André Bon
Encyclopedia
André Bon is a French
composer. A student of Olivier Messiaen
, he has composed over fifty works including several chamber opera
s. He is Professor of Composition at the Argenteuil
Conservatory.
and studied music and composition at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris
. Following his graduation from the Conservatoire, he won the Prix de Rome
, and spent two years of further study at the French Academy in Rome
.
In succeeding years, his work in composition has been supported by several further fellowships and prizes, including the Lili Boulanger
Prize (1975), the Hervé Dugardin Prize from SACEM (Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique)
(1979), SACEM's Composers Prize (1992), and the Monbinne Prize of the Académie des Beaux-Arts
(1995).
Awards for his operas include the Award for the Best French Creation granted by the French Society of Drama and Music Critics (1987) and the New Talents Award of the French authors’ society, the SACD (Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques), in 1988 for Le Rapt de Persephone (The Rape of Persephone); the Samuel Rousseau Prize from the Académie des Beaux-Arts (1993) and the Wolf-Ebermann Prize of the International Theatre Institute in Munich (1996) for his opera La jeune fille au livre (Girl with a Book); and Prix Musique 2009 from SACD Iq & Ox.
In addition to his professorships at Argenteuil and the American Conservatory of Fontainebleau, Bon has taught 20th century musicology
at the University of Aix-en-Provence and has been a composer-in-residence at the Atlantic Center for the Arts
in Florida and at the Henry Clews
Foundation (Château de La Napoule, Cannes
).
Emergence (1980)
Fresques (2000)
Ode (1979)
Ode II (1985)
Poursuite (1975)
Carnets (1990)
Concertare
La Création (2000)
Ricercare
Travelling (1989)
Four études for three trombones (1996)
Seven études for Émergence (1981)
Iniziare (2007)
Invention (1999)
Polyptyque, volet 1 (1997)
Polyptyque, volet 2 (1997)
Suonare I (1982)
Suonare II (1982)
Suonare III (1988)
Suonare IV (2003)
Winter in Kyoto (2000)
Iq et Ox (2009)
La jeune fille au livre (1993)
Le Rapt de Persephone (1986)
Tobias (1996)
La Cantate des oiseaux (2008)
Chants espaces 1: Aujourd'hui et demain
Chants espaces 2: Enchaînement
Chants espaces 3: D'amour du dire
D'un chant perdu (1983)
Deux paroles de Prévert (1966)
Enquêtes (1980)
Gala (2009)
Les Guerres du poète (2000)
La Morte di Ulisse (2004)
Que nous deux sur la terre (1995)
Le retour du soleil (1981)
Sonnet (1984)
Uki (2004)
Les vallées du cinéma (1991)
La Voix (1995)
Histoire (1977)
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
composer. A student of Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Messiaen was a French composer, organist and ornithologist, one of the major composers of the 20th century. His music is rhythmically complex ; harmonically and melodically it is based on modes of limited transposition, which he abstracted from his early compositions and improvisations...
, he has composed over fifty works including several chamber opera
Chamber opera
Chamber opera is a designation for operas written to be performed with a chamber ensemble rather than a full orchestra.The term and form were invented by Benjamin Britten in the 1940s, when the English Opera Group needed works that could easily be taken on tour and performed in a variety of small...
s. He is Professor of Composition at the Argenteuil
Argenteuil
Argenteuil is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Argenteuil is a sub-prefecture of the Val-d'Oise department, the seat of the arrondissement of Argenteuil....
Conservatory.
Biography
André Bon was born in LilleLille
Lille is a city in northern France . It is the principal city of the Lille Métropole, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country behind those of Paris, Lyon and Marseille. Lille is situated on the Deûle River, near France's border with Belgium...
and studied music and composition at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris
Conservatoire de Paris
The Conservatoire de Paris is a college of music and dance founded in 1795, now situated in the avenue Jean Jaurès in the 19th arrondissement of Paris, France...
