Biography
Born on January 17th, 1958, Gérard Pesson studied at the Sorbonne and then at the Paris CNSM, where he studied composition with Ivo Malec, orchestration with Marius Constant and analysis with Betsy Jolas. In 1986, he founded a contemporary music publication entitled Entretemps. From 1990 to 1992 he was resident at the Villa Médicis. Awarded the Toulouse Studium Prize in 1986, the "Opéra autrement" in 1989, he also won the Prince Pierre de Monaco Prize in 1996. Since 1988, Gérard Pesson has primarily composed stage music. His works have been played by numerous ensembles and orchestras both in France and abroad: ensembles Fa, 2e2m, intercontemporain, Itinéraire, Moderna, Recherche, Ictus, Alter Ego, Accroche Note and Erwartung, the National Orchestras of Lyons and Ile-de-France. His opera Forever Valley, commissioned by T&M, with a libretto by Marie Redonnet, was premiered in April 2000 at the Théâtre des Amandiers in Nanterre. His opera Pastorale from L'Astrée by Honoré d'Urfé, was first performed in Stuttgart on May 2006. His piano concerto, Future is a faded song has been premiered by Alexandre Tharaud and Zurich Orchestra directed by Pierre-André Valade on 2012.
On June 2018, he is guest artist at ManiFeste, Ircam Festival, with the concert of 5 of his works by Marion Tassou and l'Instant Donné.
Works
Orchestral works
Ensemble music
Chamber music
- Affûts (2002) 4 percussions
- Bruissant divisé (1998) Violin and cello
- Cassation (2003) Clarinet, string trio and piano
- Cassation (2003) Clarinet, string trio and piano
- De loup et d'estoc (2007) 2 cellos
- Dispositions furtives (1988) 2 amplified pianos
- Etant l'arrière son (2011) Flute, clarinet, harp, violin and cello
- Fureur contre informe (pour un tombeau d'Anatole) (1998) String trio
- Gigue (2018) 6 percussions
- La vita è come l'albero di Natale (1992) Violin and piano
- Le Gel, par jeu (2001) 6 instruments
- Mes béatitudes (1995) Piano, violin, viola and cello
- Messe noire (d'après la 9ème Sonate Scriabine) (2008) String quartet
- Nebenstück (1998) Clarinet and string quartet
- Neige bagatelle (2002) Guitar, cello and piano
- Ne pas oublier coq rouge dans jour craquelé (moments Proust) (2010) Violin, cello and piano
- Nocturnes en quatuor (2003) Clarinet, violin, cello and piano
- Non sapremo mai di quiesto mi (2001) Flute, violin and piano
- Paraphernalia (2009) 2 violas
- Peigner le vif (2007) Viola and accordion
- Presque Puzzle (2009) String trio and prepared piano
- Quatuor à cordes n°1 Respirez ne respirez plus (1993) 2 violins, viola and cello
- Quatuor à cordes n°2 Bitume (2008) 2 violins, viola and cello
- Quatuor à cordes n°3 Farrago (2013) 2 violins, viola and cello
- Rebus (pro rebus Harry Vogti) (1999) Flute, clarinet, violin, viola and cello
- Récréations françaises (1995) Sextet
Solo works
Vocal and choral music
- Butterfly le nom (1998) Soprano, chorus and small orchestra
- Cantate égale pays n°1 - Jachère aidant (2010) Voices, ensemble and electronics
- Cantate égale pays n°2 - God's Grandeur (2010) Voices, ensemble and electronics
- Cantate égale pays n°3 - Gd Mmré (2010) Voices, ensemble and electronics
- Chansons (5) (1999) Mezzo-soprano and 5 instruments
- Chants populaires (2008) Chorus
- Contra me (miserere) (2002) Vocal and instrumental ensemble
- Ecrit à Qinzhou (1994) Recitation-singer and piano
- Forever Valley (opéra) (2000) 7 singers, actress and 6 instruments
- Kein deutscher Himmel (1997) Mixed chorus
- Mélodies carthaginoises (2) (1992) Baritone and piano
- Panorama, particolari e licenza (2006) Viola, alto and ensemble
- Pastorale (2006) 11 solo voices, chorus, 8 to 12 dancers and orchestra
- Poèmes de Sandro Penna (5) (1992) Baritone, bass clarinet, horn, violin and cello
- Poèmes de Sandro Penna (5) (1992) Baritone and piano
- Preuve par la neige (2004) Chorus
- Purple Programme (1994) Soprano, bass clarinet and percussion
- Sur-le-champ (1994) 4 singers and ensemble
- Von der Liebe - Adagio de la Troisième Symphonie de Mahler (2010) Mixed chorus
Bibliography
Cran d'arrêt du beau temps
Journal 1991-1998
Editions Van Dieren