Ravages - piano concerto n°1 (2021)

for piano and large ensemble

(3/0/1/0/1-0/0/0/0-3 perc-clav-1/0/1/1-electronics)

Commissioned by the french Ministry of Culture

Dédication : Hilomi Sakaguchi

and ensembles Paramirabo, HanatsuMiroir and Proxima Centauri

Creation: October 21, 2021

La MECA Scène, Bordeaux (France)

Hilomi Sakaguchi, piano

ensembles Paramirabo, HanatsuMiroir and Proxima Centauri

Duration : 26'30 

Publisher : BabelScores

buy the score

In 1943, in occupied France, René Barjavel wrote his famous dystopian novel Ravage, in which a hyper-technological society, governed by castes and hierarchized according to capital, environment, borders, beliefs. . . abruptly descends into chaos. Today, in the face of tensions coming from all sides, the climatic, economic and social emergency, many groups or individuals believe in solutions for life in society different from the one which is currently leading us to the same breaking point as the one mentioned in this novel.

Written for the pianist Hilomi Sakaguchi, Ravages is a concerto for piano, ensemble and electronics organized in three movements, three tableaux evoking Barjavel's novel. Didier Rotella's work questions the place and future of what has long been called the "Western cultural model". In general, the music of Didier Rotella seeks to create an area of insecurity which leads the listener to modify his listening during the work. It is an approach that is clearly intended to be discursive, and in no way denies past influences, Henri Dutilleux in mind. This is also why Didier Rotella often associates a literary argument, but in a distant way, with a musical form. The musical gesture becomes in a way a testimony of the societal impact.

Anamorphose - b  (2020)

for Noh song and ensemble

(1/0/1/0 - 1/0/0/0 - pno - perc - 1/0/1/1/1)

Dedicated to Ryoko Aoki and the Musikfabrik ensemble

Creation September 6, 2020 at 5 p.m.

during the Royaumont Festival,

Voix Nouvelles Academy 2020

Réfectoire des Moines - Royaumont Abbey

Ryoko Aoki, Noh Song
Musikfabrik Ensemble,

Mariano Chiacchiarini, conductor

Duration : 11' c.a.

Publisher : BabelScores

purchase the musical score

Concert notice (in french)

Press (in french) :

Article "ResMusica" du 10/09/2020 par Michèle Tosi

Article "Bashtrack" du 8/09/2020 par Tristan Labouret

Article "Toute la culture" du 8/09/2020 par Gilles Charlassier

Absence  (2019)

for harmony orchestra and electronics

Commande of the festival "Musique à l'Encre fraîche"

Creation at the conservatory of Persan (95) on January 21, 2020

by the 3rd cycle harmony orchestra of the conservatoire,

direction : Patrick Laviron

instrumentation: (3-1-4-1-6 / 2-3-2-1-1 / 2 perc.- electro)

Duration : 10 minutes c.a.

Publisher :

Prologue pour la Dame Rouge  (2018)

for ensemble

(1/1/2/1 - 1/1/0/0/ - hp  -pn - 1/1/1/1)

libretto by Brigitte Athéa

Creation on May 7, 14 and 17, 2018 at the Teatro Museo Reina Sofia (Madrid), at the CRR Auditorium in Paris and at the Salon of the Villa Medici (Rome)

by the Ensemble Orchestral Contemporain

Daniel Kawka, Direction

Duration : 18 minutes

Polychromies III - émergence  (2017)

for large orchestra

(3-3-3-1-3 / 4-3-3-1 / 3 perc.- harpe - piano / strings :16-12-10-8)

or min. (strings : 8-6-5-4)

Duration : 15 minutes c.a.

