In my experience, composing an acousmatic piece begins with a difficult challenge: choosing the sound materials, the basis, the starting point for any work… What should I do with these collections of sounds — be them of concrete or synthetic origin — I have gathered and left in suspension? All these sounds that have been captured, collected, archived, and are now waiting in the wings for their moment to shine, to coexist?

In that regard, I have always felt that starting a new piece was like placing a bet, because you find yourself having to breathe life and meaning into these initial elements, wild elements that have neither context nor musical history…

This piece represents both my umpteenth attempt in this vein and the moment where I became aware of this issue.

— Patrick Ascione [English translation: François Couture, ii-15]

Enième [Umpteenth] was realized in 2004 at the studio of the Institut international de musique électroacoustique de Bourges (IMEB, France) and premiered on June 9, 2004 at Palais Jacques-Cœur as part of Synthèse festival (Bourges, France). It was commissioned by the IMEB.

Premiere

• June 9, 2004, Synthèse 2004: Concert, Palais Jacques-Cœur, Bourges (Cher, France)