Sainte Justine – être suprême

1989

Electric Music, Tape (2 track tape, Prod. GMEB-Studio, Bourges, France, June 1989)

UA: 9/6/1990, Musée Estève, Bourges.

SAINTE JUSTINE – ÊTRE SUPRÊME (1989) was composed on the occasion of the bi-centenary of the French Revolution.

Whereas many ‘electric’ composers made use of that occasion to glorify that historic event in truly messianic sounds and quotations from heroic songs, Sainte Justine… concentrates on the period of terror.

I made use of the most horrifying quotations by Robbespierre’s disciple and assistant Saint-Just which I combined with quite suggestive quotations from the novel ‘Justine’ by Marquis De Sade.

All this was mixed up with the most sentimental, disgusting song in honour of the ‘Supreme Being’ (‘Être Suprême’) an invention by Robbespierre for the purpose of a new state-religion as well as the most disgusting sounds which I could find at that time. For example a series of highly explosive farts.

Sainte Justine… is not a rejoicing but a deep, deep mud. The piece was realized at the GMEB-studios, Bourges (France).