François VERCKEN
François Vercken studied composition with Daniel
Lesur and Serge Nigg. For thirty years he was a programme director with
several of the O.R.T.F divisions, then with Radio France, both in Paris
and in the province. At the same time he was for ten years producer and
host of a weekly programme devoted to music played by amateurs - mainly
choirs - broadcast by France Musique. Moreover, he composed numerous works
: symphonies, lyrical and chamber music.
A record with an overview of his work was awarded, in
1985, the European Audio-visual Grand Prize.
At present his time is divided between composing, conducting
an amateur choir and writing a music chronicle for "Le Monde de la
Musique" and "Panorama".
Fulgurances was written for the Levy & Ben Attar Duet
at the beginning of 1994.
Like a conversation where one talks about this and that,
integrating reminiscences of Django Reinhardt, where the instruments are
sometimes loving, sometimes aggressive, Fulgurances is actually a skilful
counterpoint with daring combinations : "Thème à l'écrivisse"
(one forward, two backward), "thème en miroir" (mirror
theme), dilation, contraction and an alchemy of dynamics and colours make
it a captivating work with a luminous sensuality.