Composer Pierre Henry died in Paris on Wednesday 5 July 2017 at the age of 89. For this broadcast, Mike Kramer selected music from Henry’s last achievement ‘Continuo/Capriccio’.
Producer Mike Kramer wrote an in memoriam that can be read at:
www.concertzender.nl/in-memoriam-pierre-henry/.
‘Continuo/Capriccio’, released by DECCA in 2016 as only one CD and for unknown reasons is not available anymore, shows a Henry who went back to his roots. The album is an intense listening experience which on the one hand sounds terrifying and on the other hand reveals a world that leaves you longing for more.
Especially the last track ‘Capriccio’ can be heard as a sound track for his own farewell. The self-willed composition, the electronics, the piano playing, the rhythmicity, the concrete sounds and the total atmosphere sound as if Henry knew his end was near. The Master of the Musique Concrete was right, and the only thing we can do is to be thankful for this beautiful goodbye.
The selection for this episode consists of the three compositions on the album with long cross-fades and freely applied edits in order to stay within the time limit of one hour.
01
Title: Continuo – Première Partie
Composer: Pierre Henry
Performed by: Pierre Henry
Released: 2016
Title album: Continuo / Capriccio
Label/Nr.: Decca/481 241-1, Decca/4812411
02
Title: Continuo – Deuxième Partie
Composer: Pierre Henry
Performed by: Pierre Henry
Released: 2016
Title album: Continuo / Capriccio
Label/Nr.: Decca/481 241-1, Decca/4812411
03
Title: Capriccio
Composer: Pierre Henry
Performed by: Pierre Henry
Released: 2016
Title album: Continuo / Capriccio
Label/Nr.: Decca/481 241-1, Decca/4812411
