Repertory

Bernard Parmegiani's very rich output is essentially born of an electroacoustic approach. The complete catalogue now numbers 236 titles (downloadable in PDF format), 80 of which are concert pieces. For the sake of ease of access, this repertory is made up of works which have for the most part already been released on CD. From 1979 onward, Parmegiani introduced computer technology into his composition work though he never abandoned analogue techniques – it was the passage from the cutting-room scissors to the studio mouse. However, he continued to use magnetic tape as his preferred recording medium up until 1992.

The titles marked * are published by Maison ONA.

1959-64: Exploring the Territory

From 1959 to 1962, Parmegiani probes his sound world with various music projects for animated films, the stage, radio and TV shows, “concrete” songs, as well as theme tunes such as Interactualité's Morse between 1961 and 1965.

He also composed four concert pieces which he then removed from his catalogue.

1964-1973 : The Age of Scissors

1964

• Violostries – 16'37 *
  piece for tape and violin. Violin score: Devy Erlih.
  editied and mastered version: 1989

1965

• Jazzex 16'51

  piece for tape and jazz quartet. ;
  premier : B. Vitet (trumpet), J.-L. Chautemps (saxophone), C. Saudrais (drumkit), G. Rovère (double bass)

• Electrorythm- 3'12

  audio media (tape)
  concert suite based on a film by Peter Foldés and remixed in 1968.

1966

• L’Instant mobile - 10'41
  audio media (tape mixed in four tracks)
  stereo version (1971)

1967

• Capture éphémère - 11'53
  audio media (tape)
  piece composed for four separate tracks

1969

• Pop Eclectic - 10’ 51
  audio media (tape)
  concert suite based on the film Je, Tu, Elles by P. Foldés

• Du pop à l'âne - 10’14
  audio media (tape) collage

• Outremer – 13’16 *
  piece for tape and Ondes Martenot

1970

• Ponomatopées - 6'15
  audio media (tape)
  concert suite based on the film Le Socrate by R. Lapoujade

• L’Œil écoute - 19'11
  audio media (tape)
  concert version without visual accompaniment

1971

• La Roue Ferris - 11'02 *
  audio media (tape)

1972

• L'Enfer - 61'20
  based on Dante’s The Divine Comedy
  audio media (tape)
  text read by Michel Hermond

• Pour en finir avec le pouvoir d'Orphée II - 23’25
  audio media (tape)

• Et après - 11'35
  piece for tape and bandoneon (played by Michel Portal)

1973

• L’Ecran transparent - 19’54
  musical video. Images and music : Bernard Parmegiani

1974-1979 : Creating a Grammar of Sound

1974-1975

• De Natura Sonorum - 53’
  audio media (tape)
  suite in two sections (12 movements)

1976

• Dedans dehors - 22'20

  audio media (tape)

1977

• Des Mots et des sons - 19’10

  audio media (tape)

1978

• Musico-Picassa - 6'43
  music for radio
  audio media (tape)

1979

• La Table des matières - 19’02

  audio media (tape) ; revised version (2007)

1980-1993 : The Age of the Mouse

1980

• Stries - 45'35
  piece for tape and 3 synthesizers in 3 movements
  - Strilento - 17’13
  - Strio - 7'50
  - Stries - 20'30

• Adagio - 17’

  audio media (tape)

1981

• Tuba-ci, tuba-là ­- 27’17
  « musical action »
  piece for tape and tuba

1982

• Tuba raga - 24’43

  piece for tape and tuba

• Ici la radio – 15’
  audio media (tape)
  concert version

1983-1984

• La Création du monde - version intégrale - 72’37
  audio media (tape) – 3 parts
  - Lumière noire - 17’36’’
  - Métamorphose du vide - 23’11’’
  - Signes de vie - 32’00

1985

• Exercisme 1 – 18’ 50

  audio media (tape and three synthesizers)

• Exercisme 2 - 27'22

  audio media (tape)
  

1986

• Exercisme 3 - 23’50

  audio media (tape)

1987

• Litaniques - 21’12

  audio media (tape)

• Rouge-mort - 16’50

  audio media (tape)
  suite for tape based on the ballet of the same name (1990)

• Un arbre, c'était le mien ! - 19’00

  audio media (tape)

1990-2008 : The Sound - living figure

1991

• Le Présent composé - 23'43
  First part of the Plain-Temps triptych
  audio media (tape)

• E pericoloso sporghersi - 23’40
  music and text : Bernard Parmegiani
  audio media (tape) and voice (Dominique Colignon-Morin)

1992

• Entre-temps - 22'24

  audio media (tape)

1993

• Plain-Temps - 24'00

  audio media (computer), remixed and edited (1998)

1996

• Eclectic bolero - 20’

  audio media (computer)

• Sonare - 25'06

  audio media (computer)

1998

• Sons/Jeux - 21’

  audio media (computer)

1999

• Immer/sounds - 11'24

  audio media (computer) written for surround-sound system

2000-2001

• La Mémoire des sons - 24'28

  audio media (computer)

2002

• Espèces d'espace- 21’47

  audio media (computer)

2006

• Au gré du souffle, le son s'envole - 20'00

  audio media (computer)

2007

• Rêveries - 13’46

  audio media (computer)

2008

• L’Echo du miroir - 23'52

  audio media version (computer) only