Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Preface ix
4. Acknowledgments xiii
5. 1. “The fact of knowing I had no father or mother” (1948–67) 1
6. 2. “I want art to be a sacred act, the revelation of forces” (1967–71) 23
7. 3. “To push my language further” (1971–72) 53
8. 4. “A need to communicate with the rest of the cosmos” (1972–74) 73
9. 5. “Something different is coming, something more precise, more clear” (1974–76) 96
10. 6. “A journey into the depths of myself ” (1976–77) 117
11. 7. “Subtle musics / Filling my soul” (1977–79) 127
12. 8. “A mystical enchantment” (1978–79) 152
13. 9. “Oh beautiful child of the light” (1979–81) 162
14. 10. “The passionate love for music that sometimes stops me from composing” (1981–82) 179
15. 11. “It’s only in thinking about music, and about sound, that I can be happy” (1982–83) 202
16. 12. “In Quebec people die easily” (1983–) 223
17. Appendix 1. Chronology of Compositions 233
18. Appendix 2. Selected Discography 245
19. Notes 253
20. Bibliography 281
21. Index 287