He regularly attended the concerts of the Domaine Musical, as well as the seminars at Darmstadt, and enrolled in Olivier Messiaen's class at the CNSMP. Messiaen described Méfano as "restless, intense, and always in search of radical solutions".[1]
In 1965 his music was performed publicly for the first time, at the Domaine Musical under the baton of Bruno Maderna. From 1966 to 1968 he lived in the United States, and then in 1969 he moved to Berlin at the invitation of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
In 1970 he returned to France, signed a contract with Salabert, and devoted himself to composition, to conducting, and to musical life in general. In 1972 he founded the Ensemble 2e2m, a group which he regularly conducted, and with which he has premièred more than five hundred works by young composers and with which he has made more than forty recordings. Amongst those younger composers are Stéphane de Gérando, Laurent Mettraux, Thierry Blondeau, Marc André, Michael Finnissy, James Dillon, Bruce Mather, and Claude Lefebvre [fr], but he has also championed older composers such as Jean Barraqué, Brian Ferneyhough, Franco Donatoni, Luigi Nono, Aldo Clementi, Philippe Boesmans, Morton Feldman, Edison Denisov, and John Cage, as well as participating in the rediscovery of Charles-Valentin Alkan and the Czech composers who were interred at Terezienstadt in 1940. He is the founder of the Editions du Mordant for the publication of contemporary music, and of the Editions Musicales Européennes (dedicated primarily to young composers), and he has produced a number of notable radio series.[2]
In 1972 he was appointed director of the Conservatory of Champigny-sur-Marne, a duty which he performed until 1988. He also was professor of composition and orchestration at the Paris Conservatory until 2002. One of his conducting students was the Canadian composer Claude Vivier.
From 1996 until 2005 he directed the Conservatory of Versailles.
The most important works of Paul Méfano are published and accessible at Babelscores.[3]
In 2007, Paul Méfano became the director of the CLSI ensemble (Circle for the Liberation of Sounds & Images) with various musicians and composers like Gérard Pape, Jacqueline Méfano, Olga Krashenko, Lissa Meridan, Michael Kinney, Martin Phelps, Rodolphe Bourotte, Stefan Tiedje, Jean-Baptiste Favory.
Musical style
Méfano's compositional style has evolved considerably from his early serial work Incidences (1960) down to recent compositions which make extensive use of microtones, such as Speed (2000). His early serial style is clearly under the influence of Boulez, but the ardour of his employment of these traits "confounds the crystalline, the mirror-like and with it all suggestion of musical geometry".[1] He has an essentially poetic conception of music, reflected in a lifelong interest in poets and poetry.[4] This is manifested especially in his treatment of instrumental color and in his vocal writing. He also has a special feeling for drama, as manifested in La cérémonie. At the beginning of the 1970s he experimented with electronics (La messe des voleurs), and with its real-time combination with instruments. Though he has shown interest in the music of the spectralist composers, his own compositions are not at all similar, and today he is regarded as a "post-spectralist" composer.[5] Many of his works explore and develop contemporary techniques for the flute, such as in Captive, Eventails, Gradiva, Traits suspendus, or Ensevelie. His earliest works (Trois chants crépusculaires) maintain links with tonality, to which he returned in Micromégas. Since this work he has remained faithful to serial technique.[2]
Awards
He has been awarded the following prizes and honors:
1971 – Prix Enesco de SACEM.
1980 – Chevalier de l'Ordre du Mérite.
1982 – Grand prix national de la Musique.
1985 – Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et Lettres.
1989 – Prix SACEM de la musique symphonique.
