Jean-Claude Risset

Jean-Claude Risset is a type-setter born the March 13rd 1938 with the Puy-en-Velay (Haute-Loire).

Pioneer in the adventure of the musical Data-processing started with the the United States, J. - C. Risset contributed thereafter to the introduction of the Ordinateur in France (in institutions like IRCAM or the universities of Orsay and Marseilles-Luminy). It was, from its double formation, scientist and artistic, the first French type-setter to open the way with the synthesized sounds by computer. It incarnates today a major figure of contemporary musical creation and, at the same time, research on the music known as electronic. Its contributions mark of its print the esthetics of the years 1970-1990.

Biography

After scientific studies with the National university of Paris, Jean-Claude Risset becomes young person aggregate of physics at 23 years (in 1961). He continues his research under the direction of Professor Pierre Grivet, with the Faculty of Science of Orsay (the current university Paris-South). In parallel, it continues its musical studies with the higher national academy of Paris: studies of piano with Robert Trimaille and Huguette Goullon, from writing with Suzanne Dissociate, then composition (harmony and counterpoint) with André Jolivet. It obtains a first price of the contest of piano of the UFAM in 1963. Its Prelude for orchestra is created the same year to the House of the radio, and one also owes him, in these early works, Instantaneous for piano (1965).

Risset in May 1967 supports its science doctorate under the direction of Professor Pierre Grivet at the institute of fundamental electronics of the Faculty of Science of Orsay. Its thesis relates to the analysis, the synthesis and the perception of the musical sounds. Work which he undertook makes it possible him to give an account of the complexity and the diversity of the mechanisms concerned in the Audition. It perceives the limit and the insufficiencies attached to the models in force. Its step centered on the stamp has thus the merit to clarify central concerns from now on for the musical Informatique: to link two fields of knowledge (the physical of the sound and the Music), and to exploit in this intention a promising new technology (the Computer). While succeeding in making the transition between the tool “calculator”, who carries out erudite evaluations of procedures of writing, with the data-processing instrument of which it has a presentiment of the richness, Risset succeeds in setting up the bases of what will become the musical Informatique.

From 1975 to 1979, Jean-Claude Risset takes part with Pierre Boulez in the creation of the IRCAM (Research institute and acoustic coordination/music). Artistic director of the department " Ordinateur" he makes it possible to study the integration of data processing in the music research. Then it is named professor at the University of Aix-Marseilles of 1979 to 1985; it chairs the section " it; Arts" superior council of the universities (1984-1985). After 1985, it directs with the statute of Research director to CNRS the Laboratory of mechanics and acoustics of CNRS to Marseilles. It becomes also responsible for the DEA " Acoustics, treatment of the signal and data processing applied to the musique" , which associates several Universities and IRCAM.

Musician and type-setter recognized by the international artistic community, Jean-Claude Risset is also a technician and an uncontested theorist of musical data processing. He receives in 1999 the Gold medal of CNRS.

External bonds

Biographies and works of Jean-Claude Risset:

A digest of the thought of Jean Claude Risset on the Sounds

of Jean-Claude Risset

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