Poésie pour pouvoir

The electronics part for “Poésie pour Pouvoir” is made up of 9 electronic sequences, which are to be played in alternation with the orchestral part, with some seconds of overlap between the two at the end of each sequence. Each sequence is made of two types of 12 channels soundfiles. A first type which contains the “synthetic” parts of the electronics, and a second type which contains the AI reconstructed and processed voice of the famous comedian Michel Bouquet, who plays the lines from Henri Michaux’s poem “Je Rame” (from the collection “Poésie pour Pouvoir”).
This two kinds categorization of the soundfiles for the electronics was done in order to be able to separately control the levels of the synthetic sounds and the processed voice. The piece was in fact originally conceived for a two levels spatialization system : a lower and wider circular - 4 channels - level running the synthetic sounds, and a higher smaller circular level, made up of four loudspeaker hanging from the ceiling, which were to diffuse only the processed voice of the comedian, executing from time to time some circular movements, slower or faster according to the prescriptions in the score.
Here in this rebuilt version, the “synthetic” sounds are managed by a first 8 channels lower ring placed around the audience, while the processed voice are managed by a second vbap3d 12 channels 3d volume, which includes the lower 8 channels ring, plus an additional smaller circular 4 channels ring hanging from the ceiling. With this configuration, the acoustic image of the processed voice can be perceived less high over the heads of the audience, and fuse much better with the synthetic sounds and the orchestra.
Of course, if the venue is very tall, or has balconies, the 8 channels lower ring must be doubled, in order to bring down the electroacoustic sound image of the electronics.
The processed voice soundfiles are mostly already spatialized, as the other synthetic part soundfiles. However, some of them are actually also spatialized in real time, using a “Dry” 8channel version which plays in a Spat in real time, turning according to presets stored in the patch.
Everything in the electronics part is handled by antescofo, in the electronics score for the piece.

Given, for the time (1958), the experimental nature of this work, as for the relative experience of the composer about mixed music pieces, in order to achieve a correct balance between the orchestra and the electronics, and therefore make the piece correctly readable in its entire musical content, an extensive amplification of the instruments is needed, and some following by the sound engineer at the mixing console during the concert is mandatory. The minimum number of microphones to be implied in the amplification is no less than 35, and up to 50. A comprehensive list is given below.

Stage Setup

The original 1958 stage configuration was conceived as a central setup, with the three orchestras in the middle of the hall, on different heights (40 cm difference for each level), while the audience sit around the stage, with the circular ring of speakers placed behind their backs. The smaller 4 channels circular ring hanging from the ceiling was then placed above the three orchestras, in the middle.
In this rebuilt version of the piece, a frontal and more effective stage setup is proposed, firstly in order to avoid any feedback problem which might arise for the microphones within the orchestra, and secondly to help this piece be staged more easily in the future, therefore helping it being more easily programmable alongside other orchestral pieces, without time consuming stage changes in the hall.

The two conductors are placed in order to be able to see each other, while conducting their respective musicians. Every conductor must have an iPad, connected to a dedicated additional computer – connected to the one which plays the electronics - in order to look at a Mira interface with a counter that, during the moments when the electronics sequences play, shows the countdown to the exact second in the sequence where the conductors must resume playing the orchestral part.

![Poésie pour pouvoir PP2 2025 V5-Masse.jpg]

Audio and Loudspeakers Setup

The Max 9 patch for the electronics of this piece has 0 inputs and 12 outputs.
Global Sample Rate : 48 Khz.

For the Paris Philarmonie 2 (Cité de la Musique), a double ring of 8 speakers - sharing the same signals - was put in place, in order to create a much powerful and above all more detailed diffusion for the electronic part in the hall.

MIDI Setup

The cues for the electronics are triggered by the Computer Music Designer, following the score. Anyway, from section “S” onwards, he must receive signs for the next cues - precisely notated on the orchestral score - from the first conductor. At the same time, as already said, when the electronic sequences are playing, the two conductors must look at their iPad, in order to follow the countdown and resume orchestra playing at the right moment (a few seconds overlap with the electronics sounds, each time of different duration, must be performed). For the purpose of connecting the two conductors iPads to the dedicated computer related to the one which is playing the electronics, an additional ethernet patchbay, connecting the regie and the orchestra stage must be installed. The iPads must be connected using an RG45->USBc adapter, in order to allow OSC incoming data.

Software Installation

On the Main (and Spare) computer :

• download and install Max 9.0.9 (or later).
• download and install IRCAM SPAT 5.3.5 (or later).
• download and install Ejies v3.2.5 (or later).
• download and install Antescofo for Max 1.0-599 (or later).
• Launch MAX, open the File Preferences panel, set the path for the folder containing the Concert Patch.
• Open MAX 9 Audio Status panel, set the chosen proper audio input and output driver for the audio setup you're using (for ex. DigiFace Dante). Set sampling rate to 48Khz. Set « I/O vector size » and « Signal Vector Size » to 512 samples. Check « overdrive » on, “Audio Interrupt” off.
• Click on "open I/O mappings" and set the correct outputs for the chosen audiocard.
• Quit and relaunch Max

On the dedicated computer for the Conductors MIRA interface :

• download and install Max 9.0.9 (or later).

On the three iPads (one for electronics mixing and two for the conductors) :

• download and install Cycling74 “MIRA” app.

