Les espaces infinis

Les espaces infinis (The Infinite Spaces) is, for the most part, a quiet meditation on the nature of time and space. The title is derived from a quote of Pascal: ‘Le silence éternal des espaces infinis m’effraie’ (‘The eternal silence of the infinite spaces terrifies me’). It is meant to evoke a sense of spaciousness and timelessness. At the beginning of the work, a series of falling chords is heard in the strings. This leads to the main motive of the entire work, a quiet melodic fragment in the upper strings which also forms a diatonic cluster. The music gradually builds, and eventually the quiet main motive is heard forcefully in the brass. The stillness of the opening returns, and a quiet coda concludes the work. - Pierre Jalbert