Une nuit Américaine

A program that honours American vocal music from the 20th and 21st centuries, with emblematic composers from that country’s great choral tradition. Whether it’s Barber – and his famous Agnus Dei, but also his The Reincarnations, a cycle of songs based on Irish poems – Copland – a major figure of his generation, and author of an important body of choral works – or more recently Eric Whitacre, a young composer whose reputation has long spread beyond the borders of the United States.

To accompany this musical program, Quentin Bisch has imagined a cycle of four fragrances that lead the audience from dusk to dawn.

Une nuit américaine

Olfactory concert


Aaron Copland, Four motets
Morton Feldman, Christian Wolff in Cambridge
Eric Whitacre, Lux aurumque & Sleep
Morten Lauridsen, O Magnum Mysterium
Samuel Barber, Reincarnations & Let down the Bars O Death & To be sung on the water
Steven Stucky, Whispers


Les Métaboles (16 to 24 singers)
Léo Warynski, direction

Extraits...

Steven Stucky - Whispers

Extract of the album Une nuit américaine - 2016

Steven Stucky - Whispers

Extract of the album Une nuit américaine - 2016

Dans la presse...

Le chœur Les Métaboles s’est illustré avec talent et subtilité

Classique mais pas has been - Nathalie Niervèze
 - Une nuit américaine au Festival de la Chaise Dieu

Le chœur Les Métaboles s’est illustré avec talent et subtilité

Classique mais pas has been - Nathalie Niervèze - Une nuit américaine au Festival de la Chaise Dieu

Outre les grandes pages du répertoire symphonique toujours interprétées magistralement dans un cadre extraordinaire, le festival de La Chaise-Dieu (Haute-Loire) permet de découvrir des petits bijoux. Découvrez ici l’ensemble vocal Les Métaboles qui se plaît dans le répertoire choral américain.

Samuel Barber ? On connaît son Adagio pour cordes. Aaron Copland ? Morton Feldman ? Ces noms ne sont pas inconnus mais connaissez vous Steven Stucky et Eric Whitacre ? Le chœur Les Métaboles s’est illustré avec talent et subtilité dans l’œuvre de ces polyphonistes, certes peu connues, mais dont la musicalité et l’écriture n’a rien à envier à Palestrina, ou à Gesualdo.

Ces œuvres aux couleurs tantôt acidulées tantôt jazzy et aux tons sombres ou sensuels – les délicieuses dissonances de Whispers signées Steven Stucky donnent en effet des frissons redoutables – ont chatoyé nos oreilles grâce aux voix chaudes et rondes de l’ensemble. Les Métaboles ont fait preuve de beaucoup de générosité et de simplicité. Tout doux, le To Be Sung on the Water de Barber est une caresse. Les œuvres jouent avec les mots et les sonorité, à l’image de Sleep (Eric Whitacre) qui se termine… en chuchotements ! Chanter a cappella tout un concert relève de l’exploit, que le chœur, dirigé de la main toujours mesurée de Léo Warynski, réussi avec justesse.

Nul besoin de toujours vouloir montrer ses muscles donc, car même les petites choses, à l’image de ce beau concert, peuvent séduire le public.

Great adaptability, plasticity of the sound according to the repertoire, acute attention to the homogeneity and the accuracy

ConcertClassic.com - Alain Cochard - Une nuit américaine

Leo Warynski, between choir and orchestra - A well-shared talent
An evening at the Church of the Billettes in December 2016 was part of one of the most original concerts of last season in Paris as it associated pages of American a cappella choral music performed by Léo Warynski's Les Métaboles choir to fagrances imagined by perfumer Quentin Bisch! Amazing experience that Jean-Guillaume Lebrun echoed in our columns. Leo Warynski is back for a busy end of year, Royaumont in Strasbourg and Rouen in Paris.
The sound aesthetics of Metaboles ? Great adaptability, plasticity of the sound depending on the repertoire, acute attention to homogeneity and accuracy. "She obsesses me," said L. Warynski : a choir that just sings is a chorus that sounds good ! He compares the discipline of the choir to that of the string quartet : "the same emotional force that comes from the fragility of the ensemble at the beginning".

