Jean-Claude Risset
Encyclopedia
Jean-Claude RissetJean-Claude Risset (18 March 1938 in Le Puy, France
) is a French composer
, best known for his pioneering contributions to computer music
. He is a former student of André Jolivet
and former co-worker of Max Mathews
at Bell Labs.
Arriving at Bell Labs
, New Jersey in 1964, he used Mathews' MUSIC IV software to digitally recreate the sounds of brass instruments. He made digital recordings of trumpets and then studied their timbral composition using "pitch-synchronous" spectrum analysis tools, revealing that the harmonics of these instruments would differ greatly depending on pitch, duration and loudness. He is also credited with performing the first experiments on a range of synthesis techniques including FM Synthesis and waveshaping
.
After the discrete Shepard scale
Risset created a version of the scale where the steps between each tone are continuous, and it is appropriately called the continuous Risset scale or Shepard-Risset glissando.
He has also created a similar effect with rhythm
in which tempo
seems to increase or decrease endlessly.
Orchestral music
Chamber music
Solo music
Music for solo tape
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) is a French composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, best known for his pioneering contributions to computer music
Computer music
Computer music is a term that was originally used within academia to describe a field of study relating to the applications of computing technology in music composition; particularly that stemming from the Western art music tradition...
. He is a former student of André Jolivet
André Jolivet
André Jolivet was a French composer. Known for his devotion to French culture and musical thought, Jolivet's music draws on his interest in acoustics and atonality as well as both ancient and modern influences in music, particularly on instruments used in ancient times...
and former co-worker of Max Mathews
Max Mathews
Max Vernon Mathews was a pioneer in the world of computer music.-Biography:...
at Bell Labs.
Arriving at Bell Labs
Bell Labs
Bell Laboratories is the research and development subsidiary of the French-owned Alcatel-Lucent and previously of the American Telephone & Telegraph Company , half-owned through its Western Electric manufacturing subsidiary.Bell Laboratories operates its...
, New Jersey in 1964, he used Mathews' MUSIC IV software to digitally recreate the sounds of brass instruments. He made digital recordings of trumpets and then studied their timbral composition using "pitch-synchronous" spectrum analysis tools, revealing that the harmonics of these instruments would differ greatly depending on pitch, duration and loudness. He is also credited with performing the first experiments on a range of synthesis techniques including FM Synthesis and waveshaping
Waveshaper
In electronic music a waveshaping is a type of distortion synthesis in which complex spectra are produced from simple tones by altering the shape of the waveforms.- Uses :...
.
After the discrete Shepard scale
Shepard tone
A Shepard tone, named after Roger Shepard, is a sound consisting of a superposition of sine waves separated by octaves. When played with the base pitch of the tone moving upward or downward, it is referred to as the Shepard scale. This creates the auditory illusion of a tone that continually...
Risset created a version of the scale where the steps between each tone are continuous, and it is appropriately called the continuous Risset scale or Shepard-Risset glissando.
He has also created a similar effect with rhythm
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
in which tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
seems to increase or decrease endlessly.
Selected Works by Jean-Claude Risset
Vocal music- Dérives, for choir and magnetic tape (1985) 15'
- Inharmonique, for soprano and tape (1977) 15'
Orchestral music
- Escalas, for large orchestra (2001) 17'
- Mirages, for 16 musicians and tape (1978) 24'
Chamber music
- Profils, for 7 instruments and tape (1983) 18'
- Mutations II for ensemble and electronics (1973) 17'
Solo music
- Trois études en duo, for pianist (bidirectional MIDI piano with computer interaction) (1991) 10'
- Huit esquisses en duo, for pianist (bidirectional MIDI piano with computer interaction) (1989) 17'
- Voilements, for saxophone and tape (1987) 14'
- Passages for flute and tape (1982) 14'
- Variants for violin and digital processing (1995) 8'
Music for solo tape
- Invisible Irène (1995) 12'
- Sud (1985) 24'
- Songes (1979) 10'
- Trois mouvements newtoniens, for tape (1978) 13'
- Mutations (1969) 10'
- Computer Suite from Little Boy (1968) 13'