Thrène

Thrène (1995) opens with a five-note sixteenth-note ostinato in the high register of the piano, over which a plaintive and expressive melody gradually unfolds. This solemn introduction sets the tone for a work marked by grief, intensity and introspection.

A more rhythmic section follows, constructed through the increasingly dense accumulation of short imitative cells, exchanged between piano and voice (or instrument). This intricate contrapuntal writing leads to an intense climax, which then gives way to a brief melodic respite—a moment of calm amidst turbulence.

The atmosphere soon becomes haunting and suspended, as the piano ostinato returns and the vocal/instrumental line ascends gradually into the upper register. This ascent culminates in a second dramatic climax, characterised by piano clusters in alternation with the high A of the voice or instrument, evoking a sense of emotional urgency.

In the final section, the opening melody reappears, now in canon between the voice/instrument and the bass of the piano, while the ostinato, originally heard at the beginning, continues in the high register. This subtle interplay of registers and textures provides a poignant sense of closure, as the lament slowly retreats into silence.

Michel Lysight has produced several instrumental versions of Thrène, making it accessible to a variety of performers. Among the available recordings:

• Labyrinthes / Works by Michel Lysight – Ensemble Nouvelles Consonances (Cyprès 4602)
• Cosmographies / Works for Wind and Piano – Ensemble Quartz (Quartziade 014)
• Damien Pardœn, violin & Stéphane De May, piano (Fibonacci Productions 002, out of print)
• Masterpieces for Horn and Piano – Francis Orval, horn & Jean-Claude Vanden Eynden, piano (Fibonacci Productions 004, out of print)