Miroirs Étendus brings together the visions of Steve Reich, the master of minimalism, and Christophe Chassol, an explorer of sounds ranging from jazz to pop. Both share a unique sensitivity: transforming the sounds of everyday life into musical material. In City Life, Reich captures the frenetic rhythm of New York, blending urban recordings with instruments: woodwinds become car horns, bass drums rumble like slamming doors, and clarinets mimic sirens. Chassol responds to this city of echoes and repetitions by collecting Paris’s voices, bird songs, and street noises, weaving them into music and images.
There is a familial connection between Reich and Chassol. In 1995, Reich composed City Life, a musical reflection on the chaotic life of Manhattan, incorporating sounds of engines, horns, brakes, and alarms. Chassol, known for his collaborations with artists like Frank Ocean, Solange, and Sébastien Tellier, approaches his city—Paris—by recording and filming life, transforming it into melodies he samples, replays, and accompanies with original compositions. This work highlights his magical ability to blend music and images, offering a luminous concert experience.
City Life
Six Pianos (arranged by Christophe Chassol)
Christophe Chassol (1976)
Urbonique
Musical director Fiona Monbet
Video creation Christophe Chassol
Sound engineering Anaïs Georgel
With L’Ensemble Miroirs Étendus
Production: Miroirs Étendus
Coproduction: Radio France, Atelier Lyrique de Tourcoing
Distribution (in progress): Festival Présences de Radio France, Cité de la Musique et de la Danse de Soissons, MC2 de Grenoble
