Despite the fast evolution of the musical writing in the 20th century which smashed to pieces a certain number of musical references, I always considered melody as one of the noble parameters of music.
This is why, ever since the beginning of my composition lessons with O. Messiaen, I tried in this field a personal way, without using again the melodic ideas inherited from our masters, as the signatures were too obvious. 

I therefore tried to invent something new, by turning to melodies from the far East. By doing so, I managed to rebuild et develop a new melodic space by using 3 concepts specific to these countries : typical modes, ornamentation, and a streamlined concept of time. 

With Berenice’s Hair, and despite the shortness of the piece, I wanted that the flute also evokes a contemplative state coming from another world, as suggested by these few words brought forward on the first page of the score: 

The night... somewhere in the stars... a glimmer... soft and blue, in the constellation of Berenice’s Hair.

But one can just as well dream about something else...

3A