RE-ENCHANTMENT

The philosopher Günther Andres belongs to a very short list of thinkers of which the accuracy and depth of the analysis is almost prophetic. His book «L’obsolescence de l’homme» subtitled «sur l’âme à l’époque de la deuxième révolution industrielle» released in 1956 is a good example. Anders asserts our alienation is due firstly to the fact the world is given to us at once with no efforts to embrace it, - a world delivered as a product ready to be consumed-, and secondly the fact that our life is made of work without benefits but also benefits without work. Even worse our efforts to achieve a goal is kidnapped by industry. No way for any act of resistance. Industries of entertainment, the «do it yourself» hobby or the «creative self-expression» theory are among the best illustrations.

However the behavior, even better the very identity of a composer (at least a true composer) is at the extreme opposite of this reality. His own is the one of the meticulous and imaginative craftsman, the inventor of his own sound architecture and timeline. To create is a generous, regenerative, essential and bracing gesture which raises as a protest to survive. Through the music, a totally free space, we can try to espace from chains of our bondage, from our mass human condition and recover our integrity.

Along the 2018/19 concert season we will express this freedom through various forms and events: firstly the International Modern and Contemporary Art Fair hostes a new digital film by Laura Nillni («No sé cuantas estrellas» ) with a music («Tebah») by Ricardo Nillni, the release of a new CD featuring works by Brice Pauset recorded in Radio France studios, a tribute to Philippe Hersant on occasion of his 70th birthday and a more than 20 years artistic relationship with the Ensemble, a new CD recording of works by Philippe Hersant, a double focus on a new generation of composers coming from Iran, private concerts as privileged meetings with composers and musicians, and a tour in Ukrain.

Therefore, hic et nunc, join us in this today disenchanted world, and if music has no power to make it different, we hope music can more or less contribute to its re-enchantment.

Jean-Luc Menet