Vertigo

Although there is no quotation from the American composer in my clarinet quintet Vertigo, the title is an allusion to Bernard Herrmann, a musician who is very close to my heart and about whom I am currently writing a biography for Actes Sud. The work consists of four movements that can be played independently of each other. The first movement immediately puts us in a mood full of rhythmic liveliness, with the cello's pizzicati imitating those of a jazzy double bass. The second piece contains some allusions to klezmer music. The third piece is a very contemplative meditation in which clarinet and quartet instruments meet on mysterious, trembling textures. The fourth piece contains allusions to rock, pop, techno and the funk of James Brown. I would like you to feel the „dizziness“ created by the clash of different moods, all pursued by an omnipresent pulse, when listening to Vertigo.