Great adaptability, plasticity of the sound according to the repertoire, acute attention to the homogeneity and the accuracy

ConcertClassic.com - Alain Cochard - Une nuit américaine

Leo Warynski, between choir and orchestra - A well-shared talent
An evening at the Church of the Billettes in December 2016 was part of one of the most original concerts of last season in Paris as it associated pages of American a cappella choral music performed by Léo Warynski's Les Métaboles choir to fagrances imagined by perfumer Quentin Bisch! Amazing experience that Jean-Guillaume Lebrun echoed in our columns. Leo Warynski is back for a busy end of year, Royaumont in Strasbourg and Rouen in Paris.
The sound aesthetics of Metaboles ? Great adaptability, plasticity of the sound depending on the repertoire, acute attention to homogeneity and accuracy. "She obsesses me," said L. Warynski : a choir that just sings is a chorus that sounds good ! He compares the discipline of the choir to that of the string quartet : "the same emotional force that comes from the fragility of the ensemble at the beginning".

Impeccable song

Ouest France
 - Une nuit américaine

Impeccable song

Ouest France - Une nuit américaine

Les semaines musicales de Quimper
Two memorable concerts. On one side, Metaboles delight the public with their impeccable song. On the other, the Duo Estampes impresses with its instrumental mastery.
Three reminders. The audience could no longer let go of the Metaboles singers and their leader, Leo Warynski. It must be said that the program was original, little known and especially interpreted with a rare perfection.
The concert was imagined by the young conductor with several stages, from dusk to sleep, then dawn ... Meanwhile, sleep, dream ... Starting with the "Motets" Aaron Copland, this evening announced a very beautiful night to come. Then Steven Stucky's "Whisper", a very nice tribute to Byrd's "Ave Verum", followed by Morton Feldman's plays and Morten Lauridsen's "O magnum mysterium", whose meditative character led quietly to a deep sleep. The second part of this concert was devoted to Samuel Barber. The best-known American composers in France, with the only piece that crossed the Atlantic, the unmistakable " Agnus Dei ", who was at first a string quartet, moved the audience. As a reminder, the artists had chosen to interpret a transcript of Maurice Ravel's "Jardin féerique", but the audience was able to enjoy two more pieces of the program, "Sleep" by Eric Whitaker, and "O magnum mysterium", once again greeted. The festival is coming to an end, and will certainly remain marked by this evening with the Metaboles, placed under the sign of perfection.

Impeccable song

Ouest France
 - Une nuit américaine

Impeccable song

Ouest France - Une nuit américaine

Les semaines musicales de Quimper
Two memorable concerts. On one side, Metaboles delight the public with their impeccable song. On the other, the Duo Estampes impresses with its instrumental mastery.
Three reminders. The audience could no longer let go of the Metaboles singers and their leader, Leo Warynski. It must be said that the program was original, little known and especially interpreted with a rare perfection.
The concert was imagined by the young conductor with several stages, from dusk to sleep, then dawn ... Meanwhile, sleep, dream ... Starting with the "Motets" Aaron Copland, this evening announced a very beautiful night to come. Then Steven Stucky's "Whisper", a very nice tribute to Byrd's "Ave Verum", followed by Morton Feldman's plays and Morten Lauridsen's "O magnum mysterium", whose meditative character led quietly to a deep sleep. The second part of this concert was devoted to Samuel Barber. The best-known American composers in France, with the only piece that crossed the Atlantic, the unmistakable " Agnus Dei ", who was at first a string quartet, moved the audience. As a reminder, the artists had chosen to interpret a transcript of Maurice Ravel's "Jardin féerique", but the audience was able to enjoy two more pieces of the program, "Sleep" by Eric Whitaker, and "O magnum mysterium", once again greeted. The festival is coming to an end, and will certainly remain marked by this evening with the Metaboles, placed under the sign of perfection.

Les chanteurs, superbement dirigés par Léo Warynski, ont magnifiquement retracé le climat d’une bien étrange nuit américaine

Le Télégramme - Éliane Faucon-Dumont - Une nuit américaine

Les Métaboles chantent la nuit américaine
... Les chanteurs, superbement  dirigés par Léo Warynski, ont magnifiquement retracé le climat d’une bien étrange nuit américaine, au sein de laquelle se sont épanouies les musiques parfois planantes, toujours touchantes, signées Samuel Barber, Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen, Morton Fedman et Aaron Copland.

