Plus près de toi que tu ne l’es toi-même

This work has been written in 2006 for the Foundation for Universal Sacred Music of New York, commission awarded through competition. The text has been realized by the composer, after texts of different religious traditions.

The first performance has taken place on November 4^th, 2006, during the 2^nd Festival for Universal Sacred Music of New York. The Sangita Choir was directed by Susanne Peck.

Duration of the work : approximately 13 minutes

Presentation

The work alternates tensions and relaxations, as well on the agogical as on the harmonic level. The first part is a Sung of Praise, beginning in a solemn manner and continuing with a more intimate passage, sung by the group of soloists. The second part begins with two great crescendos, after which arise ecstatic 7^th chords, resolving the one on the other, before going back up to the climax. The work ends on a long pentatonic chord.

The texts used are taken from the Yotser (Jewish blessing from the VIII. Century, after Isaiah 45:7), from the Ahava (other Jewish blessing), from the Cherubinischer Wandersmann by Angelus Silesius, from Psalm 145, from the Gospel according to the tradition of John, from the great Hymn to the Sun (written at the time of Amenemhat II), from two poems by Toukaram, from the Ekottarâgamasûtra, the Great Sûtra of Infinite Life (Dai-Muryojukyo), the Sûtra of the Contemplation of Infinite Life (Kan-Muryojukyo), and from a mystical poem by Ibn ’Arabi.

Laurent Mettraux