updated 6 March 2020
Jacques Rebotier
French composer, writer, and director, born in 1950.
Writer, composer, and director Jacques Rebotier is the creator of disturbing, joyful works, which combine a demanding writing style with an atmosphere of unpredictability, or rather, of conceptual incongruity.
He founded the voQue Company: voix, invocation, équivoque [voice, invocation, ambiguity]. The group presents happenings involving poetry, photo-novels, reading-performance, theatre-installations, dance, music, etc.
Jacques Rebotier’s work in theatre is heavily inspired by the commonplace. From verbal tapestries with echoes of intelligible speech emerge occasional masked utterances from forgotten civilisations. Constantly exploring language, structure, and shifts in sound and meaning, his work is centred around language itself. He precisely indicates all aspects of phrasing and articulation, intonation, accentuation, rhythm, and tempo in his work. His productions, intricately notated, nonetheless lean on improvisation and performance, as well as relationships with the performance space (often resulting from residencies), giving rise to, for example, imagined museum visits, photo-poems, readings in domestic settings, etc.
A composer of some 50 works, his music has been performed by ensembles such as 2e2m, the brass players of Ensemble intercontemporain, Ars Nova, Accroche Note, Aleph, Contrechamps, Court-Circuit, and the National Jazz Orchestra, as well as by individuals including Gérard Buquet, Elise Caron, Jean-Pierre Drouet, Martine Viard, Jacques Bona, and Pascal Contet. Notable works include P(l)ages (1988), Je te dis : rien (1992), Requiem (1993-1994), 66 Brèves for 66 instrumentalists (1989-1996), Chants de ménage et d’amour (1999), and L’indien des neiges (2001). In 2009, Alexandre Tharaud premiered Rebotier’s performance piece, L’Oreille Droite. In 2010 Des feuilles, et des feuilles was premiered.
Jacques Rebotier is also active as a teacher: from 1972 to 1982, he taught at the Sorbonne, and was Director of Programming and Music for the City of Sarcelles (1972-1981). He was Director of the Levallois-Perret Conservatory in 1981-82, and General Inspector of Music for the Ministry of Culture from 1982 to 1987. He regularly leads professional masterclasses for actors, musicians, dancers, teachers, and circus artists.
Awards, Grants, and Prizes
- Ile de France “Prix des Lycéens”, 2014
- SACD Music Prize, 2010
- SACEM “Grand Prix” for Poetry, 2009
- “Prix des Découvreurs”, 2009
© Ircam-Centre Pompidou, 2010
Sources
Site du compositeur.
- Solo (excluding voice)
- Soif d'aujourd'hui for solo bass clarinet (1987), 5 mn 40 s
- D'ailleurs for solo clarinet (1988), 5 mn 24 s
- La musique adoucit les sons for reciting double bass player (1988), 10 mn 15 s
- stage Vous qui habitez le temps stage music for a show by Valère Novarina, for tromba marina and PVC monotube (1989)
- Trois tremblements for accordion (1993)
- Pourquoi tu m'aimes plus for tuba (1995), 3 mn
- 66 Brèves for 66 instrumentalists-narrators (1989-1996)
- elec stage nada live music from Adam de la Halle's Jeu d'Adam, for bass bombarde and real-time electronics (2003)
- stage L'Oreille Droite show, for pianist (2009)
- Chamber music
- stage Je suis stage music for three violas, for a show by Valère Novarina (1991)
- Musique du commencement for heckelphone and oboe, radio music for a text by Christian Prigent (1991)
- 5 Arrêts de bus for string quartet (2002)
- La Paix ! for cello and bass clarinet (2007)
- Weiss ist beau for clarinet, cello, double bass and accordion (2007)
- R.A.S. for six speaking musicians (2011)