. Following his graduation from the Conservatoire, he won the Prix de Rome
Prix de Rome
The Prix de Rome was a scholarship for arts students, principally of painting, sculpture, and architecture. It was created, initially for painters and sculptors, in 1663 in France during the reign of Louis XIV. It was an annual bursary for promising artists having proved their talents by...
, and spent two years of further study at the French Academy in Rome
French Academy in Rome
The French Academy in Rome is an Academy located in the Villa Medici, within the Villa Borghese, on the Pincio in Rome, Italy.-History:...
.
In succeeding years, his work in composition has been supported by several further fellowships and prizes, including the Lili Boulanger
Lili Boulanger
Lili Boulanger was a French composer, the younger sister of the noted composer and composition teacher Nadia Boulanger.-Early years:A Parisian-born child prodigy, who was good at piano...
Prize (1975), the Hervé Dugardin Prize from SACEM (Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique)
Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique
Société des auteurs, compositeurs et éditeurs de musique is a French professional association collecting payments of artists’ rights and distributing the rights to the original songwriters, composers and music publishers.-History:...
(1979), SACEM's Composers Prize (1992), and the Monbinne Prize of the Académie des Beaux-Arts
Académie des beaux-arts
The Académie des Beaux-Arts is a French learned society. It is one of the five academies of the Institut de France.It was created in 1795 as the merger of the:* Académie de peinture et de sculpture...
(1995).
Awards for his operas include the Award for the Best French Creation granted by the French Society of Drama and Music Critics (1987) and the New Talents Award of the French authors’ society, the SACD (Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques), in 1988 for Le Rapt de Persephone (The Rape of Persephone); the Samuel Rousseau Prize from the Académie des Beaux-Arts (1993) and the Wolf-Ebermann Prize of the International Theatre Institute in Munich (1996) for his opera La jeune fille au livre (Girl with a Book); and Prix Musique 2009 from SACD Iq & Ox.
In addition to his professorships at Argenteuil and the American Conservatory of Fontainebleau, Bon has taught 20th century musicology
Musicology
Musicology is the scholarly study of music. The word is used in narrow, broad and intermediate senses. In the narrow sense, musicology is confined to the music history of Western culture...
at the University of Aix-en-Provence and has been a composer-in-residence at the Atlantic Center for the Arts
Atlantic Center for the Arts
Atlantic Center for the Arts is a nonprofit, interdisciplinary artists’ community and arts education facility dedicated to promoting artistic excellence by providing talented artists an opportunity to work and collaborate with some of the world’s most distinguished contemporary artists in the...
in Florida and at the Henry Clews
Henry Clews
-Biography:He was born in 1836 in Staffordshire, England, and emigrated to the United States around 1850. His first job was at an import business, working as a junior clerk. In 1859 he co-founded Livermore, Clews, and Company, what was then the second largest marketer of federal bonds during the...
Foundation (Château de La Napoule, Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
).
Orchestral
Convergence (1973)- For oboe d'amoreOboe d'amoreThe oboe d'amore , less commonly oboe d'amour, is a double reed woodwind musical instrument in the oboe family. Slightly larger than the oboe, it has a less assertive and more tranquil and serene tone, and is considered the mezzo-soprano of the oboe family, between the oboe itself and the cor...
and orchestra: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, 1 tuba, harp, guitar, piano, 5 percussionists, strings. 24 min, Paris 1974, unpublished
Emergence (1980)
- For youth orchestra, commissioned by the Minister of Culture: 3 flutes, 3 clarinets, alto saxophone, 2 trumpets, 1 trombone, piano, 1 percussionist, strings. 12 min, Bagnols-sur-Cèze 1981, Edition BMG collection Amphion
Fresques (2000)
- For grand orchestra, commissioned by Radio FranceRadio FranceRadio France is a French public service radio broadcaster.-Mission:Radio France's two principal missions are:* To create and expand the programming on all of their stations; and...
