Bernard Parmegiani

The Profile

Bernard Parmegiani (1927–2013) was a French composer and sound designer, a leading figure at INA-GRM and a pioneer of acousmatic and musique concrète composition. His landmark works include De Natura Sonorum and Violostries.

Key figure of INA-GRM; pioneer in musique concrète and acousmatic composition; active from the early 1960s to 2013; produced music and sound design for film, television, and stage; studied mime with Jacques Lecoq.

A single, poetic review wrestles with Parmegiani’s challenging acousmatic soundworld, mixing awe with frustration. The writer evokes excavation, density, and sonic vertigo while acknowledging the music’s stubborn opacity. Overall tone: reverent yet conflicted (3/5).