Hal Got Rhythm

Composed in 1999 as part of the Serenata for 2000 project — a collaborative musical fresco involving thirteen Belgian composers from both Flemish and French-speaking communities — Hal Got Rhythm was Michel Lysight’s contribution to this commemorative initiative marking the turn of the millennium. Each composer was asked to depict a key event or theme from the twentieth century in a work of approximately five minutes. For Lysight, the chosen subject was the invention of the computer.

Infused with a repetitive and mechanical character reflecting the logic of algorithmic processes, the piece nonetheless leaves room for expressive lyricism. This interplay between precision and emotion lies at the heart of Lysight’s musical language.

The title Hal Got Rhythm is a clever triple pun. It nods first to HAL 9000, the sentient computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick — a symbol of both technological promise and existential anxiety. Second, it refers to the word “algorithm,” highlighting the work’s structural rigor and computational inspiration. Finally, it alludes playfully to George Gershwin’s iconic I Got Rhythm, suggesting a link between the cold regularity of machines and the infectious vitality of jazz.

A compelling synthesis of minimalism, rhythmic complexity, and melodic clarity, Hal Got Rhythm stands as a vibrant portrait of the digital age at the dawn of the 21st century.