Contemporary classical music publisher

Albireo

bass clarinet

Composed in 2013 and dedicated to Jean-Marc Fessard, Albireo is a work for bass clarinet structured in an arch form (A – B – C – B′ – A′), alternating contrasting tempi: Slow – Fast – Slow – Fast – Slow.

The title refers to Albireo, the double star situated at the end of the Cygnus constellation. To the naked eye, it appears as a single third-magnitude star; however, when observed through a telescope, it is revealed to be two distinct celestial bodies: Albireo A, a yellow star of magnitude 3.1, and Albireo B, a blue star of magnitude 5.1.

  • Part A (Misterioso) is built on a motif derived from the name “Jean-Marc Fessard,” transcribed into musical notes using the Southern European solmisation system: F, E, E♭, E♭, A, D, D. This motif is subjected to various transformations, developed across different registers characteristic of the bass clarinet’s timbral range.
  • Part B (Vivo) is rhythmically driven and based on a derivative of the final three notes of the retrograde of motif A. The music unfolds through a repetitive structure that alternates 3- and 5-beat cycles, referencing the magnitudes of Albireo A and B. A progressive compression of the metre (4/4, 7/8, 6/8, 5/8) leads seamlessly into the central section.
  • Part C (Teneramente) reveals the “song” of Albireo. Here, the rhythmic material of section B is melodically transformed, with alternating high and low lines evoking the dual nature of the binary star.
  • In part B′ (Vivo), the material of section B returns in a varied form, now alternating 3- and 1-beat cycles, producing a sense of compressed repetition.

The final section, A′ (Misterioso), offers a variation of the opening, focused more intimately on shifting registers within the instrument, bringing the piece to a contemplative close.

The world premiere took place on 2 April [year not specified] at the Conservatoire d’Aulnay-sous-Bois (France), performed by Jean‑Marc Fessard (clarinet and bass clarinet), alongside Didier Pateau (oboe), Guillaume Demougeot (clarinet), and Elisabeth Kissel (bassoon).

This work is available as Hard Copy at

6,00 8,00 

You may also like...

PDF or Hard Copy
11,32 20,00 
PDF
24,34 
PDF
9,05 
PDF or Hard Copy
21,60 36,00 
PDF or Hard Copy
9,59 16,00 
Hard Copy
16,00