Éric Gaudibert (21 December 1936 – 28 June 2012) was a Swiss

composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and def ...

Career

Gaudibert was born in

Vevey Vevey (; ; ) is a town in Switzerland in the Vaud, canton of Vaud, on the north shore of Lake Leman, near Lausanne. The German name Vivis is no longer commonly used. It was the seat of the Vevey (district), district of the same name until 200 ...

. He studied piano and composition at the Conservatory of Lausanne, particularly with Denise Bidal and Hans Haug, and later in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

in the

École Normale de Musique École or Ecole may refer to: * an elementary school in the French educational stages normally followed by secondary education establishments (collège and lycée) * École (river), a tributary of the Seine flowing in région Île-de-France * Éco ...

with

Alfred Cortot Alfred Denis Cortot ( , ; 26 September 187715 June 1962) was a French pianist, conductor, and teacher who was one of the most renowned classical musicians of the 20th century. A pianist of massive repertory, he was especially valued for his po ...

Henri Dutilleux Henri Paul Julien Dutilleux (; 22 January 1916 – 22 May 2013) was a French composer of late 20th-century classical music. Among the leading French composers of his time, his work was rooted in the Impressionistic style of Debussy and R ...

and

Nadia Boulanger Juliette Nadia Boulanger (; 16 September 188722 October 1979) was a French music teacher, conductor and composer. She taught many of the leading composers and musicians of the 20th century, and also performed occasionally as a pianist and organis ...

. He worked notably in the French "avant-garde" in 1972–1974 in the Maison de la Culture of

Orléans Orléans (,"Orleans"
(US) and Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...

(from 1975) and

Neuchâtel Neuchâtel (, ; ; ) is a list of towns in Switzerland, town, a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality, and the capital (political), capital of the cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Neuchâtel (canton), Neuchâtel on Lake Neuchâtel ...

, he pursued a tradition led by

Béla Bartók Béla Viktor János Bartók (; ; 25 March 1881 – 26 September 1945) was a Hungarian composer, pianist and ethnomusicologist. He is considered one of the most important composers of the 20th century; he and Franz Liszt are regarded as Hunga ...

Arnold Schoenberg Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian and American composer, music theorist, teacher and writer. He was among the first Modernism (music), modernists who transformed the practice of harmony in 20th-centu ...

and

Olivier Messiaen Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen (, ; ; 10 December 1908 – 27 April 1992) was a French composer, organist, and ornithology, ornithologist. One of the major composers of the 20th-century classical music, 20th century, he was also an ou ...

, and over time developed a personal style embracing electronics and the media, poetry, visual art (specifically that by

Paul Klee Paul Klee (; 18 December 1879 – 29 June 1940) was a Swiss-born German artist. His highly individual style was influenced by movements in art that included expressionism, cubism, and surrealism. Klee was a natural draftsman who experimented wi ...

), and literature in a specific spatial, timbral and philosophical inquiry on music. He lived in Confignon,

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

, where he died aged 75.