- elec stage Mon saumon a de la chance show for cellist and double bassist actors, live and fixed sounds (2014)
- Vive l'Uro ! Vive l'Urope ! for quartet and narrator (2014)
- Chansons climatiques et sentimentales for two violins, viola, double bass and voice (2017)
- Instrumental ensemble music
- Hariett meets Harold meets Juliette for string quartet and tuba, all speaking (2013)
- Vocal music and instrument(s)
- elec Le bestiaire marin for flute quartet, saxophone quartet, percussion, choir and narrator (1985)
- Accidents de discours for soprano, clarinet, cello, piano and percussion, all narrators (1987)
- T'as qu'à for flute ensemble and choir (1987)
- P(l)ages for ensemble and reciter (1988), 21 mn 20 s
- Onze croquis de l'animal du temps for reciter and double bass (1989)
- Trois chants brefs for soprano, flute, bandoneon and piano (1989)
- Mélodrame de laine for soprano and harp (1990)
- La voix du tube for singing voice, speaking voice and barrel organ (1991)
- Mon nom for two sopranos, three clarinets, bandoneon, viola and double bass (1991)
- Fragments d'un dictionnaire de musique for violin, sleeve, cello, clarinet, piano, santur, percussion, soprano and narrator (1992)
- Je te dis : rien for soprano and symphony orchestra (1992)
- Miserere for seven voices, three clarinets, accordion and solo soprano (1992)
- elec Les trois jours de la queue du dragon for three clarinets and a narrator (1993)
- Requiem for seven voices, seven clarinets, seven deaths, children's choir, accordion, cymbalum and solo soprano (1993-1994)
- de rien for soprano, clarinet, tuba and double bass (1995), 10 mn, Inédit
- stage Vous avez ma parole vous avez la parole for clarinet, cello, double bass, accordion, percussion and narrator (1995), 2 h
- Sur mon cœur, sans les mains, sous les pieds, plus si affinités for several voices and double bass with tromba marina (1996)
- Chants de ménage et d'amour for soprano and symphony orchestra (1999)
- elec stage Zoo muzique show (1999)
- Du vent for two voices and double bass (2000), édition du compositeur
- stage L'indien des neiges opera for children's choir and cello octet (2001), Editions Musicales Européennes
- elec Le tombeau de monsieur du dragon tune for baritone and six clarinets (2008), édition du compositeur
- stage Des feuilles, et des feuilles for voice and double bass (2010), édition du compositeur
- A cappella vocal music
- elec Musiciens, portraits sound poetry for live voice and fixed voice (1980)
- La terre et son ombre for mezzo-soprano (1987), 3 mn 40 s
- stage Todo bem for dancing voice (1987)
- Keno ko-an for vocal ensemble (1988), 7 mn 15 s
- Le Cours de la langue sound poetry for 1 (or 2 or 3) voices (1991)
- Je préfère les fleurs for voice (1992)
- Bonjour for choir (1995)
- stage Litanie de la vie j'ai rien compris for two voices (2000)
- tapez 1 for choir (2005)
- elec 47 autobiographies sound poetry for voice and live electronic processing (2012)
- elec Allo, j'm'entends ? for four vocalists and their smartphones (2019)
- Electronic music / fixed media / mechanical musical instruments
- Hommage à Famuel Morfe for barrel organ (1996)
- 2019
- elec Allo, j'm'entends ? for four vocalists and their smartphones
- 2017
- Chansons climatiques et sentimentales for two violins, viola, double bass and voice
- 2014
- elec stage Mon saumon a de la chance show for cellist and double bassist actors, live and fixed sounds
- Vive l'Uro ! Vive l'Urope ! for quartet and narrator
- 2013
- Hariett meets Harold meets Juliette for string quartet and tuba, all speaking
- 2012
- elec 47 autobiographies sound poetry for voice and live electronic processing
- 2011
- R.A.S. for six speaking musicians
- 2010
