Ukens dirigentmøte: Florent Didier
Tekst: Trond Husebø
The Norwegian Nationals have already started this weekend in Bergen, and the entire city is filled with excited musicians who have worked for months in preparation for their concerts in Grieghallen. In addition to meeting old friends, much of the weekend is dedicated to listening to other bands playing, and there is an air of anticipation and excitement in the entire concert hall. One of the bands sure to fill the hall to maximum capacity is Eikanger Bjørsvik Musikklag, and the French Florent Didier will once again conduct them. Dirigentløftet was fortunate enough to have a word with him in the days leading up to the competition and get to know a little more about his versatile approach to working with a top-ranked brass band.
As a conductor I am very open to different aesthetics, I work with various kinds of ensembles. I conduct symphony orchestras and choirs, as well as brass bands and wind bands. I also have a wide range of repertoire, and do both early music as well as contemporary music in addition to the classical repertoire. For me, it is an important part of who I am as a conductor, being able to master and connect to different ensembles and styles of music, Florent says. He is originally a trained trombone player, and this versatile background influences his approach to all kinds of ensembles.
When I work with brass bands, I purposefully seek to broaden the musical range and aesthetics of the music. I have also played the cello, in addition to the trombone and sackbut. I often use the example of how string players phrase with their bows, using upbows and downbows, to find and explore different phrasings.
String players use their bows much like brass players use their breath. There are many similarities in the speed and pressure of the bow, and how you can use the air to vary sound and phrasing when playing a brass instrument. Looking at certain musical problems from another angle can help bring the music to life. How can other instruments or genres inspire new sounds and textures? Another example is how singers or performers of early music shape their melodies.
I often use the example of early music when we phrase a melody. In that music, the melody always connects with the text, and you follow the graphic lines of the melody when you shape the meaning of the music. In the same manner, I also find it very helpful to have a good knowledge of contemporary music, it makes it a lot easier to analyze a score and search for the different layers in the music we are performing.
Eikanger Bjørsvik Musikklag has chosen Ludovic Neuhrors “*****” as their own choice piece this year, a score that demands a refined and deliberate approach. The instrumentation puts a great deal of responsibility on the conductor to be able to define the different layers in the music, whilst at the same time opening up wonderful possibilities.
The piece includes an Ondes Martenot, an instrument mostly known in the classical world for its prominent role in Olivier Messiaen's Turangalila Symphony. The instrument's eery and dreamy sound invites the band to search for new and ethereal sounds, and Florent relies heavily on his expansive experience as a conductor of contemporary music in his quest for the optimal soundscape.
When I am faced with a score like Neuhrors piece, I always aim to find interesting colors and textures and bring them out in the music. One of my main goals when I conduct brass bands is to make the score transparent for the listener, especially in such a dense and complex score. It is not possible, or desired, to bring everything to the front, it needs clarity and a wide range of sounds and colors. My knowledge of the contemporary repertoire adds a lot to this process, it helps widen the imagination and breathe even more life into the music.
One of Florents longest tenures has been as chief conductor of the Paris Brass Band, an ensemble he led from 2008 until 2020. As one of the founders, the ensemble went on to become one of the most respected brass bands in Europe, winning several prizes. But it is also safe to say the approach to the medium was a bit unorthodox, none of the players were really familiar with the traditions in the beginning.
We honestly did not know much about brass bands when we started. We wanted to bring the qualities we knew from our own experience to the ensemble, but we also had to learn a lot about the repertoire and the tradition. Contests as a concept were also strange for us, we were very used to playing concerts but had to discover how to properly be a part of a competition in a meaningful way. At the same time, we had to develop as an ensemble and find a good sound that suited us. We learned a lot in that process, and it was always important for me to keep the orchestral sound as our base, Florent says. When Eikanger Bjørsik then approached him a few years later, it was easy to accept the invitation.
Working with Eikanger Bjørsvik immediately appealed to me, they have a very professional and open-minded approach to making music. Because they play so many concerts in a variety of genres, they are very flexible and can respond very quickly. I can ask almost anything for them, and they can absorb and put it into music, even when I speak of early music or contemporary colors. This is very important to me, and it is a delight for me to work with them for this Nationals.