In the beginning was the breath

Jean-Christophe Rosaz: “In the beginning was the breath for Alto flute solo”, originally titled Qì – 氣 – Au commencement était le souffle was written in 2010 and published in France in early 2014.
It was premiered by premiered by the prominent French flutist and conductor François Veilhan who integrated the piece into his touring repertoire and masterclasses in early 2011.
The fundamental narrative and structural concept of the piece are deeply rooted in Eastern philosophy, specifically the traditional Chinese spiritual concept of Qi (氣).
The piece translates the idea of Qi as the universal "vital breath" or energy flow that encompasses the entire universe, connects all living things, and flows through the body's energy pathways (dāntián).
In his notes on the piece, Jean-Christophe Rosaz points out that while the West lacks a direct equivalent to "Qi", it shares deep historical roots with the Greek concept of pneuma and the Latin spiritus (both meaning breath, wind, or spirit), as well as the Indian concept of prana.
The composer draws an analogy between playing the alto flute and traditional Chinese calligraphy or martial arts. Just as a painter must seamlessly transmit the Qi from their body through their arm and brush into the canvas, a flutist must "animate the sound with breath."
Musically, the story of the piece focuses heavily on emptiness and silence. Rosaz intentionally integrates space and physical breath into the score to allow the performer to uncover and express "the very soul of music."