While they are elements from the colossal Urbana series, Deux Caprices for percussions are also the two final works in a series of six works written for solo instruments and electronics commissioned by IRCAM in 2007-2008.
The idea of revisiting the etude uniting compositional genius, technological exploits, and instrumental virtuosity was the starting point for this commission. Several possibilities to be explored came out of this idea, discovering unexpected territories, or redesigning spaces imagined during an initial phase of reflection. The Six Caprices, a collection of works that never exceed six minutes, is the fruit of a close collaboration among composer, computer-music designer, and performers working together on the confrontation between real and virtual instruments created using the Modalys software program. The documentary follows the long development of these works step-by-step, shedding light on this complex process.