Oréades

Oréades (1991), for violin (or flute), percussion, and piano, is a work in which the composer pursues one of his central artistic preoccupations: the quest for original timbres and sonorities. Across its three contrasting movements, the piece explores a variety of atmospheric worlds, yet remains anchored in a poetic and dreamlike spirit—most notably in the first and third movements, where lyricism and sonic delicacy take precedence.

The central movement, by contrast, is brief, brisk, and rhythmically incisive. A kind of miniature interlude, it offers a moment of mischievous relief—humorous, but finely sculpted with precision and restraint.

Throughout Oréades, instrumental colour plays a central role. Whether in the ethereal interplay of the opening, the playful vitality of the interlude, or the meditative textures of the final section, the work invites the listener into a richly imaginative sound world.

A CD recording—now out of print—was made by André Siwy (violin), Sarah Mouradoglou (percussion), and Stéphane De May (piano), and released on the René Gailly label (87 111).