Catalog of works
Catalog of works
Year
Title
Type of work
Duration
1956
Evocations à l'usage des jeunes filles, for piano
solo (piano)
03:00
1957
Croquis pour un adolescent. 6 pieces for piano
solo (piano)
00:15
1958
Involutive, for clarinet
solo (clarinet)
06:00
1958
Trois Chants crépusculaires (Text by Paul Méfano) [I. Rivages: jamais entamés par le jeu – II. Toi, qui rêveur observe les flammes – III. Perçois-tu, humain le futur], for dramatic soprano and piano
vocal (with piano)
15:00
1959
Estampes japonaises, for soprano and 10 instruments [I. Sur les vagues (Hitomaro, 681–729) – II. La Vague (Ninamato No Sanetamo) – III. Pluie (anonymous, 8th century) – IV. Dans la bise glacée (Ki No Tsurayuki, 883–946) – V. Dans un jardin (anonymous 12th century poet). There are 3 versions: a) light or coloratura soprano and ensemble – b) light or coloratura soprano and piano reduction – c) Transcription for flute (pic, bass fl) and piano
vocal
10:00
1959
Danse bulgare n° 1, after Bartók version 1 (1959) – version 2 (1980): for string orchestra
orchestral music
01:50
1959
Variations libres, after Bartók (version 1 (1959) – version 2 (1980) : for orchestre à cordes
orchestra
01:40
1960
Incidences, for piano and orchestra
orchestra
–
1959
Orchestration of Die jagd, excerpt from Romances without Words by Mendelssohn (revision for orchestra)
orchestra
05:00
1962
Captive (cadence extracted from Madrigal), for flute
solo (flute)
05:00
1962
Lignes, noble bass and 15 instruments
vocal (with instruments)
15:00
1962
Madrigal (Text after Paul Eluard), for 3 female voices or 2 female voices and countertenor, with small instrumental ensemble: fl, pno, hp, & 4perc
vocal (with instruments)
18:00
1962
Que l'oiseau se déchire (poem by Yves Bonnefoy), for voice, clarinet in A and 1 percussionist
vocal (with instruments)
1962
Mélodies, for soprano, mezzo-soprano or countertenor or contralto, and various instrumental ensembles [1. Nous avons erré longtemps (Omar Kayam), for voice and clarinet in A – 2. La Vague (Ninamato No Sanetamo), for voice and piano – 3. Que l'oiseau se déchire (Yves Bonnefoy), for voice, clarinet in A, and percussion – 4. Et l'unique cordeau (Guillaume Apollinaire), for voice, cl in A, trb, perc, pno, cb – 5. L'Infirmité du feu (Yves Bonnefoy), for voice and 10 instruments
vocal (with instruments)
20:00
1964–65
Paraboles, soprano and ensemble (Version A (movements 1 to 3), for dramatic soprano and ensemble – Version B (movements 1 to 4, symphony orchestra)
vocal & instrumental
–
1966
Interférences, for piano and horn soli and 10 instruments
vocal (with instruments)
12:00
1970
La Cérémonie, oratorio (text by the composer), for soprano, countertenor, baritone, speaking choir and 3 orchestral groups
oratorio
25:00
1970
Old Œdip, "plaisanterie sonore" for reciter, actor, tape, electronics, and ring modulator
vocal
13:30
1970
Intersections, electronic music
electronic
10:10
1972
As you like it? Aleatoric piece for small variable ensemble
instrumental
10–20:00
1972
L'Age de la vie (poem by Paul Eluard), for soprano, horn, and harp
vocal (with instruments)
06:00
1972
La Messe des voleurs, for vocal quartet, chamber ensemble, electronics, and magnetic tape
vocal (with instruments)
75:00
1972
Signes/oubli, for 22 instruments divided into 2 groupes
vocal
07:00
1972
N, for one flutist playing piccolo, flute, alto flute, and bass flute, with electronics, modulator, and magnetic tape
solo (flute)
23:00
1974
They (text: phonemes), for one singer
vocal (a cappella)
03:00
1975
Ondes (espaces mouvants), for 10 instruments
chamber music
08:00
1976
Placebo Domino in regione vivorum, motet for 6 mixed voices (S, MzS, A, T, Bar, B) on a text by the composer
vocal
12:00
1976
Eventails, for amplified bass flute
solo (flute)
10:00
1976
Mouvement calme, for string quartet or string ensemble (12 strings)
chamber music
07:20
1978
Gradiva, for contrabass flute
solo (flute)
24:00
1978
Périple, for saxophone and electronics
solo (saxophone)
06–10:00
1979
Micromégas I, "action musicale" (after Voltaire) [rev. 1983–87 as Micromégas]
opera
1980
Traits suspendus, contrabass flute or bass flute
solo (flute)
06:00
1980
A Bruno Maderna, for solo cello, 11 strings, and magnetic tape
chamber music
20:00
1983–87
Micromégas, "action lyrique" in 7 tableaux (after Voltaire)
opera
80:00
1984
Scène 3, extract from the opera Micromégas (government commission, 1983) (Grand-théâtre, Metz)
opera
15:00
1984
Douce saveur (poem by Nathalie Méfano), for bass, cor anglais, and tuba
vocal (with instruments)
05:00
1986
Tige, for saxophone
solo (saxophone)
04:00
1986
Ensevelie, for flute and synthesizer-controlled sampler
solo (flute)
10:00
1989
Voyager, interlude for the opera Micromégas, for instrumental ensemble (17 instruments)
chamber music
15:00
1990
Scintillante, for basson and electronics (MIDI-keyboard)
chamber music
07:00
1990
Orchestration of Erwartung, orchestration by Paul Méfano and Michel Decoust, for soprano and 15 instruments
orchestra
30:00
1991
Mémoire de la Porte Blanche, for piano
solo (piano)
06:00
1992
Asahi, for oboe and electronics
solo (oboe)
06:00
1992
Matrice des vents, for sho and electronics
solo (sho)
35:00
1993
Dragonbass, for bass, 2 saxophones, synthesizer and tape
vocal (with instruments)
15:00
1995–96
Mon ami Emile, une interprétation des Valses de Waldteufel [1er cahier: Amour et printemps – Les patineurs – Violettes], for flute, clarinet, piano, and string quartet
chamber music
25:00
1995
Deux mélodies, for sop., mezzo-sop., sax., bass cl., viola
vocal (with instruments)
08:00
1997
Trois chants 1958, for sop., 3 sax., 3 perc., and 3 cellos
vocal (with instruments)
10:00
1998
Cinq pièces for 2 violins
chamber music
12:00
1998
Mon ami Emile, une interprétation des Valses de Waldteufel [2nd collection: Roses et Marguerites – Valse de la poupée – Sirènes – Madeleine], for fl., cl., piano, harmonium, and string quartet
chamber music
35:00
1998
Hélios, for alto flute and string trio
chamber music
20:00
1999
Alone, for violon
solo (violin)
12:00
2001
Tronoën, for cello alone
solo (violoncello)
12:00
2003
Jades, for flute, clarinet, guitar and 2 cellos
chamber music
10:00
(n.d.)