Works

: Gaudibert's works are largely published by Swiss Music Editions and Éditions Papillon. ;Opera *''Chacun son singe'', Chamber Opera for soprano, baritone, instrumental ensemble and electronic tape (1973–1978); libretto by Philip Kermit Oxman ;Orchestral *''5 pièces brèves'' for string orchestra (1976) *''Divertimento'' for string orchestra (1978) *''Gemmes'', 4 Pieces (1980) *''L'écharpe d'Iris'', Prelude (1984–1985) *''Hommage(s) à...'', Short Pieces (1985) *''Diamant d'herbe'', Poem (1986) *''Duel'' for small string ensemble (ad lib.) (1990) *''Mélodie sans fin'' (1992) *''Jardin d'Est'' (1994) *''Concerto grosso'' for string orchestra (1998) *''Praeludium'' for string orchestra (2007) *''Sur la route du soleil levant'' for string orchestra (2007) ;Concertante *''Epibolie'' for flute and string orchestra (1968) *''Un jardin pour Orphée'' for horn and string orchestra (1985) *''Océans'', Concertino for flute and string orchestra (1988) *Concerto ''"Su fondamenta insivisibli"'' for oboe and orchestra (1991) *''Albumblätter'' for flute and chamber orchestra (1992) *Concerto for cello and orchestra (1993) *Concertino for clarinet and string orchestra (1994) *''A... in Wonderland'' for viola and ensemble (2007) ;Chamber Music *''Duo'' for 2 flutes (1959) *''Morceaux'', 30 Pieces for recorders (1969) *''Epitase'' for violin, viola, cello, harpsichord and tape (1970–1974) *''Syzygy'' for flute and prepared piano (1971) *String Quartet No.1 ''"Entre se taire et dire"'' (1971) *''Vernescence'' for clarinet (or basset horn, or bass clarinet), piano and electroacoustic device (1973) *''Variations lyriques'' for cello solo (1976) *''Suite en 5 pièces'' for guitar solo (1977) *''Capriccio'' for violin solo (1978) *''Contrechamps'' for flute, oboe, cello and harpsichord (1979) *''Astrance'' for wind quintet (1980) *''Light'' for trumpet and piano (1981) *''Orées'' for violin, flute, violoncello, piano and clarinet (1986) *''Miscellanées'' for

panpipes A pan flute (also known as panpipes or syrinx) is a musical instrument based on the principle of the closed tube, consisting of multiple pipes of gradually increasing length (and occasionally girth). Multiple varieties of pan flutes have been ...

, clarinet, cello, marimba, harpsichord and

spinet A spinet is a smaller type of harpsichord or other keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ. Harpsichords When the term ''spinet'' is used to designate a harpsichord, typically what is meant is the ''bentside spinet'', described in this ...

, electro-acoustic slide show (1986) *''Feuillages'' for 3 percussionists (1988) *''Songes'' (Songs) for violin and piano (1989) *''Songes, bruissements'' for violin, cello and piano (1990) *''Petite Suite'', 6 Pieces for 2, 3, and 4 cellos (1990) *''Zwielicht'' (Twilight) for flute and harp (1990) *''Albumblätter'' for 2 flutes (1992–2000) *''Sérénade'' for violin, viola, cello and piano (1992) *''Chant de l'aube'' for horn solo (1993) *''Chant de l'aube'' for viola solo (1993–1995) *''Fanfare pour la paix'' for solo and ensemble ad lib. (1994) *''33 Chansons'' for 2 guitars (1994) *''Deux pas dans le gris'' for accordion solo (1994–1999) *''Deux ou trois pas...'' for double bass solo (1994–1998) *''Deux ou trois pas dans le gris'' for double bass and accordion (1994) *''Le dit d'elle'' for double bass solo (1995) *''Ce tremblement, qui est une volupté'', Duo for 2 oboes (1997–1999) *''Voce, voci'' for harp (1997) *''Fantaisie concertante'' for flute and cello (1998–1999) *''Canzone a tre'' for recorder, Baroque violin and Baroque cello (1998–2000) *''Trois pièces pour accordéon'' (1999) *''Wolkenblau'' for alto flute and guitar (1999–2000) *''A due'' for oboe, clarinet, violin and double bass (2000) *''Message'' for cello solo and viola (2000) *''5 pièces'' for 1, 2 or 3 saxophones (2001) *''Remember...'' for cello and electronics (2001) *''Une promenade'' for transverse flute, bassoon and natural horn (2002) *''Mayn kind, mayn treyt'' for violin and guitar (2002–2004) *''"Pierrot, à table!" ou Le souper du poète'' for percussion, accordion, saxophone, horn and piano (2003) *''Hekâyat'' for rubab, viola, oboe and percussion (2003) *''Pour Orphée'' for horn solo (2004) *''Message(s)'' for cello solo and string quartet (2004) *''Ciel d'ombre'', 3 pieces for

theorbo The theorbo is a plucked string instrument of the lute family, with an extended neck that houses the second pegbox. Like a lute, a theorbo has a curved-back sound box with a flat top, typically with one or three sound holes decorated with rose ...

