Denis Lorrain

Construction 083

Miroitements, In memoriam Pierre Boulez

Algorithmic composition for MIDI piano

(2025, total duration: *ca.* 6'15")

Programme Note

   This piece presents a very classical appearance and consists of three short movements, of 1'43", 2'26" and 2'02" respectively. Two Adagios frame a more lively central movement.

   These three movements are derived from a single algorithm, with different tempo settings. The individual character of each movement is accentuated by the tendency of the adjustments I have brought to it. This is particularly true of the central movement.

   My dedication to the memory of Pierre Boulez is justified when listening to the second movement. Indeed, it recalls mid-20th century works, marked by a rather radical form of serialism. Pierre Boulez, then in the early stages of his career, was one of the composers most committed to this trend. This respectful tribute seemed to me obvious, given the serendipity of the result produced by my algorithm for this movement.

   In the 1950s (see *Musiques formelles*, 1963, pp. 18-19), Xenakis compared works produced by serialism since the late 1940s to results that could be obtained using stochastic calculations. However, it must be acknowledged that the algorithm used for this piece is much less stochastic than Xenakis assumed: in fact, it is only incidentally so. An integral stochastic approach could not produce the musical coherence that one can perceive here.

DLO

Cologne

10/2025