 Rendez @-@ Vous was created over a period of about two months and , as with Zoolook , contains elements of his 1983 album Musique pour Supermarché . Its three movements represent Houston 's development , from a rural economy to its role as a leader in space technology . Baroque in style , the album uses a mixture of French horns , trombones , and violins ; and it features heavy use of the Elka Synthex , notably so on " Third Rendez @-@ Vous " , a track Jarre often performs using a laser harp . Jarre worked with several Houston @-@ based astronauts , including Bruce McCandless II and Ronald McNair , an accomplished musician who was to have played the saxophone on " Rendez @-@ Vous VI " , recorded in the weightless environment of space . The live performance was curtailed by McNair 's death in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on 28 January 1986 . Consideration was given to the cancellation of the concert ; but McCandless contacted Jarre and urged him to proceed , in memory of the shuttle 's crew . McNair 's saxophone piece was recorded by Kirk Whalum and retitled " Ron 's Piece " . 
