Versailles by Thylacine

The Palace of Versailles invited electronic music composer Thylacine to spend a day and three nights recording in full immersion to the sounds of Versailles: clock movements, harpsichords, locks, creaking floors… a variety of sounds were picked out to compose “Versailles”, a new and original piece of music.

A unique sound universe

The variety of sounds emitted every second in the Palace of Versailles forms a world in its own right. This sound heritage is a veritable collection, just like paintings or objets d’art, and has been identified and recorded by the teams at the Palace of Versailles over the past ten or so years.

Chosen for his sensitivity and particular care in translating a location’s identity into sound, Thylacine immersed himself in the Palace of Versailles during three exploration and recording sessions by day and by night, in order to create this unique work.

Tinkling chandeliers, creaking floors, opening doors, clicking locks, ticking clocks... Thylacine set out to discover the sound DNA of the Palace. In particular, he used old musical instruments not only for their musical quality, but also for the sounds created through the light touch of their “material case”. He has explored the creative potential of these unique sounds and their evocative power. Most notably, clock movements fill the imagination with images from the past.

Helped by the curators at the Palace of Versailles, the composer recorded sounds that have often been overlooked until now. The Palace of Versailles is a place to be visited, both physically and virtually. It can now be listened to.

Video

The video reveals behind-the-scenes footage of Thylacine’s recording sessions in the Palace of Versailles, providing images of the sounds and showing how the composer approached the wealth of sound heritage on site. From the organ in the Royal Chapel to clock movements and bells on the roof, the viewer follows, step by step, the artist’s immersion and translation of the sound identity of Versailles.

"Versailles" is available on all music platforms.

Listen to the composition

Video remix by Jaffna 

This remix is inspired by "Versailles", the original composition by Thylacine produced with the sounds of the Palace of Versailles. The clip has been shot in February 2020. 

Thylacine

William Rezé, aka Thylacine, recorded his first album in 2015 aboard the Trans-Siberian railway which connects Moscow to Vladivostok. For his second album, he immersed himself in the desert landscapes of South America. Through his many journeys, Thylacine is able to escape and then plunge into his compositions. The electronic music composer records the sounds of each place and invites listeners to travel with him.

Curious and attentive, Thylacine is always looking for new sounds. The musician reveals the sound potential of the places he explores. He translates the atmosphere of these spaces, producing previously forgotten or unknown sounds. His compositions reveal places that are just asking to be listened to.