: , harpsichord, harp, piano, cimbalom, 5 percussionists, strings. 35 min, Paris 2001, Edition Radio France
Ode (1979)
- For Orchestra Mozart, commissioned by the Minister of Culture: 13 min, Lille 1980, Edition BMG collection Amphion
Ode II (1985)
- For Orchestra Haydn, commissioned by Ensemble AlternanceEnsemble AlternanceEnsemble Alternance is a chamber ensemble of soloists devoted to the performance of contemporary classical music. The ensemble was founded in 1983 by the flautist Jean-Luc Menet with intention of "developing, integrating and exploiting the chock of temporal passages as well as cultural and new...
: , timpani if desired, 4 first violins, 3 second violins, 2 violas, 2 cellos, 1 double bass. 13 min, Lisbon 1986, Edition BMG collection Amphion
Poursuite (1975)
- For grand orchestra: , harp, 5 percussionists, strings. 26 min, Rome 1976, Edition BMG collection Amphion
Ensemble
Andare- For flute, clarinet, guitar, harp, piano, percussion, violin, viola, and cello. Commissioned by Radio France. 13 min, Paris 1979, Edition LEMOINE collection Jobert.
Carnets (1990)
- For six instruments ad libitum and piano, four hands. Commissioned by the Minister of Culture. 13 min, Edition FUZEAU.
Concertare
- For twelve string players: 3 first violins, 3 second violins, 3 violas, 2 cellos, 1 double bass. 13 min, Rome 1976, Edition LEMOINE collection.
La Création (2000)
- Eight pieces for children's orchestra. Percussion-based. Commissioned by the city of Blanc-MesnilBlanc-MesnilBlanc-Mesnil is a village and former commune in the Seine-Maritime department, northwestern France. Since 1822, it is part of Sainte-Marguerite-sur-Mer.-Twin towns:It is Twinned with the Borough of Sandwell in the West Midlands, England....
. 13 min, Blanc-Mesnil 2001, unpublished.
Ricercare
- For seventeen instruments: flute, cor anglais, 2 clarinets, 1 bass clarinet, alto saxophone, horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, piano, harp, percussion, viola, 2 cellos, double bass. 13 min, Zagreb Biennial 1977, Edition LEMOINE collection Jobert.
Travelling (1989)
- For eleven instruments: wind quintet, string quintet, harp. Commissioned by the Minister of Culture. 13 min, Paris 1989, Edition BMG collection Amphion.
Chamber
Canzone (1974)- For trombone. Commissioned by the Minister of Culture. 7 min, Paris Théâtre de la Ville 1975, Edition BMG collection Amphion.
Four études for three trombones (1996)
- Commissioned by Musicatreize. 6 min, Marseille 1996, Edition BMG collection Amphion.
Seven études for Émergence (1981)
- Commissioned by the Minister of Culture. Each is for a different instrument: 1) flute, 2) clarinet, 3) alto saxophone, 4) trumpet, 5) piano, 6) violin, 7) cello. 2 min each, total 14 min, Nanterre 1996, Edition BMG collection Amphion.
Iniziare (2007)
- For two alto saxophones. Commissioned by Saxetera. 5 min, Dreux 2008, Edition Billaudot.
Invention (1999)
- For piano. 3 min, unpublished.
Polyptyque, volet 1 (1997)
- For oboe and cello. Commissioned by Cefedem-Sud. 5 min, Marseille 1997, Edition BMG Collection Amphion.
Polyptyque, volet 2 (1997)
- For bassoon and viola. Commissioned by Cefedem-Sud. 8 min 30 sec, Marseille 1997, unpublished.
Suonare I (1982)
- For harpsichord and piano. Commissioned by Maryse and Seth Carlin. 6 min 30 sec, St Louis, Missouri USA 1982, Edition BMG Collection Amphion.
