“Some cities are said to never sleep. But he who truly loves the night will not be satisfied by such waking substitutes, such travesties of illuminated parties, begged or stolen from Time now so old its hours cannot be counted.

My own city is very tired when evening comes, weary of the uproar and hubbub. I can see her struggling to accompany citizens to their final occupations. Here she is, streets and boroughs blinking as she yawns and stretches out at the bottom of streets that are emptying slowly.

The night falls and I decide to go out. I go deeper, softly, and I welcome the self-abnegation and trust of a friend who dozes off at my side, her heart at peace. My city falls asleep; she quietly lets erode away the forlorn destinies of the handful of souls still up to contemplate her, their shadows fading away under the pale light cast by the lampposts.

I stay with her like that for hours at a time, accompanying her deep breathing, quiet stirrings, and gorgeous blackness.”

— Wahed Gotref, Problèmes prosés

— Georges Forget [English translation: François Couture, ii-15]

Urban Adagio was realized in 2010 at the composer’s studio and premiered on April 23, 2010 during the concert Con sordino (3) presented by Codes d’accès at Relais Mont-Royal in Montréal (Québec). Urban Adagio was commissioned by Codes d’accès with support from the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA}). Urban Adagio won an award at the 11th Concurso Internacional de Composição Electroacústica Música Viva (Portugal, 2010).

Premiere

• April 23, 2010, Con sordino (3), Relais Mont-Royal, Montréal (Québec)

Awards

• Prize, Concurso Internacional de Composição Electroacústica Música Viva 2010, Parede (Portugal)