"I heard Vincent Beer-Demander during a concert with Vladimir Cosma, and I noticed his great virtuosity on the mandolin, an instrument I have often used in my musical life, with some arrangements for Julien Clerc or in the film Cyrano de Bergerac. I was therefore familiar with the instrument, and when Vincent asked me if I would write a concerto for mandolin and orchestra, the idea appealed to me. Vincent is a brilliant instrumentalist, and I wanted to showcase and highlight his talent. My inspiration is rooted in this concept. The strings accompany the mandolin here, which works very well together. History proves it with the concertos of great composers, and I continue in this tradition.
The concerto begins with a very fast tempo and a dialogue between the orchestra and the mandolin. The second movement, slower, showcases the melodic side of the mandolin with great sensitivity. In the third movement, we return to a fast tempo, with virtuosity and a dialogue with the orchestra. There is also a very expressive fugue from the orchestra. These three sections flow seamlessly into each other, and the work lasts a good ten minutes."
Jean-Claude Petit, National Journal of the French Musical Confederation – Paris 2017
