Henry, Pierre
Orphee Ballet
Scored for Maurice Bejart's choreography to the 'Orphee Ballet', based on the Greek god Orpheus, this is one of Pierre Henry's finest works of musique concrete, the genre in which Henry was an early innovator and to which he devoted his career. After years working for the French national radio (RTF) and honing his studio chops on radio spots and editing/composition, Henry formed his own studio in 1958 and began working on modern dance and ballet and soundtrack work. Incorporating percussion, industrial soundscapes, nature sounds, spoken French narrative, and synthesized tones, 'Orphee Ballet' is a beautiful piece that, while less known than what is perhaps his most famous work, also for Bejart's ballet production, 1967's 'Les Jerks Electoniques De La Messe Pour Le Temps Present Et Musiques Concretes Pour Maurice Bejart', is equally compelling and groundbreaking. Following his passing in 2017 at age 89, Henry's work has found renewed interest, and this is a welcome reissue of one of his rarest and finest works. Truly brilliant.