Review

Louis Tillet
Hypnose:

Paris, , France
Publisher: Gerard Billaudot Editeur
Date of Publication: 1986

Primary Genre: Solo Tenor Trombone - with piano

Three movements of fragmented motifs with sudden dynamic changes produce a hypnotic effect, although it may not be the one Tillet necessarily had in mind. This difficult unaccompanied piece lasts almost seven minutes, which is more than enough time for the listener to forget his or her surroundings and conjure up images of dinner, recreation, or other diversions unrelated to the solo performance.

The slow opening movement requires great rhythmic precision but to no apparent purpose. Isolated pitches inserted into staggered five, six, seven, and nine beat divisions at a slow tempo are too unrelated to allow the wide intervals and abrupt dynamic changes to be molded into cohesive statements; a mood is set yet not sustained. The more cohesive runs in the second movement provide some momentary connection to a sense of tonality and direction, only to be obscured by a return of the opening hammer blows and incoherent whispers. Hypnose is a work in search of context, let alone meaning. Given the fractional outbursts and wanderings of the music, an audience will be hard-pressed to meet the performer on any terms.

-Joel Elias
Sacramento State University