D'un Soleil Arachnide  (2016-2017)

for five voices and ensemble

Dedication to the Neue VocalSolisten and the Divertimento ensemble

Premiere May 3, 2017 at Teatro Litta (Milan)

by the Neue VocalSolisten

and Divertimento ensemble

(Didier Rotella, piano)

Sandro Gorli, Direction

Publisher: Impronta - Edition UG

Duration : 17 minutes

Instants Mêlés (2013-2014)

for soprano and large ensemble with electronics

(1-1-2-1-1 / 1-1-0-0 / 2 perc. - harp - piano - acc. –  Midi keyboard / 2-1-1-1)

on poems by Brigitte Athéa

Dédication to Anne-Sophie Honoré 

Created October 3, 2014 at the CNSMDP

by the Orchester des Lauréats du Conservatoire,

Direction : Patrick Davin

Soprano : Anne-Sophie Honoré

Duration : 25 minutes

Errances (2012)

for Ensemble of 20 instrumentalists

(1-1-2-1 / 2-1-1-0 / 2 perc. - harp - piano / 2-2-2-1)

from Hermann Hesse's prose work

Created November 28, 2012 at the CNSMDP

by the orchestra of the Laureates of the Conservatoire,

direction : Renaud Dejardin

Duration : 13 minutes

Music for the film "Gribiche" by Jacques FEYDER (2009)
Order of the Festival EntreVues de Belfort

for Orchestra

(2-2-2-2-1 / 2-2-2-1 / 2 percussion - harp - guitar - piano / 8-6-6-5-4)

-Never created-

Duration: 1h20 (the duration of the film)

Polychromies 2 (2008) "Moving color"

for ensemble of 13 saxophones and piano

Creation on March 15, 2009 at the Auditorium Saint-Germain (Paris)

by the Saxetera ensemble,

direction: Jean-Pierre Ballon

Duration: 12 minutes

link to the work 

Presentation :

To what extent does the work of the sound material as such determine the other musical parameters that are durations, harmony, instrumentation and even the whole form? This question has haunted my research for some time now, and finds its paroxysm in the triptych of "Polychromies", pieces of different dimensions ranging from the formation of "chamber music" to the large orchestra including all the saxophones and piano what is the second.

The initial principle is therefore simple: the concept of "color" remains the main actor of these three works, it is nevertheless understood very differently each time. Thus, if the idea of ​​Polychromies 1 (subtitled "time-color") was based on the notion of "color structures" and density contrasts according to the analysis of light spectra, Polychromies 2, on the other hand, suggests by its title "color in movement" a moving aspect, in constant evolution, of a (small) number of "primary" colors gradually degrading into more subtle shades.

These initial colors are here harmonic complexes resulting from the natural resonances of the saxophone, from where the use of a musical orthography which integrates the micro-intervals, not in the continuity of the researches of the “spectral” music or in any scale modal, but quite simply to prolong or anticipate certain specific wires of the saxophone (such as the multiphonics) which generate colors different from those of the piano with these are either in conflict or in osmosis.

By this process, the entire piece slides from one atmosphere to another: the four primary colors quickly generate four secondary colors and as many "tertiary" colors: the total of twelve is reached at both levels of the work - culminating point - and gives the key to the listener: what follows is only a summary summary of these adventures, the conduct of which is entrusted mainly to the piano which finally takes off, as released. Finally, a vast coda breaks the systematic logic of the play to find the nocturnal and mysterious spirit that introduced the Polychromies 1.

Le Festin de Lycaon (2005/2006)

for violin and orchestra

from texts from Greek mythology

players : (4-2-4-4 / 3-1-0-0 / 2 perc - harp / 6-4-4-4-2)

Creation of the violin and piano reduction at the Boulogne-Billancourt RRC (June 2006)

Laure Escudier, violin

duration : 11 minutes c.a.

3 Melodies for vocals and orchestra (2007/2009)
(orchestration of three of the 5 melodies for voice and piano)

Aube  (6-2-4-4 / 4-1-4-1 / 3 perc.- harpe - piano / 8-6-4-4-2)

Feu de Joie (3-1-3-3-3 / 4-1-2-1 / 3 perc.- harpe / 6-4-4-3-2)  

Nature Morte (3/2/3/3 / 4-0-3-1 / 2 perc. - 2 harpes / 6-4-4-3-2)

approximate duration: 10 minutes

-Never created-

Instants Mêlés (2013-2014)

pour soprano et ensemble avec électronique 

(1-1-2-1-1 / 1-1-0-0 / 2 perc. - harpe - piano - acc. –  clavier Midi / 2-1-1-1)

sur des poèmes de Brigitte Athéa

Dédicace à Anne-Sophie Honoré 

Création le 3 octobre 2014 au CNSMDP

par l'Orchestre des Lauréats du Conservatoire,

Direction : Patrick Davin

Soprano : Anne-Sophie Honoré

Durée : 25 minutes