Patch Presentation

Since the 12 channels electronics files were premixed and pre-spatialized in the Studio 1 at IRCAM, using pre-definite channels positions, a spat-Pan module is available in the main patch / DPS subfolder, in order to adjust the positions of the 12 sources corresponding to the “ideal” 12 channel studio 1 speakers positions setup, to a different configuration, which has to exploit better the speaker setup in each different venue.
In order to recall rapidly a spat-pan preset, a preset max object is available, and it is called by the antescofo score every time the score is reloaded.

Initialization Routine

On the dedicated computer for the Conductors MIRA interface :

• First of all : in the computer preferences / network, create a new configuration, call it “PPP_Chef” (or whatever you like) and set it as follow : set the wifi OFF, then set the computer with a manual IP address, acting as router with the parameters host 192.168.1.10, with router specified as 192.168.1.1.
• Connect this computer to the main computer for the electronics via ethernet (RG45 cable), to allow OSC communication.
• On the two Conductors iPads, set wifi OFF and create a new network configuration, with manual address set to, respectively : 192.168.1.3 and 192.168.1.4
• Launch Max, then open the patch “2-MIRA_PPP_CHEF_01a.maxpat”.
• Connect the computer to the two conductors iPads via USBc-->Ethernet-->USBc.
• in the two iPads, launch MIRA and set them in order to visualize the PPP_TIMER panel.
• Test and verify that whenever an electronic sequence is launched on the main computer, CURRENT EVENT is displaying the correct event and correct respective duration for the sequence, and that the COUNTDOWN TIME (in blue text) is correctly running. (Please consider that the countdown is not always used, in particular for section S and some smaller coda or intro events in other sequences. In that case it shows only -0.0)

![Capture d’écran 2025-12-13 à 17.08.44.png]
![Capture d’écran 2025-12-13 à 17.09.27.png]
![Capture d’écran 2025-12-13 à 17.08.54.png]
![Capture d’écran 2025-12-13 à 17.09.07.png]

On the Main (and Spare) computer :

• First of all : in the computer preferences / network, create a new configuration, call it “PPP” (or whatever you like) and set it as follow : set the wifi OFF, then set the computer with a manual IP address, acting as router with the parameters host 192.168.1.1.
• Launch Max and make a noise test with MAX’s Audiotester, to make sure that the 12 channels going to the loudspeakers are well configured in a sequential fashion, from 1 (front left) to 12.
• Open « 0-DSP_PPP_11_Paris-Philarmonie.maxpat », wait until it's loaded and then Launch « 1-MIRA_PPP_RIM_01c.maxpat».
• Connect the iPad for mixing the electronics, via USB to the computer, and launch MIRA. Set the MIRA interface in the iPad in order to visualize the “PPP_Mixer” panel, which is the correct one to handle the faders for the piece.
• Click on the purple button "ALL.INIT" and wait 3 seconds.
• Turn the DAC ON and click the red "RESET" button. Wait 3 seconds, again.
• On the Antescofo panel, under the “Load Score” popup menu, select the correct score for the piece: “PPP.01b-spatialised.asco”.
• In the concert patch, where it says “MIDI Keyboard”, under the “enable” menu, select “none”.
• In the « 1-MIRA_PPP_RIM_01c.maxpat» patch, containing the MIRA interface for mixing and sending the countdown data to the dedicated computer for the conductors MIRA interfaces, go into edit mode for a moment, and edit the ethernet address to which the computer is sending via UDP, putting the one belonging to the dedicated computer for the conductors : 192.168.1.40, port 8002. Run a test with the counter, located just besides the udpsend object in the same patch, in order to verify that the connection between the two computers is established and working correctly.

• Then, finally, in the MAX concert patch, in the antescofo panel, reload the score, by selecting it again from the “Load Score” menu. Wait 4 seconds, then press the computer keyboard right arrow once, in order to trigger the dummy event "m00_READY! " in the antescofo score.
• On iPad MIRA interface, set the Master fader to the desired level for the beginning of the piece. You are ready to start the performance.

Performance Guidelines

The Computer Music Designer must know the score by heart, in order to trigger the cues at the right moment. Anyway, mostly, the electronic cues for the sequences must be triggered following the signs given by the first conductor (solistes + milieu), as written in the Orchestral Score. The conductor must call the beginning of the sequences at the ending of the every orchestral segment, mostly on the last played note, so obtaining a continuous flow of the music.
The interpretation of the internal dynamics of each electronic sequences is rely mostly on the relationship between the volume of processed voice and the background electronics part. The voice should not sound too loud for most of the piece, except for the moments in which it has to scream. This has to happen for “Le monde, s’éloigne de toi!” and also “Je RAME !!” during the second half of the piece.
A lot of coordination with the Sound engineer handling the levels of the three orchestras must be put in place, in order to make the relationship between the orchestra and the electronics well balanced, and the three orchestras well balanced by themselves.

During the rehearsals, in order allow the conductors to easily start from the ending of each sequence (at least most of them), the CMD can use a little menu on the main patch, which allow to play only the last 10 seconds (it isn’t possible to do more, or less than that – if the conductor asks). Of course, before playing those 10 last seconds, the CMD must first reload the score from the antescofo panel and then go with the “startfrom label” menu to the next electronic sequence which will have to be played after that one.

Concert Pics

These photos might be useful to recall specific installation and instruments needs for the performance.