Alternances Op. 140

Alternances is a late piano work by Absil, conceived as a single-movement essay of approximately 14 minutes​.

Its title suggests the principle of alternation, which the music reflects through sharply contrasting sections in tempo and character. Absil’s harmonic language here is highly chromatic yet rooted in the modal schemes of his own invention: he employs “new modes, which he replaces for each piece,” yielding chords outside classical tonality that still convey tension and resolution.

The piece unfolds as a series of episodic variations and returns, creating a mosaic form. Rapid toccata-like passages alternate with slower, sonorous sequences, exploiting the full range of the piano’s color. Despite the modern idiom, the ear discerns an underlying coherence, as Absil avoids outright atonality; even in complex polyphony the voices eventually gravitate toward a unique tonal center​. In its virtuosity and textural inventiveness, Alternances epitomizes Absil’s mature style of the 1960s.

Composed in 1968, Alternances belongs to Absil’s prolific late period, by which time he was in his mid-70s and a revered figure in Belgian music circles. The work came after a series of polymodal piano compositions Absil had produced in the 1950s and ’60s, including homage pieces and suites. While not written for any specific competition or performer, Alternances can be seen as a summation of Absil’s lifelong engagement with piano music – he had been a skilled pianist himself and frequently returned to the instrument for experimentation​.

In terms of reception, Alternances remains a relatively obscure work outside Belgium, in part due to Absil’s general neglect internationally​. Within his home country, however, it has been recognized by specialists as a challenging and rewarding piece. Its blend of rhythmic vitality and harmonic subtlety has been noted by Belgian critics, who regard it as an important example of Absil’s late polymodal writing. Though the work has not entered the standard concert repertoire, it occasionally features in recital programs devoted to 20th-century Belgian music.

A handful of recordings by Belgian pianists have emerged on niche labels, testifying to its continued life in the recorded medium. For instance, pianist Daniel Blumenthal’s extensive survey of Absil’s piano works (released in 2011) helped bring renewed attention to pieces like Alternances, although this particular work required a separate live recording due to its technical demands. Overall, Alternances stands as a testament to Jean Absil’s enduring inventiveness at the keyboard, appreciated by connoisseurs even if seldom encountered by general audiences.