[ PORTUGUÊS ]
Christophe Desjardins, or the inventive interpreter
Interview conducted by Diana Ferreira in November 2005; translated by Catarina Martins
photography: Pierre Johan Laffitte
Christophe Desjardins (Caen, 1962) is a French violist with an impressive curriculum. He's soloist in one of the most prestigious ensembles dedicated to Contemporary Music - the Ensemble Intercontemporain (EIC) -, makes numerous premières, and there are several pieces dedicated to him by the composers he meets on his relentless mission as a New Music interpreter and promoter. Arte no Tempo (AnT) had the opportunity to talk with him on his last visit to Portugal (in November 2005).
On occasion of his return to Lisbon, for the 19th of January recital at Gulbenkian Foundation, AnT publishes this interview, initiating a cycle of discussions that we intend to publish on this site on a quarterly bases.
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[AnT] Why did you choose viola, when you started to study music?
[CD] Actually, I started studying piano when I was 6. My parents sent me, along with my brother and my sisters, to piano lessons. There was a teacher living nearby and it was really convenient. We could walk to the lessons, even when we were small. When I was 10 I felt the need to change instrument and I went to the conservatory to study solfeggio. I wanted to play a string instrument. That I knew for sure. But I don't know why I've chosen viola. I knew that it would have to be a high instrument – my brother played the double bass - and I was sure it couldn't be the violin.
Because it's too high?
Too high and to common, precisely.
I've chosen the viola not having ever heard one. My parents asked me “why is viola so important? You can have your grandpa violin...”, but I was determined to play viola... We ended up putting viola strings on the violin.
Because you were still very small...
Yes, I was only 10. I didn't have a small viola and I started like that.... Because of a whim.
You felt the need for something different...
Yes, unknown.
Well, and a little bit later... How did you become an interpreter for Contemporary Music? You were in Brussels and then you became an EIC musician. Why? Because the EIC was closer to home?
[Laughing] That was also important, but the truth is I was fortunate to have Serge Collot as a teacher. He was a violist from the Pierre Boulez's generation and taught at the Paris Conservatoire. He made the world premières of Le Marteau Sans Maître [Boulez] and Sequenza VI [Berio]. He was really close to Berio.
I didn't exactly study Contemporary Music with him, but I grew up without sensing the differences between Contemporary and Classic. That was, from a very young age, a very important lesson. Not having any prejudice against Contemporary Music, thanks to Serge Collot teaching, I always regarded it very naturally.
During the years I was Solo Viola at the Brussels Opera, I had a very interesting experience with the composer Philippe Boesmans. Gérad Mortier [then at the Thêathre La Monnaie, now at the Paris Opera] had asked him an orchestration for the L’Incoronazione di Pompeia by Monteverdi (since there aren't any authentic versions, everything was lost a part from some pieces of manuscript and versions more or less known). For that contemporary version, Boesmans included several viola solos, one harmony phrase doubled by the celesta (and other fine complexities of this kind), a small viola solo phrase that accompanied the voice, but with a very original continuo accompaniment: first the accordion, then the pianoforte, then the harpsichord, then the guitar. I liked Boesmans and during the writing process (we premièred at the Ars Musica Festival) I worked close to the composer. He needed very precise effects, we worked over ricochet and harmonics, very technical stuff. So, for the first time, I was working close to the writing of a contemporary piece, solo, virtuoso, and I really enjoyed it.... It was very appealing that close relationship with the composer. It's a creative and fertile relation. The interpreter changes in contact with the composer, and the composer modifies his work in contact with the interpreter.
Then, there was that position at the EIC, which was in fact near home, and I won the contest. And things took their course naturally.
Nowadays it's common to see ensembles and musicians specialized in a certain musical era (just Old Music or just Contemporary Music). Why do you think this happens? It's mandatory...?
The group needs to have an identity. If we are creating an orchestra we can't say we'll play everything. It's not possible... But that doesn't mean that ensembles dedicated to a certain era do not include musicians that play other things. In this sense, I believe all ensembles dedicated to a certain type of music – like Contemporary Music, for instance - can gain from having musicians that play other things, according to their likeness – Romantic Music, Baroque Music... I believe it can enrich the group, but as an identity it’s fundamental to have a delimited objective.
But do you think a musician necessarily gains something by playing music from different eras or can he also loose something?
... I don't know if we can make a rule out of it...
You play mainly Contemporary Music, but you also play Bach...
Well, in my case, you mustn't forget that there isn't much Classic repertoire for Solo Viola. Actually, apart from some pieces by Mozart, Berlioz, Schumann and Brahms, the repertoire for Solo Viola only exists in the XXth century. It starts with Hindemith (and also Reger) and it continues on the second half of the century.
There is an immense viola repertoire in Chamber and Orchestra Music. There's also the entire string quartet repertoire, with over 200 years, that is very important. But the solo repertoire it's not significant in the Classic Music. Not even in the Baroque. It isn't interesting to play concerts from unknown composers contemporary of Manheim. It isn't at all significant. [>]