- stage Des feuilles, et des feuilles for voice and double bass, édition du compositeur
- 2009
- stage L'Oreille Droite show, for pianist
- 2008
- elec Le tombeau de monsieur du dragon tune for baritone and six clarinets, édition du compositeur
- 2007
- La Paix ! for cello and bass clarinet
- Weiss ist beau for clarinet, cello, double bass and accordion
- 2005
- tapez 1 for choir
- 2003
- elec stage nada live music from Adam de la Halle's Jeu d'Adam, for bass bombarde and real-time electronics
- 2002
- 5 Arrêts de bus for string quartet
- 2001
- stage L'indien des neiges opera for children's choir and cello octet, Editions Musicales Européennes
- 2000
- Du vent for two voices and double bass, édition du compositeur
- stage Litanie de la vie j'ai rien compris for two voices
- 1999
- Chants de ménage et d'amour for soprano and symphony orchestra
- elec stage Zoo muzique show
- 1996
- 66 Brèves for 66 instrumentalists-narrators
- Hommage à Famuel Morfe for barrel organ
- Sur mon cœur, sans les mains, sous les pieds, plus si affinités for several voices and double bass with tromba marina
- 1995
- Bonjour for choir
- Pourquoi tu m'aimes plus for tuba, 3 mn
- stage Vous avez ma parole vous avez la parole for clarinet, cello, double bass, accordion, percussion and narrator, 2 h
- de rien for soprano, clarinet, tuba and double bass, 10 mn, Inédit
- 1994
- Requiem for seven voices, seven clarinets, seven deaths, children's choir, accordion, cymbalum and solo soprano
- 1993
- elec Les trois jours de la queue du dragon for three clarinets and a narrator
- Trois tremblements for accordion
- 1992
- Fragments d'un dictionnaire de musique for violin, sleeve, cello, clarinet, piano, santur, percussion, soprano and narrator
- Je préfère les fleurs for voice
- Je te dis : rien for soprano and symphony orchestra
- Miserere for seven voices, three clarinets, accordion and solo soprano
- 1991
- stage Je suis stage music for three violas, for a show by Valère Novarina
- La voix du tube for singing voice, speaking voice and barrel organ
- Le Cours de la langue sound poetry for 1 (or 2 or 3) voices
- Mon nom for two sopranos, three clarinets, bandoneon, viola and double bass
- Musique du commencement for heckelphone and oboe, radio music for a text by Christian Prigent
- 1990
- Mélodrame de laine for soprano and harp
- 1989
- Onze croquis de l'animal du temps for reciter and double bass
- Trois chants brefs for soprano, flute, bandoneon and piano
- stage Vous qui habitez le temps stage music for a show by Valère Novarina, for tromba marina and PVC monotube
- 1988
- D'ailleurs for solo clarinet, 5 mn 24 s
- Keno ko-an for vocal ensemble, 7 mn 15 s
- La musique adoucit les sons for reciting double bass player, 10 mn 15 s
- P(l)ages for ensemble and reciter, 21 mn 20 s
- 1987
- Accidents de discours for soprano, clarinet, cello, piano and percussion, all narrators
- La terre et son ombre for mezzo-soprano, 3 mn 40 s
- Soif d'aujourd'hui for solo bass clarinet, 5 mn 40 s
- T'as qu'à for flute ensemble and choir
- stage Todo bem for dancing voice
- 1985
- elec Le bestiaire marin for flute quartet, saxophone quartet, percussion, choir and narrator
- 1980
- elec Musiciens, portraits sound poetry for live voice and fixed voice
Lien Internet
- Site de Jacques Rebotier : http://www.rebotier.net/ (lien vérifié en mars 2020).
Bibliographie
- Autour de Jacques Rebotier, édité par le théâtre de Nanterre-Les Amandiers.
- David MARRON, « Jacques Rebotier, l’hétérodidacte : croisements de la poésie et de la musique », in Musique et littérature, Rencontres Sainte-Cécile, Aude Locatelli (dir.), Aix-en-Provence : Presses Universitaires de Provence, 2011.