Suonare II (1982)
- For harp and cimbalom. Commissioned by Ensemble SIC and the Festival of Auch. Auch 1996.
Suonare III (1988)
- For harp, harpsichord, cimbalom and piano. Commissioned by Radio France. 11 min, Paris 1991, Edition BMG collection Amphion.
Suonare IV (2003)
- For harp and harpsichord. Commissioned by CNSM de Lyon. 4 min, Edition Fuzeau.
Winter in Kyoto (2000)
- For shakuhachi (or flute) and cello. 11 min, Paris 2003, unpublished.
Operas
Adam et Eve (1971)- Chamber opera for one actor, two singers and six instrumentalists (trombone, guitar, piano, organ, and two percussionists). Based on Le Jeu d’Adam, an anonymous medieval work. 22 min, Paris 1972, unpublished.
Iq et Ox (2009)
- Opera for three adult singers, six child singers, and children's choir. Libretto by Jean-Claude GrumbergJean-Claude GrumbergJean-Claude Grumberg is a French writer of children's books and a playwright.- Early life :Before becoming a playwright, Jean-Claude Grumberg held several jobs including working as a tailor, he takes to the middle part of his play L'Atelier. He discovered drama being an actor in the company...
. Commissioned by the Minister of Culture. For flute, oboe, clarinet, 2 horns, trombone, piano, percussion, violin, viola, cello, double bass. 66 min, Metz 2009, Prix Musique de la SACD, Editions Musicales de la Salamandre.
La jeune fille au livre (1993)
- Opera for soloists, choir and orchestra. Libretto by Michel Beretti. Commissioned by the Minister of Culture, the Beaumarchais Foundation, and the Henry Clews Foundation. For , piano, 2 percussionists, and strings. 66 min, Film INA, La SEPT/ARTE, Radio-France, Prix Samuel Rousseau de l’Académie des Beaux-Arts, Wolf-Ebermann-Preis des Internationalen Theaterinstituts, Edition BMG collection Durand.
Le Rapt de Persephone (1986)
- Opera for soloists, choir and orchestra. Libretto by Dominique FernandezDominique FernandezDominique Fernandez is an openly homosexual French novelist and member of the Académie française...
. Commissioned by the Minister of Culture. For , piano, harp, 4 percussionists, and strings. 55 min, Nancy 1987, Prix de la « meilleure création française » décerné par la Critique Dramatique et Musicale, Prix des Talents nouveaux de la SACD, Edition Choudens.
Tobias (1996)
- Chamber opera for 5 soloists and eight instrumentalists (1 trumpet, 2 trombones, 1 percussionist, 2 violas, and 1 double bass). Libretto by Michel Beretti. Commissioned by the Minister of Culture. 44 min, Caen 1996, unpublished.
Other vocal music
L'Amour de loin (2000)- Four poems by Jacqueline RissetJacqueline RissetJacqueline Risset is a French poet noted for her work on the board of the literary journal Tel Quel along with Julia Kristeva and Philippe Sollers, and for her translations of Italian poetry into French. Risset's books include Sleep's Powers and The Translation Begins.Risset was born in Besançon,...
, set for a capella choir. Commissioned by Musique et Danse en Lorraine. 12 min, Bar-le-Duc 2000, Edition FUZEAU (French-English bilingual edition)
La Cantate des oiseaux (2008)
- Cantata for two soloists and children's choir. Words by Farîd-ud-dîn’Attar. Commissioned by the city of ArgenteuilArgenteuilArgenteuil is a commune in the northwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris. Argenteuil is a sub-prefecture of the Val-d'Oise department, the seat of the arrondissement of Argenteuil....
. For 12 flutes, 3 clarinets, 2 saxophones, 1 trombone, percussionist, accordion, and piano. 13 min, Argenteuil 2008, unpublished.
Chants espaces 1: Aujourd'hui et demain
- For baritone, shakuhachiShakuhachiThe is a Japanese end-blown flute. It is traditionally made of bamboo, but versions now exist in ABS and hardwoods. It was used by the monks of the Fuke school of Zen Buddhism in the practice of...
