Jean-Louis Florentz (19 December 1947 – 4 July 2004) was a French composer.
Biography
Born in Asnières-sur-Seine, Florentz was a student of Pierre Schaeffer and Olivier Messiaen. In 1978, he won the Lili Boulanger composition prize, followed by various prizes from the SACEM and the Institut de France. His incessant travels to Africa allowed him to study ethnomusicology and linguistics. He was a friend of Olivier Latry, organist of Notre-Dame.
He was a composer-in-residence at the Villa Médicis in Rome (1980–1981) and at the Casa de Velázquez in Madrid (1983–1985)
He died from cancer in 2004 in Paris.
He had been a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts since 1995.
Works
Ti'ndé (Op. 1, 1975-1976), for viola and small orchestra
Commission from the Ministry of Culture
Ténéré - Incantation sur un verset coranique (Op. 2, 1977-1978), for orchestra
Commission from the Ministry of Culture
Magnificat - Antiphone for the Visitation (Op. 3, 1979-1980), for tenor, mixed choir and orchestra Commission from the Festival d’arts sacrés de la Ville de Paris. Les Marches du Soleil (Op. 4, 1981–1983), for orchestra. Commission from Radio France Laudes - Kidân za-nageh (op. 5, 1983-1985), 7 pieces for organ. Duration 32'. Commission from "Ars organorum" I. Dis-moi ton nom… II. Prière pour délier les charmes III. Harpe de Marie IV. Chant des fleurs V. Pleurs de la Vierge VI. Rempart de la croix VII. …Seigneur des lumières Chant de Nyandarua (Op. 6, 1985), for 4 cellos. Duration 15' - Commission from Radio France Asun, Conte symphonique sur l’Assomption de Marie (Op. 7, 1986-1988), for soprano, tenor, baritone, mixed choir, children's choir and orchestra. Duration 50'. Commission from Radio France. 7 scenes: I. L’Aube sur le lac Tana, en Éthiopie II. L’Ange à la Palme III. La Forêt des Arcanes IV. L’Autel de l’Eau (Prière de Marie au Golgotha) V. L’Arche de Miséricorde VI. Colonnes de Soleil VII. Porte de la Lumière Debout sur le Soleil (Op. 8, 1990), resurrection song for organ. Duration 25' Commission from Radio France Asmarâ (Op. 9, 1991-1992), for mixed choir a cappella. Duration 17' Commission from the Conseil général de Savoie et du Ministère de la Culture Le Songe de Lluc Alcari (Op. 10, 1992-1994), for cello and orchestra. Duration 32' Commission from "Musique nouvelle en liberté" and the Ministère de la Culture for the Orchestre de Paris Second Chant de Nyandarua, Litanies for 12 cellos. Duration 13' L’Ange du Tamaris, for solo cello, duration, about 11/30' Les Jardins d’Amenta, conte symphonique pour grand orchestre, Duration 32' Commission from the Orchestre national de Lyon L’Anneau de Salomon (Opus 14A, 1997/1998 - 1 April 1999), symphonic dance for solo orchestra. Duration 25' Commission from the Orchestre national de Lyon La Croix du Sud (Op. 15, 1999-2000), symphonic poem for organ. Duration 17' Commission from the "Association Renaissance des grandes orgues de la Basilique Saint-Rémi de Reims" L’Enfant des îles (Pp. 16, 2001 - 10 March 2002), symphonic poem for large orchestra. Duration 33' Commission from the Orchestre national des Pays de la Loire L’Enfant noir, symphonic tale for pipe organ in 14 scenes, 1st scene: Prélude (2002), duration 9' Commission from the Concours internationaux de la Ville de Paris and "Musique nouvelle en liberté". Qsar Ghilâne ou le Palais des Djinns (Op. 18, 2003), symphonic poem for orchestra. Duration 22' Commission from the Orchestre de chambre de Paris and the French Ministry of Culture
Tributes
The Grand Prix d’orgue of the which has been awarded annually since 2002 to the best young hope among the organists, has been renamed or Grand prix d'orgue Jean-Louis Florentz.
He had been a member of the Académie des Beaux-Arts since 1995. Michaël Levinas succeeded him in 2009 and pronounced his praise under the Coupole on 15 June 2011