
Neuchâtel (Switzerland). It consists of four movements, each of which puts into
light a different instrument. The first movement, with alto flute, is
mysterious and of changing mood, partly based on the sonority of the open
fourths and fifths. The second, with piccolo, is a spontaneous, skipping along
and almost carefree scherzando. The third, very
serene, is near to a Zen meditation, suspends the time and puts into light the
mysterious sonorities of the bass flute. The last movement, written for the
three flutes in C, is voluble and dynamic, like a race during which the flutes
exchange themes with fluidity.
Laurent Mettraux, February 24th,
2007
Critic from the newspaper L’Express :
It
is to be said that this work is one of the most impressive Swiss first
performances that I’ve heard for a long time : rich,
amazing, full of an emotion accessible to all and reaching a depth and a
sincerity of all instants.
Laurent
Mettraux creates in the first movement, dedicated to the alto flute, an
enchanting atmosphere that might remind of the Middle
Ages, in a strange alloy of flutes. Each sonority
unveils itself, to be savoured. […] In the second movement, the piccolo is king
as well as jester, leading his companions into polyrhythmical
jokes, the whole nevertheless keeping some gravity.
The
third movement, with the bass flute, is the central part of the work; it’s a
long, serene meditation, whereas the dynamic finale puts the three C-flutes on
the same level with the intense and delightful virtuosity of the interpreters.
Alexandre
Traube, l’Express, April 26th,
2007