Eric Tanguy has three important premieres coming up in the next few weeks: the world premieres of Cercle (for soprano and piano) and Nouvelle Etude (for piano) as well as the the first British performance of In a dream, a composition for violin and piano. Learn more about these works:

Cercle for soprano and piano
“The piece was based on a poem written by the wonderful international violinist Alexandra Soumm. I knew of her incredible musical talents, but she also has great love for poetry which she likes to share and read in public. One day I discovered one of her poems and asked Alexandra if I could put it - Cercle, which is about a lover’s sorrow - to music, as the beauty of the text and its musicality had particularly touched me.

The score was composed in New York in May 2014. The premiere will be at Radio-France on 9th June and broadcast on 14th June on France-Musique during Arièle Butaux’s programme, whose idea was to ask Alexandra to play one of my pieces in light of this premiere based on her poem.”

In a dream for violin and piano
“Composed over 2013-2014, the work is the result of a request by Akiko Suwanai and was commissioned by the International Music Festival NIPPON.

In 2011, Éric Crambes, the director of the Festival des Arcs in France, had invited me to be Composer in Residence, and had scheduled the performance of several of my pieces. On this occasion, I was lucky enough and very thrilled to meet the wonderful violinist Akiko Suwanai, and to work with her during the sumptuous performance of my Sonata for violin and cello, which she gave along with Xavier Phillips. After, Akiko suggested I write a piece for her for her festival and I did so with great joy.

After having discussed things together in great detail, I composed a score whose simultaneously poetic and tormented character seemed to me a perfect musical response to this artistic discussion. The title In a dream refers to a nocturnal mood  punctuated by sudden dramatic lifts. The piece, though only one movement, is articulated by distinct sections, implementing continual variation on the dialogue between the violin and the piano. Harmonically, the work falls within my continual modal research and passion for sound both of which have defined my music for twenty or so years.

The work, lasting about seven minutes, is dedicated to Akiko Suwanai and Akira Eguchi. “

Nouvelle Etude for piano
“This work is commissioned by the prestigious Piano Sphère series in Los Angeles and also by Steven Vanhauwaert. This score, written during 2014 – 15, is the result of a specific request by Steven, in light of his recital in June 2015, which he wanted to dedicate solely to a programme of studies by different composers.

I had already composed two studies for piano twenty years ago and I was happy to be able to return to this principle of focusing on one “specific idea” developed throughout a short piece. Even if the duration is not long (3 minutes), the player is confronted with a certain virtuosity and scansion of a kaleidoscope of obsessional rhythmic patterns which appear in all registers of the piano. I am happy to dedicate Nouvelle Etude to Steven Vanhauwaert.”