GM-T-2000-01: Guido Molinari, Continuum, 2000, acrylique sur toile, 272 x 272 cm. Collection de la Fondation Guido Molinari Photographe : Guy L’Heureux

Thomson, Blair : Internesses (2025)

Before writing this piece, I had discussed its scope (microtonal, just intonation, single or multiple movements?) with members of Quatuor Molinari and at one point a question arose: “Why not create a piece that still squeezes the musical lemon using twelve semitones?” Hmmm…

I have long wished to compose a set of miniatures, irrespective of their instrumental disposition. Of course, the nature of miniatures is varied, often exemplifications of composers’ aphoristic musical instincts, sometimes “fragments” of a theoretical musical didacticism or even reflections of a minimalist aesthetic movement characterized by a creative principle of “less is more” etc. Therefore, what could I come with if I challenged my own “non-minimalist” tendencies?

Shortly after our meeting I was on the West Coast and found myself staring at a peculiar rock outcrop on the shore of the Pacific Ocean. I kept staring at it, somehow hypnotised. I discovered that a synonym for this type of “cape” or “promontory” is the noun “ness,” whose etymology dates to Old English “næss” (nose). In English, “-ness” is also a suffix referring to a quality or state of something such as “mindfulness” or “playfulness.” Moreover, it seemed to me that the character of the miniatures I wanted to write echoed those of “intermezzi” found in 17th and 18th century Italian opera: small, “stand alone” pieces inserted between more “serious” acts. Thus, the title “Internesses” emerged: a collection of small pieces, each with a “quality or state of something,” but also a pun on the word “intermezzo.” The cherry on the sundae is that its pronunciation is the same in both English and French! Each miniature or “ness” would be a musical “rock formation” with a numbered heading and subheading (2.1.1….), the latter referring to a previous element found in a “ness” that I simply couldn’t let go. That said, I ended up with a single, unceasing movement of miniatures, each one containing its own (n)essence…

I dedicate this piece to the members of Quatuor Molinari whose immense talents are such a rich source of inspiration to both composers and listeners.

Blair Thomson

Originally from Toronto and established in Montréal since 1995, Blair Thomson studied piano from the age of three and began seriously composing as a young teenager, at which time he completed his studies in piano and theory from the Royal Conservatory of Music. He graduated from York University in composition before studying ethnomusicology and philosophy of mind as a graduate student. His research was guided by James Tenney and David Lidov and focused on both acoustics and the music of John Cage.

Before moving to Montréal, he was active as a composer, pianist and conductor in the Toronto contemporary music scene. Mr. Thomson has also composed extensively for theatre, dance, opera, musical theatre, film and television. As an arranger, he has signed approximately 350 arrangements for orchestras and ensembles including National Arts Centre Orchestra, Cairo Symphony Orchestra, CBC Radio Orchestra, I Musici de Montréal, Sinfonia de Lanaudière, l’Orchestre symphonique de Trois-Rivières, l’Orchestre symphonique de Québec and l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, the latter including a rereading of the songs of Michel Rivard culminating in an acclaimed studio album.

Recent chamber music commissions include a string quartet for Quatuor Molinari, a septet for Musica Camerata Montréal for a concert spotlighting composers from Montréal, a wind quintet for Pentaèdre, a prepared piano/piano piece for the choreographer, Louise Bédard, a duet for bass clarinet/piano for André Moisan, and a series of solo bassoon pieces for Michel Bettez. Of late Mr. Thomson has composed a trio featuring trombonist David Martin, a quintet for Le Quatuor Claudel string quartet and Simon Aldrich, a piano score for dancer Genvieve Bessette, an overture for l’Orchestre Métropolitain and, in 2019, a bass clarinet concerto for l’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal featuring André Moisan. In 2022 Mr. Thomson composed a 75 minute piece for orchestra and choir (“Riopelle symphonique”) for the centenary of Jean-Paul Riopelle, recorded and premiered by OSM, respectively, in 2022 and 2023. His 80 minute piece “Les filles de Caleb symphonique” was recorded by OSM to be released in December, 2025.

As pianist, Mr. Thomson performs regularly with orchestras and ensembles. He is also professor of instrumentation and orchestration at Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal.