The common thread of the November 13 ceremony at the Hôtel-de-Ville in Paris was music, a tribute to the “feeling of celebration” that the attacks sought to strike.
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Composer Victor Le Masne, musical director of the Paris Olympic ceremonies in 2024, took over the baton to lead the musical portion of the tenth anniversary of the November 13 attacks, Thursday November 13, in Paris. The 43-year-old versatile artist designed a requiem, which will be played during the ceremony in the new memorial park near City Hall.
This score, as well as other musical scores that he did not wish to reveal, were produced in conjunction with the victims’ association, for “Try as close as possible to what they feel”he told AFP. The city of Paris and Universal Music France’s Decca Records label have teamed up on a project to bring together an album titled Nec mergitur fluctuations (13 November 2015), all the titles made on the occasion of the memorial service, broadcast live on France 2 at 6 p.m. It will be released digitally on all platforms at 8 p.m.
Universalist spirit
For Victor Le Masne, “the tone” from the ceremony “it’s going to be very serious”. “It has to be controlled, but at the same time, in a certain way, spectacular. It’s constant reflection, knowing exactly where to put the cursor of my emotions. If it’s too tear-inducing, there’s a vulgarity in wanting to force myself. And if it’s too light, it won’t work at all because… what we’re talking about is fate.” he admitted to AFP.
In this project, the composer plays with liturgical and sacred codes, but for him, they remain “secular requiem”. “There is a good chorus, but no words”, explained Victor Le Masne. “It was also a search for universality: I didn’t want it to happen in one language, whether in Latin, or in French, or in English or whatever. In those sounds, there was breath. I told myself that the most organic instrument is the human voice. It is the supreme instrument of life.”
A collective project
The album, available after the ceremony, will consist of 10 songs that embody the rock mindset with a variety of original compositions by Victor Le Masne. For this occasion, the composer created a poignant requiem performed by the Radio France Choir, Republican Guard Orchestra and Choir 13 and recorded at Studio 104 Maison de la Radio, as well as at the legendary studios Motorbass, St-Germain and Ferber.
This Requiem brings together French and international artists with the same message: remembrance and solidarity. “It celebrates resilience, memories and life,” said Victor Le Masne.
Tribute music
All profits from this album will be donated to victims’ associations: Life for Paris and 13onze15. This is clear to Philippe Duperon, president of the 13onze15 association: “Rock, music, singing, friendship, the joy of life, this is what is celebrated by those who today are the victims of November 13, this is the culture that is under attack. To continue singing with the choir of victims, playing, 10 years later, means fighting back, it means moving forward in life after.”
Arthur Dénouveaux, president of Life for Paris, had similar thoughts hours before the ceremony and album release: “From the chants of supporters at the Stade de France to the rock of the Bataclan and the music from the terraces of the 10th and 11th arrondissements, music vibrated on the evening of November 13 2015. And never ceased to accompany the victims and their loved ones in their reconstruction. Until they spoke 10 years later with the 13th Choir.”
