Altérations du Vitrail

About

“Altérations du Vitrail is a trio that is part of the series I am working on around the different aspects of stained glass. This piece focuses on the ways in which stained glass is damaged over the years. After a first movement presenting the intact, brilliant, and flawless version of the stained glass, each of the following four movements presents an altered version of this same movement, that is to say, respectively:

• mechanical alterations (second movement) including cracks in the glass, deformation of the frames, stone bursting, etc.
• physical and chemical alterations (third movement) which bring to the fore iridescence, glass decomposition, the appearance of mineralization, opacification, as well as metal oxidation and paint flaking.
• biological alterations (fourth movement) which centers on the appearance of micro-organisms (algae, bacteria, fungi, lichens) in the stained glass.
• and finally, surface alterations (fifth movement) which is a study of external deposits such as smoke, dust, various projections, graffiti, and other external disturbing elements.

These various natural disturbances of stained glass are translated into music by the development and modification of rhythmic cells, harmonies, and timbres present in the first (“intact”) movement.

This piece found its source during a visit to Chartres, and more specifically to the International Stained Glass Centre, from which the information that shaped this piece was drawn. The Chartres Cathedral and its many stained glass windows nourished my imagination and reflection.”