Philippe BOESMANS (born 1936). Autograph musical manuscript signed, Extases for piano, tuba and small ensemble, [1986]; title and 24 leaves 42 x 30 cm. Orchestral score of this suite concertante, commissioned by the Festival des Nuits de Septembre de Liège, where it was premiered on September 19, 1986 by the ensemble Synonymes, conducted by Patrick Davin, and recorded (Ricercar 1988); it was published by Jobert in 1988. [WD25]. Besides the two soloists, the orchestral ensemble includes: flute, clarinet, bassoon, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, percussionist, synthesizer, violin, cello. With a duration of 26 minutes, Extases is composed of eight parts, the timing of which is given on the title page of the manuscript: I Tendre (3'), II Interrompue (1'), III Fluctuante (6'), IV Fébrile (3'30), V Abandonnée (3'), VI Exhibée (5'), VII Déliquescente (6'), VIII Tendre (3'). " Extases is made up of seven distinct pieces that induce a closed form, made up of small autonomous entities. These pieces return to the old tradition of the French suites of the 18th century through the titles given to them by the author [...] More and more, Boesmans is freeing himself from the aesthetics of fragmentation and inscribing his works in the sharing of human feelings, a daring approach that turns his back on a whole context of musical creation that is firmly opposed to the taste for affect. With Extases, Philippe Boesmans continues to broaden his sound universe by working on the combination of very contrasting timbres, as shown by the choice of the three solo instruments [...]. The composer mixes instrumental colours while preserving the individuality of each instrument. The tuba player, for example, ends his piece "Exhibée" with a sort of free jazz cadenza in which the framework given by the composer only offers greater freedom to the performer" (Valérie Dufour). The manuscript is carefully written in Indian ink on 36-line tracing paper.