5 - The Monumental Stereo of Son et Lumière

Summary

Listening to spatialized sound by electronic means was one of the new experiences that awaited listeners in the years following the Second World War. As far as new forms of audiotechnical listening in France goes, one of the stereophonic listening situations that had the greatest impact on audiences was son et lumière, the first of which was presented at the Chambord château in 1952 with music composed by Maurice Jarre. The soundtrack of this show was broadcast via a novel stereophonic setup devised by engineers from French National Radio. These son et lumière shows initiated listeners to new forms of directional listening, a skill that would then be called upon by avant-garde composers. This chapter explores the musical dimension of these son et lumière shows in order to evaluate their impact on the development ofnew forms of listening, ones that would inform the reception of more experimental subsequent offerings.