Ophiucus by Thérèse Brenet for mandolin, viola, celtic harp and guitar

Thérèse Brenet's work for mandolin, viola, celtic harp and guitar Ophiucus has just been publisehd by Musik Fabrik

This title, which refers to a giant planet discovered by astronomer Donald McCarthy of the University of Arizona, expresses Thérèse Brenet’s favorite image of the infinity of Time and Space. Planet V. P.8B is 21 light-years away from Earth ; such a distance along suffices to encourage one to reflection.

This cosmic reverie is emphasised by a fragment of Nietzsche’s poem Nocturne, the recitation of which may be inserted by the instrumentalists over the playing of the music.

“Innumerable suns gravitate in deserted space; they speak through their light to all in the darkness. But I live in my own light. I drink the flames which shoot forth from me”

The reverie is also expressed by the absence of a conclusion, characteristic of the work. Thérsèe Brenet has deliberately omitted the double bar which traditionally closes a musical piece ; the work is not brought to a conclusion - it still resonates while fading away in an endless perdendosi suggesting the idea that we would find these fugitive harmonies in the cosmos, if we could pursue the speed of sound...

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L'&Oelig;uvr de Thérèse Brenet pour mandoline, alto, harpe celtique et guitar, Ophiucus vient d'être éditée par Musik Fabrik

Ce titre qui rappelle la découverte par l’astronome Donald McCarthy (University of Arizona) d’une planète géante dans la constellation d’Ophiucus, traduit l’image du prédilection que Thérèse Brenet se fait de l’infini du temps et de l’espace. La planète V.P. 8B est à 21 années-lumière de la Terre ; et ce seul effet de distanciation peut suffire à nous faire rêver. .

Cette rêverie cosmique se trouve ici soulignée par le fragment d’un poème de Nietsche, Nocturne, dont la récitation par les instrumentistes peut être inéérée sur la musique.

“D’innombrables soleils gravitent dans l’esapce désert ; ils parlent par leur lumière à tout ce qui est sombre [...]. Mais je vis dans ma propre lumière, je bois les flammes qui jaillissent de moi...”

Elle est exprimée aussi par l’absence de conclusion qui caractérise lœuvre et c’est volontairement que Thérèse Brenet n’a pas mis la double barre qui clôt traditionnellement une pièce musicale : lœuvre n’est pas achevée, elle résonne encore en s’éloignant dans un perdendosi sans fin, suggérant l’idée que, si nous pouvions les poursuivre à la vitesse du son, nous retrouverions en quelque point du cosmos ces fugitives harmonies..

Thérèse Brenet's "Le Fascinateur with poetry by Jean-Pierre Luminet

Thérèse Brenet has written many works inspired by the Cosmos and Space. Her most recently published work is a trio with narrator which uses the poetry of astrophysicist Jean-Pierre Luminet. From the composer's notes:

Le Fascinateur is scored for narrator, celtic harp, piano and percussion.

The texts are taken from a poem by the astrophysicist Jean-Pierre Luminet. Nous nous étions plu, in Griphes, followed by Topiques, (Gérard Oberlé, Manoir de Pron, Nivernais, 1989).

The juxtaposition suggests in epigram a quotation from Gaston Bachelard, which could apply to the musical score with an equal pertinence, since the music is, for Thérèse Brenet, the echo of the Cosmos

“All of the words which are called to greatness by a poet are the keys to the universe, to the double universe of the cosmos and of the depths of the human soul.”

The work is available on the composer's page at our website. It will be recorded in a few months under the musical direction of Jean Thorel.