In memory of Paul B
For France C

Dancing on the Edge of Darkness is a polyphony of signs built around the character of Hamlet, a runaway teenager who would like to both be and not to be. This piece is part of a five-screen video project with electroacoustic music made in collaboration with the artist Monique Bertrand. My MissTake device is particularly well suited for developing the notion of disturbance found in the tragedy: short-circuits, interferences, sudden stops, dissolution, screeching, electricity. I quickly decided to maintain a certain level of sonic density throughout the piece in order to create a flux of ever-renewing energetic matter, like present moments that pass.

— Monique Jean [English translation: François Couture, iv-26]

Dancing on the Edge of Darkness was realized in 2016-17 at the composer’s studio in Montréal (Québec) and was premiered on April 20, 2017 at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal’s Studio multimédia as part of the concert Électrochoc 6: Monique Jean.

Premiere

• April 20, 2017, Électrochoc 2016-17: Électrochoc 6: Monique Jean, Studio multimédia — Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, Montréal (Québec)