Barcarolle du souvenir

Especially written for the prestigious Long-Thibaud-Crespin International Competition in 2001, Barcarolle du souvenir continues the path explored in my Concerto for piano and orchestra premiered by Jean-Claude Pennetier in 1997 For many years, I had hesitated to write for this instrument before finding a way to align it with my own language.

This Barcarolle is rich in numerous reminiscences of the piano repertoire. Its title refers to Chopins Barcarolle opus 60 whose trill I cite in the recapitulation at the very end of the work. It is conceived as a single piece. At first dreamy, it then embraces ail the resources of virtuosity. Next, the recapitulation, with its abundant ornaments, uses the principle of variation to immerse itsself the recol!ection, the dream, the memory of each. Barcarolle du souvenir leaves the dynamics (but not the tempi) to the free choice of the performers, thus generating an infinite variety of colors.

It is dedicated to my great friend, the Piano. (Graciane Finzi)