Jean-Claude Risset - Computer Suite From Little Boy (1968)

Composer Jean-Claude Risset was a pioneer in the field of computer music and recipient of a great many honors for this music and research (especially in the area of sound synthesis). After studying the sciences, in addition to composition and piano with teachers like André Jolivet (Le Jeune France co-founder), Risset went on to work at Bell Labs, with Max Matthews, for a few years in the late '60s, working on applications that would imitate instruments and others sounds. He brought sound synthesis to Orsay in the early '70s, and Marseille and Paris -- to the Institute for Acoustic Music Research and Creation, with Pierre Boulez -- in the mid-'70s. He became IRCAM's computer music director from 1975-1979, after which he served as Director of Research at facilities including CNRS; Risset received the CNRS Bronze Medal in 1971, the Silver Medal in 1987, and the Gold Medal in 1999, for his work and related writings, such as his computerized sound synthesis catalogue of 1969. His other awards include the Dartmouth Prize (1970), first place in the Bourges Digital Music competition (1980), Ars Electronica Austria (1987), Grand Prix National de la Musique (1990), Musica Nova Prague (1995), and an Honorary Doctorate of Music by the University of Edinburgh in the mid-'90s. His best work spans decades and includes "Sud" (1985), "Aventure de lignes, Profiles" (1981), "Mirages" (1978), "Inharmonique" (1977), "Musique pour Little Boy" (1968), and "Fantasie pour Orchestre" (1963).

[@andreismirnov9822]

The music is great, but video... It is worth to know that the Suite has an exact narrative. According to Jean-Claude Risset: "this music I composed for the play Little Boy by Pierre Halet. The theme of the play is the revival of the Hiroshima bombing in the form of a nightmare of Eatherly, the pilot of a reconnaissance plane who later developed guilt jeopardizing his mental health.
Fall corresponds to the release of the bomb. The pilot thinks that Little Boy, the bomb with which he identifies himself, is falling - in fact this is a psychological collapse that never reaches any bottom. To illustrate this, I have produced a paradoxical glissando, which appears to glide down for ever amidst more normal tones. This is accomplished by ganging together a number of octave components, as pioneered by organ makers such as Callinet centuries ago and by psychologist Roger Shepard with the computer, and used in instrumental music from Bach to Berg and later my own Phases for orchestra".

[@riversandstones1644]

woah holy shit. Thanks for the info

[@Geopholus]

... But Dave ... Brubeck's "Take Five", shows up for a few bars at 1:32 !!!

[@svukicmusic3854]

The shepherd tones (falling bomb - 4:33) sound amazing...

[@Dasero]

Amazing piece, one of the first fully computer generated tunes 😍

[@mvkouw]

RIP monsieur Risset

[@hettow2233]

I like this song it make me feel calm.

[@speekless]

Genius.

[@udomatthiasdrums5322]

still love it!!

[@sangfroid4376]

I love this experimental / computer collaboration with human composer music, I did notice in about 1'40" and again at 7'50"the music repeats the opening phrase of Dave Brubeck's "Blue Rondo a'la Turk"; coinsidence or has HAL been accessing his Jazz files.

[@disconnectuserectus8660]

That's take five

[@es3m25]

I know him when I was a little boy, and I was the first boyfriend of his beautiful lovely girl, Solenn, you miss me, ?... I still think about you ... Do you remember me ? Your best Seb, forever ,💙

[@temporoboto]

💙

[@sonicsnap1173]

I really like it! Is this "acousmatique" music?

[@rand504]

CNED?

[@jamesdoctor8079]

shepard tones?

[@swierczynskistephane9285]

starfoula sa fait peure

[@mailyne_by]

grave

[@swierczynskistephane9285]

Qui vien du cned mdrrrrr

[@obafemifelipe483]

nous ptdr

[@mailyne_by]

nous

[@maximet2356]

@@mailyne_by kuku

[@rand504]

moi

[@lucasky9730]

nous