Great beauty of the ensemble, the purity of the vocal tones and the refinement of these young singers who allow them to have a unique sound

Classica - Romaric Gergorin - Une nuit américaine (CD)

Une nuit américaine – Works by Copland, Barber, Feldman, Whitacre
Aa beautiful panorama of vocal works all imbued with great fervor without ever falling into a firefighting drama, fatal pitfall to many contemporary composers. (...) ... we must salute the great beauty of the ensemble, the purity of the vocal tones and the refinement of these young singers who allow them to have a unique sound that we would like to hear in Feldman's "Rothko Chapel" rather than in the anecdotal "Christian Wolf in Cambridge". So this beautiful record delights us while missing a little flesh, daring and risk-taking "

Great beauty of the ensemble, the purity of the vocal tones and the refinement of these young singers who allow them to have a unique sound

Classica - Romaric Gergorin - Une nuit américaine (CD)

Une nuit américaine – Works by Copland, Barber, Feldman, Whitacre
Aa beautiful panorama of vocal works all imbued with great fervor without ever falling into a firefighting drama, fatal pitfall to many contemporary composers. (...) ... we must salute the great beauty of the ensemble, the purity of the vocal tones and the refinement of these young singers who allow them to have a unique sound that we would like to hear in Feldman's "Rothko Chapel" rather than in the anecdotal "Christian Wolf in Cambridge". So this beautiful record delights us while missing a little flesh, daring and risk-taking "

Les Métaboles continue to establish themselves on the excellent French choral scene"

Diapason - Benoît Fauchet -

After six years of existence, Les Métaboles continue to establish themselves on the excellent French choral scene, on which, from Accentus to Aedes, there is no shortage of quality ensembles.

Les Métaboles continue to establish themselves on the excellent French choral scene"

Diapason - Benoît Fauchet -

After six years of existence, Les Métaboles continue to establish themselves on the excellent French choral scene, on which, from Accentus to Aedes, there is no shortage of quality ensembles.

En vente sur le site...

Une nuit américaine

Un enregistrement de ce programme, réalisé lors de ..., est disponible à la vente sur notre site.

2019

August

August, 30 2019 - 9 pmUne nuit américaineFestival de La Chaise-Dieu

A program that celebrates American vocal music of the XX and XXI century, through emblematic composers of the great choral tradition of the Atlantic. Barber - his famous Agnus Dei, but also The Reincarnations, song cycle on Irish poems - Copland - major representative of his generation, and author of an important choral work - or more recently Eric Whitacre, young composer whose reputation has long since crossed the borders of the United States.

August 27, 2019 - 8:30 pmUne nuit américaineLes Musicales de Normandie

A program that honours American vocal music from the 20th and 21st centuries with emblematic composers from that country’s great choral tradition. Whether it’s Barber – and his famous Agnus Dei, but also his The Reincarnations, a cycle of songs based on Irish poems – Copland – a major figure of his generation, and author of an important body of choral works – or more recently Eric Whitacre, a young composer whose reputation has long spread beyond the borders of the United States.

To accompany this musical program, Quentin Bisch has imagined a cycle of four fragrances that lead the audience from dusk to dawn.

July

July 20, 2019Une nuit américaineAbbaye de Noirlac

A program that honours American vocal music from the 20th and 21st centuries with emblematic composers from that country’s great choral tradition. Whether it’s Barber – and his famous Agnus Dei, but also his The Reincarnations, a cycle of songs based on Irish poems – Copland – a major figure of his generation, and author of an important body of choral works – or more recently Eric Whitacre, a young composer whose reputation has long spread beyond the borders of the United States.

To accompany this musical program, Quentin Bisch has imagined a cycle of four fragrances that lead the audience from dusk to dawn.

2017

August

Thursday August 16th 2017 Une nuit américaineLes Semaines musicales de Quimper - Cathédrale Saint-Corentin

A program honoring American vocal music from the 20th and 21st centuries with emblematic composers from that country’s great choral tradition. Whether it’s Barber – and his famous Agnus Dei, but also his The Reincarnations, a cycle of songs based on Irish poems – Copland – a major figure of his generation, and author of an important body of choral works – or more recently Eric Whitacre, a young composer whose reputation has long spread beyond the borders of the United States.

To accompany this musical program, Quentin Bisch has imagined a cycle of four fragrances that lead the audience from dusk to dawn.

2016

December

Friday December 2nd 2016 Une nuit américaineÉglise des Billettes

Concert for the release of the record « Une Nuit Américaine »

Works for a capella choir by Barber, Lauridsen, Copland, Whitacre, Stucky...

Les Métaboles (20 singers)
Léo Warynski, musical direction

March

Wednesday March 30th 2016 Concert anniversaire NomadmusicMains d'œuvre - Saint-Ouen

Excerpts from the program: « Une Nuit Américaine »
Works for a capella choir by Barber and Whitacre

Les Métaboles (24 singers)
Léo Warynski, direction