Released on Erato/Warner Classics on April 7
| Portrait illustration by Stephane Manel |
| Mythologies is Thomas Bangalter’s first independent orchestral work. Initially commissioned by the choreographer Angelin Preljocaj for the ballet of the same name and premiered by the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine under the direction of Romain Dumas, Mythologies sees the co-founder of Daft Punk reinventing his approach to composition. The composite nature of the themes tackled by the librettist and choreographer Angelin Preljocaj reflect the range of nuances deployed by Bangalter, whose 90-minute timeless score shows scant regard for conventional stylistic boundaries. The work reveals a love of Baroque music and hints to American minimalism, with brief phrases subjected to a process of progressive variation. A nuanced and colorful work, Mythologies represents the culmination of a lengthy journey. The project dates back to Autumn 2019, when Angelin Preljocaj invited Thomas Bangalter to compose a new work to mark several years of collaboration with the Opéra National de Bordeaux. The piece was intended for ten dancers from the Opéra National de Bordeaux’s ballet company, ten others from Preljocaj’s own company, and the house’s resident orchestra. This invitation arrived at the very moment that Bangalter was itching to write for a full orchestra. The form, the stakes and the creative process involved in Mythologies are all radically different and represent a new stage in Bangalter’s development over the last thirty years of writing, composing and performing music. He has explored the world of technology and the relationship between humankind and machines in his seminal work with Daft Punk. Rather than electronic music, this score embraces the traditional force of a large-scale symphony and the history of orchestral ballet music in both a personal and collaborative way. The work of this album comprises twenty-three scenes and, as the name suggests, draws on ancient and modern myths that reflect and shape all of humankind. |
Mythologies, April 7
I. Premiers Mouvements
II. Le Catch
III. Thalestris
IV. Les Gémeaux I
V. Les Amazones
VI. L’Arrivée d’Alexandre
VII. Treize Nuits
VIII. Danae
IX. Zeus
X. L’Accouchement
XI. Les Gorgones
XII. Renaissances
XIII. Le Minotaure
XIV. Eden
XV. Arès
XVI. Aphrodite
XVII. Les Naïades
XVIII. Pas de Deux
XIX. Circonvolutions
XX. Les Gémeaux II
XXI. Icare
XXII. Danse Funèbre
XXIII. La Guerre