Littérature, écrits de Jacques Rebotier
- Black is black, éd. plaine page, 2017
- 22, Placards !, éd. Æncrages & Co, 2013
- Description de l’omme, éd. verticales, 2008 [prix des Découvreurs, 2010].
- Lettre aux illettristes, éd. urdla hurdle 2008.
- Contre les bêtes. Description de l’omme, prologue, éd. Harpo &
- Quelques animaux de transport et de compagnie, éd. Harpo &
- 47 autobiographies, éd. Harpo &, 2004.
- Réponse à la question précédente, éd. Les solitaires intempestifs, 2002.
- La vie est courbe, éd. Les solitaires intempestifs, 2001.
- Le Théâtre est un Théâtre. Sept**Théâtres impossibles, éd. Harpo &, 2001.
- Le dos de la langue, éd. Gallimard, l’arbalète, 2001.
- Les trois jours de la queue du dragon, illustrations de Virginie Rochetti, éd. Actes Sud - Papiers, coll. Heyoka Jeunesse, 2001.
- Vengeance tardive, éd. Les solitaires intempestifs, 2001.
- Litaniques, éd. Gallimard, l’arbalète, 2000.
- L’empierreuse, éd. Harpo &, 2000.
- Le désordre des langages, trois volumes, éd. Les Solitaires intempestifs, 1998 (vol. 1 et 2), 1999 (vol. 3).
- L’attente, éd. Æncrages, 1998.
- Le moment que, éd. CIPM/Spectres familiers, 1997.
- Litanie des mots du corps, éd. Rouleau Libre, 1996.
- 2 x 3 contes cruels, éd. Rouleau Libre, 1995.
- Que le mot pas, éd. Rouleau Libre, 1994.
- Litanie du correcteur, éd. Brandes, 1994.
- Litanie des certitudes, éd. Brandes, 1993.
- Sept circonvolutions, éd. Brandes, 1993.
- L’ombre de l’homme, éd. Brandes, 1991.
- Sentence, éd. Brandes, 1990.
- Sortir de ce corps, éd. Créaphis,1990.
- Le chant très obscur de la languesuivi deRequiem, éd. Ulysse fin de siècle, 1989.
- Brève, éd. Brandes, 1988.
- P(l)ages, éd. Brandes, 1988
Discographie
- Jacques REBOTIER, Hommage à Famuel Morfe, voQue, Le Quarz, 1997.
- Jacques REBOTIER, Sur mon cœur, sans les mains, sous les pieds, plus si affinités, 1 cd Radio-France, coll. « Les poétiques », 1997.
- Jacques REBOTIER, Requiem, Rachid Safir : direction, les Jeunes solistes, ensemble Accroche-Note : Françoise Kluber : soprano, Armand Angster : clarinette, Pascal Contet : accordéon, Gaston Sylvestre : cymbalum et la maîtrise de Dijon (direction : Alain Chobert), 1 cd MFA Radio France, 1996, n° MFA 216008.
- Jacques REBOTIER, « P(l)ages », comprenant 1. P(l)ages ; 2. La terre et son ombre ; 3.La musique adoucit les sons ; 4. D’ailleurs ; 5. Keno Ko-An ; 6. Soif d’aujourd’hui, Michael Lonsdale, ensemble 2e2m (1), Élise Caron (2), Frédéric Stochl (3), Sylvain Frydman (4), Les Jeunes solistes, direction Rachid Safir (5), Jacques Di Donato (6), 1 cd Adès, MFA, 1994, n° 204472.
- Jacques REBOTIER, L’indien des neiges, Eric Trémolières, maîtrise de l’Opéra de Lyon, Octuor de violoncelles de Beauvais, direction Christophe Bernollin, 1 cd Soupir.
Film
- Olivier PASCAL, Jacques Rebotier l’hétérodidacte, Crescendo films, 2004, 52 minutes.
- Xavier PINON, Jacques REBOTIER, Depuis 176 heures déjà, Vouîr, 2010.