Etrange/arrêtée/seule froissée, for 2 fl., vl., vlc., & perc.
chamber music
09:00
(n.d.)
...s'égrainent comme le vent, for voice, 2 fl., vl., vlc., & perc. (text by Paul Méfano)
vocal (with instruments)
09:00
(n.d.)
Périple à 2, for 2 saxophones
chamber music
05:00
(n.d.)
Périple à 4 for 4 saxophones
chamber music
06:00
(n.d.)
Chanson pour les petits de 6 à 9 ans
vocal
03:00
(n.d.)
Batro, for violin and cello
chamber music
08:00
(n.d.)
Petit Batro for violin and cello
chamber music
16:00
Discography
Discography
Work
Interpretation
Catalog number
Ondes (espaces mouvants)
Paul MÉFANO vol. 1 (oeuvres 1974–1989)
2e2m collection 1006
Placebo Domino in regione vivorum
Paul MÉFANO vol. 1 (oeuvres 1974–1989)
2e2m collection 1006
Mouvement calme
Paul MÉFANO vol. 1 (oeuvres 1974–1989)
2e2m collection 1006
A Bruno Maderna
Paul MÉFANO vol. 1 (oeuvres 1974–1989)
2e2m collection 1006
Ensevelie
Paul MÉFANO vol. 1 (oeuvres 1974–1989)
2e2m collection 1006
Voyager
Paul MÉFANO vol. 1 (oeuvres 1974–1989)
2e2m collection 1006
Involutive
Paul MÉFANO vol. 2 (oeuvres 1958–1972)
2e2m collection 1007
Estampes japonaises
Paul MÉFANO vol. 2 (oeuvres 1958–1972)
2e2m collection 1007
Paraboles
Paul MÉFANO vol. 2 (oeuvres 1958–1972)
2e2m collection 1007
Interférences
Paul MÉFANO vol. 2 (oeuvres 1958–1972)
2e2m collection 1007
Lignes
Paul MÉFANO vol. 2 (oeuvres 1958–1972)
2e2m collection 1007
Signes/oubli
Paul MÉFANO vol. 2 (oeuvres 1958–1972)
2e2m collection 1007
Scintillante
Paul MÉFANO vol. 3 (oeuvres 1978–1993)
2e2m collection 1012
Asahi
Paul MÉFANO vol. 3 (oeuvres 1978–1993)
2e2m collection 1012
Mémoire de la Porte Blanche
Paul MÉFANO vol. 3 (oeuvres 1978–1993)
2e2m collection 1012
Dragonbass
Paul MÉFANO vol. 3 (oeuvres 1978–1993)
2e2m collection 1012
La Matrice des Vents
Paul MÉFANO vol. 3 (oeuvres 1978–1993)
2e2m collection 1012
Périple à deux
Paul MÉFANO vol. 3 (oeuvres 1978–1993)
2e2m collection 1012
Madrigal
M. Mesplé et I. Jarsky (soprano), A. Bartelloni (mezzo), Ensemble 2e2m (Paul Méfano) (Prix Charles Cros)
Pugin, Tristram. 2000. "Through the Spectrum: The New Intimacy in French Music (I)". Tempo 212 (April: French Music Issue): 12–20.
Pugin, Tristram. 2001. "Through the Spectrum: The New Intimacy in French Music (II)". Tempo 217 (July): 38–44, 47.
Further reading
Hirsbrunner, Théo. 2001. "L'intelligibilité du texte poétique dans la composition musicale", in Littérature et musique dans la France contemporaine: actes du colloque des 20–22 mars 1999 en Sorbonne, edited by Jean-Louis Backès, Claude Coste, and Danièle Pistone, 101–107. Strasbourg: Presses Universitaires de Strasbourg, 2001. ISBN2868201768.
