Edward Michael

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Works for orchestra :

Nocturne  Nocturne for flute solo or Martenot waves and orchestra
(Lili Boulanger Prize). 6’30 (E. Transatlantique)

Kamaal  symphonic work for narrator and orchestra. 40′ (E. Transatlantique)

Rhapsody Concertante  for violin and orchestra. 14′ (E. Choudens)

Fata Morgana  symphonic poem for orchestra. 8’30 (E. Ricordi)

Le Jardin de Tinajatama  (Tinajatama’s Garden) for orchestra. 10′ (E. Ricordi)

Elegy  for orchestra 5’30 (E. Ricordi)

Le Festin des Dieux  (The Feast of the Gods) for orchestra. 6′ (E. Choudens)

Trois Tableaux   (Three Pictures) symphonic work for orchestra. 11’30 (E. Transatlantique)

Le Rêve d’Himalec (Himalec’s Dream) for orchestra. 13′ – 1946 (E. Transatlantique)

Les Dyonisies  Scherzo  for orchestra. 12’30  (unpublished)

Au Seuil de Persépolis for orchestra. 6′ – 1962   (unpublished)

La Légende de Gam pong  (The Legend of Gampong) for narrator and orchestra (text and music by Edward Michael) 28′  (unpublished)

Nocturne  for flute solo or Martenot waves and orchestra
(Lili Boulanger prize)  6’30 -(E. Transatlantique)


“My Dear Michael,   You can’t imagine how happy I am to have heard this moving and beautiful Nocturne. So true and refined in the best sense of the word. Regret to say it so hastily — am really overworked — but, you hear, and so you will know how really I feel happy.   Have always known you are “a musician” but here is a new aspect of your personality. The orchestra sounds so well ; and it reminds me a score of you I cannot locate in my memory. In the sadness of not seing you is the joy also to see a new turn, I do hope, of your life — the first steps are the hardest. If Mr Barraud has heard the Nocturne, he must have been pleased to have shown his confidence in the Mass.   I really congratulate you and am really not surprised but very happy ; and with my wishes, I send the wish very strong to see you soon. As ever,  Nadia Boulanger. 15 Dec 1957.”

Dear Mr. Michael,

The Board of Trustees voted yesterday, at the Annual Meeting of the Fund, to make an additional “Award of Merit,” for this year only, and I have great pleasure in informing you that you are one of the two composers chosen to share this prize. Each one will receive the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, – §150. – and the Treasurer will forward you this amount as soon as I hear from you in what form it would be best to send it to you.

The Board of Judges consists of Nadia Boulanger, Aaron Copland, Alexei Haleff, Walter Piston and Igor Stravinsky, who recommended the prize-winning scores.

With my personal congratulations and all best wishes.

Sincerely yours,

Winifred H. Johnstone Secretary Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund

1959. Radio-Paris. Orchestra conducted by Raymond Chevreux.
1960. Radio-Lille. Orchestra conducted by Victor Clovez.
1961. Radio-Lyon. Orchestra conducted by Raymond Chevreux.
1961. Radio-Bruxelles. Orchestra conducted by Raymond Chevreux.
1968. O.R.T.F.. Orchestra of Lille conducted by Victor Clovez.
1969. O.R.T.F. Orchestra of Nice conducted by Paul Mule.

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Kamaal – symphonic work for narrator and orchestra. 40′ – (Editions Transatlantique)

“The word revelation, so frequently over-used, resumes all its truth and its purity when listening to the work of Edward Michael whose musical “presence” is indisputable.

“This likeable artist must have meditated on Plato’s words: “In Art, the artist must always have the ideal of Beauty present.” The Parisian press has already spoken very highly of this composer whose Mass, played on the radio, received warm approval from music lovers who were listening. This year, Mr Michael presented “Kamaal”, an enchanting tale, to a large and enthusiastic audience. A very charming work, full of personal discoveries; the author has been able to create a skilled and subtle atmosphere of intense poetry. This is music written from the heart and which touches the heart of the listener. The career of Mr Michael, who was recently awarded the Lili Boulanger prize in America, is one to watch; it will certainly have some wonderful surprises in store.”

L’oeuvre a été à nouveau exécutée en 1961 par l’orchestre de Radio-Strasbourg et diffusée sur les ondes de France-Musique. Cette même exécution a été rediffusée en 1987 dans l’émission “Avis de Recherches”.

