Entr’acte

for two pianos
commissioned by Hocket

Entr'acte (2024) is a work for two pianos that re-scores René Clair’s iconic Dadaist silent film Entr’acte (1924). The film prioritizes visual experimentation and absurdity over linear storytelling, although a loose narrative is formed throughout the juxtaposition of surreal events and novel camera effects. Musically, the piece mirrors the block-like form of the film by re-working and varying a series of melodic ideas and chromatic harmonies. In doing so, the music becomes a companion to the film’s playful absurdity that animates Clair’s surreal vision.