(2004) *''Ciel d'ombre'' for oboe,

and electronics (2004–2005) *''Au delà'' for flute, viola and cello (2005) *''Images japonaises'' for horn and string quartet (2005) *''5 miniatures'' for string quartet (2005) *String Quartet No.2 ''"Rien, il n'y a rien de plus beau"'' (2006) *''Là'' for guitar (2006) *''2'35"'' (2 Minutes 35 Seconds) for bassoon solo, bass flute, bass clarinet and trumpet (2007) *''Le dit d'elle'' for viola solo (1995, 2007) *''Le chant de la rose'' for

kawala The ''kāwālā'' ( or ; also called ''salamiya'', ) is an end-blown cane flute used in Arabic music. It is similar to the '' ney'' but has six finger holes, while the ''ney'' has seven (including one in the back). The ''kawala'' comes in up t ...

, clarinet and kanun (2008) *''Scr(i)pt'' for solo percussionist (vibraphone, cymbals, triangles,

crotales Crotales (, ), sometimes called antique cymbals, are percussion instruments consisting of small, tuned bronze or brass disks. Each is about in diameter with a flat top surface and a nipple on the base. They are commonly played by being struck ...

, wood-blocks, bongos, bass drum), soprano singer, piccolo flute, oboe, clarinet and double bass (2009) ;Organ *''Jetées'' (1987) ;Piano *''Solstice'' for piano and tape (1971–1976) *''4 Miniatures'' (1976) *''Pour main gauche seule'' (1976) *''Sonate'' (1978) *''Trois Tableau'' for 2 pianos (1993) *''Les amours du poète'' for piano 4-hands (1994) *''Fantaisie concertante'' for piano and Baroque string quartet (1998–1999) *''Fantaisie concertante'' for piano solo (1999–2000) ;Vocal *''Mélodies'' for soprano or tenor and piano (1966) *''Mélodies 2'' for soprano or tenor and piano (1966) *''La Harpe du silence'', Suite lyrique for soprano, contralto, narrator and instrumental ensemble (1966); text by

Blaise Cendrars Frédéric-Louis Sauser (1 September 1887 – 21 January 1961), better known as Blaise Cendrars (), was a Swiss-born novelist and poet who became a naturalized French citizen in 1916. He was a writer of considerable influence in the European ...

*''Année'', 4 Symphonic Movements for soprano, contralto and orchestra (1970); text by Philippe Henri Jaccottet *''Ecritures'', Opéra parlé for voice and tape (1975) *''La cantate des évantails'' for 3 children's voices and instrumental ensemble (1984) *''Du blanc dans le noir'' for 2 children's voices and a small ensemble (1991); words by J.M.G. Le Clézio *''Concerto lirico'' for soprano, cello and percussion (1995) *''Deux airs'' for soprano, cello and percussion (1995) *''Judith et Holopherne'', Melodrama for string orchestra, timbales and narrator (1996); words by François Debluë *''Wolkenblau'' for soprano, alto flute and guitar (1999–2000) *''It Was Not a Melody'' for soprano, flute, bass, viola, trumpet and electronic piano (2000) ;Choral *''Eripe me, Domine (Psalm 140)'' for mixed double chorus a cappella (1978) *''Le regardeur infini'', Six scenes for vocal ensemble, speaker, percussion and harpsichord (1987–1990); words by

Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo, vicomte Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romanticism, Romantic author, poet, essayist, playwright, journalist, human rights activist and politician. His most famous works are the novels ''The Hunchbac ...

*''S'achève ma voix'' for mixed chorus and orchestra (1991) *''Bruit d'ailes'' for 12-part vocal ensemble (1992); words by K. White and

*''Intermezzo'' for female chorus, flute, violin and harp (1996) *''Vers quel ciel éblouissant'', Cantata for mixed chorus and ensemble (2003–2004) *''Intermezzo'' for a vocal ensemble and female voice (2005)

References

External links

Éric Gaudibert, biographyWorks by Éric Gaudibert at MusinfoÉric Gaudibert in the Geneva International Music Competition, biography
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gaudibert, Eric 1936 births 2012 deaths 20th-century Swiss classical composers 21st-century Swiss classical composers People from Vevey Swiss male classical composers 20th-century Swiss male musicians 21st-century Swiss male musicians