Musiques Mai 1958

1958. Ecole Normale de Musique, conducted by the author.
1961. Radio-Strasbourg. Orchestra conducted by Marius Briançon.
1962. Salle des étudiants, rue du Docteur Blanche, Paris.
1987. France Musique, repeat broadcast of the 1961 performance

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Rhapsody Concertante  for violin and orchestra  14′ – (E. Choudens)

“I’ve been playing this work again and again. I can’t recollect having ever been so moved by a modern work. It has majesty and greatness. This I firmly believe. Do you think you can write out for me the words, in French as you have written them, which give your version of the content of the work. I would be grateful for this. I want to ponder over the words. To me it is elegiac, yes, but it is also thriumphant, contains the vital essence of man’s invincible spirit. I do congratulate you on this work for violin and orchestra. ” Hugo Stern pianist, 1968

1967. O.R.T.F. Orchestra of Lille conducted by Raymond Chevreux.

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Fata Morgana, symphonic poem for orchestra. 8’30 – 1958 – (Editions Ricordi)

1960. Radio Liège. Orchestra conducted by Victor Clovez.
1961. Radio Lille. Orchestra conducted by Victor Clovez.
1962. Radio Lyon. Orchestra conducted by Raymond Chevreux.

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Le Jardin de Tinajatama

(Tinajatama’s Garden) for orchestra – 10′ -(Editions Ricordi)

Five movements

1960. Radio-Lille. Orchestra conducted by Victor Clovez.
1961. Radio-Lyon. Orchestra conducted by Raymond Chevreux.
1962. Radio-Bruxelles. Orchestra conducted by Louis de Froment.
1965 Hambourg Allemagne
1968. O.R.T.F. Orchestra of Nice conducted by Paul Mule.
1969. O.R.T.F.. Orchestra of Nice conducted by Victor Clovez.

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Elegy for orchestra. 5’30” – 1957 – (Editions Ricordi)

“… I also wanted to mention a young English composer of Eastern origin on his mother’s side: Mr Edward Michael.

He is hardly a day over 35, and I was hearing his chamber music for the first time. We were maybe a hundred or so in the audience, who were to experience the revelation of a musician! This was a remarkable attempt to integrate oriental tones into Western music, with all that might bring by way of suppleness, color, and new expression; but beyond what might have been nothing but cunning exoticism, Mr Michael translates the deep movements of a soul yearning particularly towards the heights of philosophical and religious meditation, a soul on a quest for purity, for infinite tenderness, and for living peace. This does not exclude the melancholy, or even the despair of a creature fighting for its ideal and suffering from its failures, imploring God to come to its aid and trusting gently in him, buoyed by hope.

“Contained within ‘Elégie’, and ‘Prière’ for Martenot Waves and ‘Trois Rituels’ for two Waves and tambourine, or the Trio for violin, alto, and cello, is inspiration which seizes you violently, this strange emotion that one experiences is a revelation of beauty.

“There are many young instrumentalists and others, illustrious, who are looking for quality works for their repertoires: they will find better than that in the work of Edward Michael. When can we expect a public concert where everyone will be able to judge for themselves?”

Jean Hamon from the “Combat” newspaper, juin 1954

1959. Radio-Lille. Orchestra conducted by Victor Clovez.
1960. Radio-Lyon. Orchestra conducted by Victor Clovez.
1961. Radio-Bruxelles. Orchestra conducted by Victor Clovez

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Le Festin des Dieux  (The Feast of the Gods) for orchestra. 6’ – 1962 (E. Choudens) – Dervich rythms

1959 Orchestra of Lille conducted by Victor Clovez
1960 Orchestra of Lyon conducted by Victor Clovez
1960 Bruxelles conducted by Victor Clovez
1967. O.R.T.F. Orchestra of Lille

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Trois Tableaux  (Three Pictures) symphonic work for orchestra 11’30  – 1961 (E. Transatlantique)

1962. Radio-Lyon. Orchestra conducted by Raymond Chevreux

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Le Rêve d’Himalec (Himalec’s Dream) for orchestra 13′ – (E. Transatlantique)

1964. R.T.F. Orchestra of Lille conducted by Victor Clovez

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The Dionysia  Scherzo  for orchestra  12’30 – (unpublished)

1942 Albert Hall  the Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by John Hollingsworth.

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Au Seuil de Persépolis (On the Threshold of Persepolis) for orchestra.  6′ – (unpublished)

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La Légende de Gam Pong (The Legend of Gampong) for narrator and orchestra  (text and music by Edward Michael) (French and English) 30′ – (unpublished)

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