The Semantic Daniélou-36: a bridge between tradition and modernity

The Semantic Daniélou-36 is the result of the visionary thinking of French musicologist, Indianist, and philosopher Alain Daniélou (1907-1994). A great connoisseur of Eastern musical traditions, particularly Indian, Daniélou was passionate throughout his life about the relationship between sounds, intervals, and emotions. Self-taught on the piano from the age of 12, it was during one of his many stays in India that he befriended the famous writer, poet, and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore. He then settled in India to study the language, culture, and traditional Indian music of the orthodox society of Benares (Varanasi). There, he practiced the vînâ, a stringed instrument similar to the sitar, with particular diligence.

His work in understanding, translating, and, above all, documenting traditional Indian music greatly contributed to its dissemination in the West, as well as to the development of his own compositions and reflections on music. In his book La sémantique musicale (1967), he expounds a theory of just intonation based on 53 intervals per octave, which is much richer and more nuanced than the Western tempered system of 12 semitones.

In 1993, shortly before his death, Daniélou decided to have an electronic instrument built that would embody his theoretical research. Although he did not live to see the project come to fruition, the Alain Daniélou Foundation continued his work. In 2005, it unveiled the Semantic Daniélou-36: a microtonal keyboard offering 36 intervals per octave, a simplified version but faithful to the original concept.

Designed as both an educational tool and an instrument for creation, the instrument stands out for its accurate intonation tuning and a sound aesthetic that opens up new horizons for composers. Whereas the twelve-tone equal temperament scale sets certain limits, the Daniélou-36 Semantic allows for the expression of a much wider and more subtle range of harmonic colors, capable of evoking finer nuances of emotion that are rarely explored in Western music.

Upon its release, the instrument was showcased in several artistic initiatives. In 2006, the Alain Daniélou Foundation commissioned Igor Wakévitch to compose the album Ahata Anahata, the first recording dedicated to this instrument. The following year, concerts at the Abbey of Thoronet, in Venice, Rome, and Paris allowed the public to hear its potential. Training sessions were also organised under the direction of composer Jacques Dudon, a specialist in microtonal music.

The Semantic Daniélou-36 then underwent several developments: in 2013, a new version equipped with a ribbon controller enriched the sound palette and refined the tuning. At the same time, a virtual Semantic Daniélou-53 was developed and presented in 2018 at IRCAM, extending Daniélou's theoretical exploration and offering a virtual version that was fully faithful to the initial project. In 2022, the VST was also featured in a masterclass in partnership with the Abbey Road Institute in Paris.

The recent history of the instrument reached a new milestone in the summer of 2025: the Alain Daniélou Foundation donated the Semantic Daniélou-36 to the smem, extending the museum's desire to develop as complete a “living archive” as possible, where instruments are repaired, studied, played, and above all made available to the public and artists.

Through this transfer, the Semantic Daniélou-36 continues its vocation: to embody a bridge between the rigor of ancient theories, microtonal exploration, and contemporary musical creativity. A rare instrument, it bears witness to Alain Daniélou's conviction that music is first and foremost a language of emotions, common to all cultures. 

The SMEM would like to warmly thank the members of the Alain Daniélou Foundation for this precious donation. For those interested, an evening presentation and introduction (in French) to the instrument is planned for Wednesday, October 15, at 8 p.m.