(or alto fluteAlto fluteThe alto flute is a type of Western concert flute, a musical instrument in the woodwind family. It is the next extension downward of the C flute after the flûte d'amour. It is characterized by its distinct, mellow tone in the lower portion of its range...
) and cello. 7 min, Tokyo 1974, unpublished.
Chants espaces 2: Enchaînement
- For contralto, viola d'amoreViola d'amoreThe viola d'amore is a 7- or 6-stringed musical instrument with sympathetic strings used chiefly in the baroque period. It is played under the chin in the same manner as the violin.- Structure and sound :...
(or viola) and piano. 8 min, Paris 1977, unpublished.
Chants espaces 3: D'amour du dire
- Cantata for contralto, baritone, alto flute, viola, cello and piano. Poem by Dominique Buisset. 13 min, Kyoto 1999, unpublished.
D'un chant perdu (1983)
- For soprano and orchestra. Poem by Marceline Desbordes-ValmoreMarceline Desbordes-ValmoreMarceline Desbordes-Valmore was a French poet.She was born in Douai. Following the French Revolution, her family emigrated to Guadeloupe. In 1817 she married her second husband, the actor Prosper Lanchantin-Valmore....
. Commissioned by the Minister of Culture. For , 2 saxophones, harp, piano, 5 percussionists, strings. 15 min, Metz 1985, Edition BMG collection Amphion.
Deux paroles de Prévert (1966)
- Two songs based on poems by Jacques PrévertJacques PrévertJacques Prévert was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain very popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. Some of the movies he wrote are extremely well regarded, with Les Enfants du Paradis considered one of the greatest films of all time.-Life and...
, with piano accompaniment. Unpublished.
Enquêtes (1980)
- For choir and 13 instruments: 3 B-flat clarinets, 1 alto saxophone, 1 tenor saxophone, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, piano, 2 percussionists, double bass. Poem by Eugène GuillevicEugène GuillevicEugène Guillevic was one of the better known French poets of the second half of the 20th century. Professionally, he went under just the single name "Guillevic".-Life:...
. Commissioned by the Minister of Culture. 22 min, Paris 1983, Edition BM, collection Amphion.
Gala (2009)
- For mezzo-soprano and piano. Based on a letter from Gala DalíGala DalíGala Dalí , usually known simply as Gala, was the wife of first Paul Éluard, then Salvador Dalí, and an inspiration for them and many other writers and artists.- Early years :...
to Paul ÉluardPaul ÉluardPaul Éluard, born Eugène Émile Paul Grindel , was a French poet who was one of the founders of the surrealist movement.-Biography:...
. Commissioned by Compagnie Poursuite. 13 min, unpublished.
Les Guerres du poète (2000)
- Three melodies for sonnets by Pierre de RonsardPierre de RonsardPierre de Ronsard was a French poet and "prince of poets" .-Early life:...
. 11 min, unpublished.
La Morte di Ulisse (2004)
- Cantata for bass voice and ensemble, based on DanteDANTEDelivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
's Inferno. Commissioned by the Minister of Culture. For oboe d'amoreOboe d'amoreThe oboe d'amore , less commonly oboe d'amour, is a double reed woodwind musical instrument in the oboe family. Slightly larger than the oboe, it has a less assertive and more tranquil and serene tone, and is considered the mezzo-soprano of the oboe family, between the oboe itself and the cor...
, bassoon, violin, cello, organ, harpsichord, and theorboTheorboA theorbo is a plucked string instrument. As a name, theorbo signifies a number of long-necked lutes with second pegboxes, such as the liuto attiorbato, the French théorbe des pièces, the English theorbo, the archlute, the German baroque lute, the angélique or angelica. The etymology of the name...
. 16 min, Sens 2004, unpublished.
