François Rossé was born on June 16^th 1945 in Reichshoffen (Alsace) and went through bis musical apprenticeship in an almost self-taught manner. It was therefore late in life, at the age of seventeen, that he began serious instrumental studies (piano) at the Strasburg Conservatory (Alphonse Foehr), then at the Paris Ecole Normale de Musique (Jeannine Bonjean).

The first steps towards « musical imagination », at first developinging a « scoreless » instrumental activity, revealed to him the specific importance of « Written » and « tactile »( « non-Written ») approaches to composition in an essential complementarity (a crucial point for future approaches). After intensive studies in classical composition and analysis at the Paris Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique, which he terminated positively in 1974, he entered Olivier Messiaen and Betsy Jotas composition class. The ethical dimension (Catholic humanism ?) which seemed to exist in Olivier Messiaen’s attitude would be decisive for François Rossé in justifying the créative act (on other levels, at any rate ).

Ivo Malec, who gave close thought to the act of creation with a powerfully committed expression, would have a particularly important influence on the methodological plan in composition ; from this time, there date works that are very radical in approach, such as the Frêne égaré (structure for instrumentalist) or Pendularium ( structure for structure).

The collaborations with Jean-Marie Londeix (1978), and then with Daniel Kientzy (1982), were important in the poly-dimensional contribution (acoustic and scenic) of the instrument (from the spectral to the theatrical) ; during this time, there were published works such as Spath, Quartz 01 04 and Level 1004, etc … Another important encounter in the BO’s was with Etienne Rollin, whose aspirations at that time were very close to those of the composer present (« political » perception in polyphony, for example … ). ln 1979, with his class of musical analysis at the Bordeaux C.N.R he obtained the second prize in National « Music and Data-processing » Contest chaired by I. Xenakis.

From the period, the directions in composition deviated from « minerai » acoustical complexity, (Ligitian micro-polyphony, for example) and targeted a complexity that belonged more to the « biological », anthropological and cultural order (in another awareness). From polyphonyto « sociology », solutions needed to be found in the very conception of the score (made capable of taking on this action in live ). Cordée, Bachflussigkeit, Oem, Mod.son 1 to 7 etc., enter into the dream of an osmosis between these apparently weIl divided spaces (from the vegetable to the mineraI).
A judiciously negotiated reply adapted to an impromptu urgency (whether or not provoked) seems to me, biologically, to be a creative act. For the composer, It goes without saying that this « créative » virtue appears in the expression of a perspicacious, graceful craftsmansbip that is effective when confronted with the unexpected. A creative life flexibly negotiated at every moment, like living organisms, Sonorium d’Angers, Hydr’opus, 0 Yelp, KRPT, Révolutions, Baiser de Terre, Soupir cosmique, etc., become engrained, even invade, a specific place (porposition), fortuitously.

The hope for physical (and mental) plenitude of the instrumental gesture is clarified in the movements of Mod.son 7 (1986), L’arc Fauve (1987) … an old archeo-gymnic guest … furtive perception of our integrality ?