Tenson

Tenson (2019) is a chamber work in three movements, inspired by the medieval poetic form of the same name, drawn from the tradition of the troubadours. A tenson was typically a dialogue or debate, often composed in verse, in which two poets exchanged views—sometimes in courtly agreement, at other times in spirited opposition.

In this composition, Michel Lysight transposes the essence of the tenson into a musical dialogue between three instruments. Each movement embodies a different form of exchange or interaction: at times gracious and lyrical, at others more animated or polemical, depending on the melodic contour and rhythmic interplay. This conversational character is reflected in the frequent alternation of phrases, imitation, and contrasting textures that suggest both rhetorical finesse and expressive confrontation.

The world première was given by the Plumeria Winds ensemble on 26 September 2021 at the Sound Waves Music Festival (USA).
The same ensemble subsequently performed the work four times during a Brazilian tour across Rio de Janeiro, held between November and December 2021. The piece is dedicated to these performers.