Michel Chion

Another master piece from Michel Chion reissued by Nuun in this serie directed by Lionel Marchetti. 'Concrète series by Lionel Marchetti. A concrete melodrama consisting of a prologue and nine tableaux adapted from Flaubert. With Pierre Schaeffer (as St Anthony), Michèle Bokanowski Ennoïa, the Narrator), Art Leroi-Bibbs (the Preacher), Korinna Rahls-Frisius (the Queen of Sheba), Michel Chion (the Announcer). Jointly commissioned by the French Ministry of Culture, the INA.GRM and radio France-Culture. Produced at the INA.GRM studios between 1981 and 1984

I will return to Wikipedia for some extra information on Saint Anthony (ca 251-356) was from Egypt and one of the priests who lived in the desert, with great austerity and later on inspired others to live their life as monks. While in the desert he was tempted by demons to lure him away from true faith, and these temptations have led to works of art, paintings, books and an opera. And here a work by French composer Michel Chion, whom I called a believer, but was boo’d away for it (see, I told you I don’t read French). This work was already composed in 1984, using the voices of Pierre Schaeffer (as Anthony), Michele Bokanowski (as Ennoia), Chion as the narrator and others. Now of course this is all spoken/narrated in French, although Anthony bumps into an English speaking guy (must be a demon), but it all quite interesting to hear. Just as a radiophonic work, with objects falling to the floor, the rustling of papers and other obscured sounds to tell this story, with this fine variety of voices, sounds all very nice. I just sat back and listened and actually enjoyed it a lot. Its like listening to a radio station from a country which language you don’t grasp – or perhaps its my temptation, not to understand this. Fascinating, though. (FdW)