Dedans, dehors : la place de l’instrumentiste-instrument en orchestre symphonique

Abstract

On its website, the « Orchestre de Paris » shows the section « Figures de notes » where 17 musicians of the orchestra present their instrument in about 10 minutes videos. This mise-en scene is a particular iconographic material to catch significations about musicians’ representations. The analysis of the audiovisual device for the instrument’s presentation allows to report the process of both personification of the instrument and identification with the instrument that transforms the player into an « instrumentalist-instrument ». Each instrumentalist-instrument’s place is designated by a spatial placement, a musical role and a social status that are specific and prioritized. In the situation of representation (Goffman 1973), induced by this device, the speech of the instrumentalists alternates between the affirmation and appreciation of their place in the orchestra and the yearning for a place outside of it, the construction itself of the figure of the instrumentalist-instrument explaining this apparent tension.

Keywords

• instrumentalist-instrument
• symphonic orchestra
• representation
• musical role
• social status