Que nous deux sur la terre (1995)
- For baritone and piano. Based on a letter from Paul ÉluardPaul ÉluardPaul Éluard, born Eugène Émile Paul Grindel , was a French poet who was one of the founders of the surrealist movement.-Biography:...
to Gala DalíGala DalíGala Dalí , usually known simply as Gala, was the wife of first Paul Éluard, then Salvador Dalí, and an inspiration for them and many other writers and artists.- Early years :...
. Commissioned by the Festival of Saint-DenisSaint-DenisSaint-Denis is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Saint-Denis is a sous-préfecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Denis....
. 13 min, Saint-Denis 1995, unpublished.
Le retour du soleil (1981)
- For soprano and orchestra. Three poems by Louise LabéLouise LabéLouise Labé, , also identified as La Belle Cordière, , was a female French poet of the Renaissance, born at Lyon, the daughter of a rich ropemaker, Pierre Charly, and his second wife, Etiennette Roybet...
. Commissioned by Radio FranceRadio FranceRadio France is a French public service radio broadcaster.-Mission:Radio France's two principal missions are:* To create and expand the programming on all of their stations; and...
. For , 2 harps, 4 percussionists, strings. 16 min, Paris 1983, Edition Radio France.
Sonnet (1984)
- For soprano and 6 instrumentalists. Poem by Louise LabéLouise LabéLouise Labé, , also identified as La Belle Cordière, , was a female French poet of the Renaissance, born at Lyon, the daughter of a rich ropemaker, Pierre Charly, and his second wife, Etiennette Roybet...
. For flute, clarinet, piano, cimbalom, violin and cello. 6 min 30 sec, Strasbourg 1986, Edition BMG collection Amphion.
Uki (2004)
- Two songs for children's choir, with 12 instrumentalists. Poems by Yasushi InoueYasushi InoueYasushi Inoue was a Japanese writer whose range of genres included poetry, essays, short fiction, and novels...
and Raymond QueneauRaymond QueneauRaymond Queneau was a French poet and novelist and the co-founder of Ouvroir de littérature potentielle .-Biography:Born in Le Havre, Seine-Maritime, Queneau was the only child of Auguste Queneau and Joséphine Mignot...
. Commissioned by Musique et Danse en Lorraine, CIM de Bar-le-Duc, CEFEDEM de Lorraine. For 4 flutes, 1 oboes, 1 clarinet, 1 soprano saxophone, 1 tenor saxophone, 1 baritone saxophone, 2 violins, 1 cello. 13 min, Bar-le-Duc 2004, unpublished.
Les vallées du cinéma (1991)
- Cantata for 4 soloists, chamber choir, and orchestra. Commissioned for Orchestra Mozart by the Minister of Culture. Texts by Marguerite DurasMarguerite DurasMarguerite Donnadieu, better known as Marguerite Duras was a French writer and film director.-Background:...
, Louise LabéLouise LabéLouise Labé, , also identified as La Belle Cordière, , was a female French poet of the Renaissance, born at Lyon, the daughter of a rich ropemaker, Pierre Charly, and his second wife, Etiennette Roybet...
, and HomerHomerIn the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
. For , strings. 40 min, Paris 1991, Prix SACEM for best French work, Edition BMG collection Durand.
La Voix (1995)
- Madrigal for 5 voices, based on a poem by Francisco Ruiz de Infante. Commissioned by Musicatreize. 10 min, Marseille 1996, Edition BMG collection Amphion.
Electroacoustic
L'image des sons (1973)- Created in the studio of GRM Radio France, Paris 1973, unpublished.
Histoire (1977)
- Created in the studio of the University of East AngliaUniversity of East AngliaThe University of East Anglia is a public research university based in Norwich, United Kingdom. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities.-History:...
, Norwich. Premiere: Paris 1980. Unpublished.
External links
- André Bon at Durand Edition (biography and list of works)
- André Bon on the Musique Contemporaine portal