Joseph-Guy Ropartz 1864-1955

Started by vandermolen, September 12, 2010, 02:37:42 PM

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vandermolen

'J' (Greg) from this forum alerted me to the qualities of Ropartz's 4th Symphony (1910-11), which I had but had hardly ever played - so I listened again and realised that I had been missing a very fine work.  I have played it through about five times in the last few days. It is a very eloquent work and moving in an understated way - reminding me a bit of Cesar Franck, early Miaskovsky and of the music of his compatriot Tournemire, but still quite original in its way - certainly it kept me gripped throughout. Any other views or recommendations relating to this interesting French composer?
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

mc ukrneal

Quote from: vandermolen on September 12, 2010, 02:37:42 PM
'J' (Greg) from this forum alerted me to the qualities of Ropartz's 4th Symphony (1910-11), which I had but had hardly ever played - so I listened again and realised that I had been missing a very fine work.  I have played it through about five times in the last few days. It is a very eloquent work and moving in an understated way - reminding me a bit of Cesar Franck, early Miaskovsky and of the music of his compatriot Tournemire, but still quite original in its way - certainly it kept me gripped throughout. Any other views or recommendations relating to this interesting French composer?
Well, there is quite a lot - more symphonies, chamber works, piano, etc. Like you, I only have the one above, but there is a second disc by the same group with two more symphonies.
Be kind to your fellow posters!!

Dax

I've not heard any myself but Sydney Grew should be able to inform us about his quartettes

http://www.r3ok.com/index.php/topic,37.msg82851.html#msg82851

The new erato

I've had the 3rd under Plasson on EMI since about 1990 and always found it frightfully boring, which has dissuaded me from trying anything else by him.


vandermolen

Quote from: erato on September 13, 2010, 01:44:17 AM
I've had the 3rd under Plasson on EMI since about 1990 and always found it frightfully boring, which has dissuaded me from trying anything else by him.



I have the other CD with Symphony No 5 on,which did not (yet) mean much to me - but No 4 is a different matter I think, a genuinely inspired work, in my opinion.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

The new erato

Quote from: vandermolen on September 13, 2010, 01:48:04 AM
I have the other CD with Symphony No 5 on,which did not (yet) mean much to me - but No 4 is a different matter I think, a genuinely inspired work, in my opinion.
OK, then I'l have to buy it. My wife will thank you.

vandermolen

Quote from: erato on September 13, 2010, 01:50:20 AM
OK, then I'l have to buy it. My wife will thank you.

My pleasure - please pass on my greetings to her and reassure her that I will be keeping you fully informed of any essential CD purchases (I specialise in the extensive range of full price compact discs) Perhaps she could incorporate this information when determining the family budget.  ;D
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

snyprrr

Quote from: vandermolen on September 13, 2010, 05:02:29 AM
(I specialise in the extensive range of full price compact discs)

With friends like you... ;D



I've always enjoyed R's Prelude, Marine & Chanson (fl, hrp, SQ), but then, who wouldn't?

I've listened to all the amazon snippets of his SQs, and, they did have a certain quality to them, but I did not find them absolutely essential at the moment. I picked up the Complete D'Indy SQs, and said, I'm satisfied. Perhaps,... if R's Timpani discs didn't cost $24 a piece!! >:D

Well, he's not as wacky as Koechlin, and I don't know if he has D'Indy's melodic gift...

Lethevich

#8
The 3rd symphony is definitely the odd one out in his cycle - it aims high and only succeeds if you're particularly interested in that drawn-out style. The Plasson disc is well recorded and performed, but I can't say I return to it often. Ropartz does seem to like to work with broad canvases, but usually of a managable size.

I also recommend his string quartets - I find them a lot more varied and innovative than, say, D'Indy, although his are very fine as well. Some of them have a slightly "modern" edge that could surprise the listener :)

He was also a writer of very worthy choral music which sound very integrated within the French tradition, and also a vitial edge which keeps them from being merely "functional" church music.

Edit: That is to say, often festive and celebratory and along the lines of Berlioz, Franck, Pierné - tempered with influences Fauré but not derivative as some composers such as Duruflé. But once again, this seemingly regressive music is infused with a modern touch and feels fully of its time and rather uniquely conceived as well.
Peanut butter, flour and sugar do not make cookies. They make FIRE.

vandermolen

Quote from: snyprrr on September 13, 2010, 06:23:50 AM
With friends like you... ;D



I've always enjoyed R's Prelude, Marine & Chanson (fl, hrp, SQ), but then, who wouldn't?

I've listened to all the amazon snippets of his SQs, and, they did have a certain quality to them, but I did not find them absolutely essential at the moment. I picked up the Complete D'Indy SQs, and said, I'm satisfied. Perhaps,... if R's Timpani discs didn't cost $24 a piece!! >:D

Well, he's not as wacky as Koechlin, and I don't know if he has D'Indy's melodic gift...

The Prelude, Marine, Chanson work sounds very interesting - never heard of it, so must investigate.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

vandermolen

Quote from: Lethe on September 13, 2010, 08:05:39 AM
The 3rd symphony is definitely the odd one out in his cycle - it aims high and only succeeds if you're particularly interested in that drawn-out style. The Plasson disc is well recorded and performed, but I can't say I return to it often. Ropartz does seem to like to work with broad canvases, but usually of a managable size.

I also recommend his string quartets - I find them a lot more varied and innovative than, say, D'Indy, although his are very fine as well. Some of them have a slightly "modern" edge that could surprise the listener :)

He was also a writer of very worthy choral music which sound very integrated within the French tradition, and also a vitial edge which keeps them from being merely "functional" church music.

Edit: That is to say, often festive and celebratory and along the lines of Berlioz, Franck, Pierné - tempered with influences Fauré but not derivative as some composers such as Duruflé. But once again, this seemingly regressive music is infused with a modern touch and feels fully of its time and rather uniquely conceived as well.

Thank you for your considered and thoughtful view - I agree that '...this seemingly regressive music is infused with a modern touch...'
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

Luke

It's never mentioned, of course, but Ropartz's piano music is sometimes really superb - like many French composers of his time, the medium encourages his most adventurous, wilful side (I'm thinking of D'Indy, Florent Schmitt and so on, composers whose piano music is daring and liberated in a way that their ensemble music isn't and couldn't be). Ropartz's Nocturnes are real little belters, in particular - there's a gorgeously seductive one in 21/16 time, rocking away like an ocean swell, which I particularly adore playing through. THe IMSLP Ropartz page is stuffed with goodies like this...

snyprrr

Anyone have the Timpani Cycle of String Quartets? His is the last remaining French Cycle I haven't gotten to.

kyjo

Quote from: snyprrr on September 13, 2013, 08:15:30 AM
Anyone have the Timpani Cycle of String Quartets? His is the last remaining French Cycle I haven't gotten to.

I do. :) The earlier ones are very Franckian, moody and chromatic, but the later ones are much lighter in tone, with influences from folk music and neoclassicism. I'll also put a plug in for Ropartz's fine symphonies, especially the majestic no. 3, made to sound like a near-masterpiece in Plasson's recording:

[asin]B00000DOCJ[/asin]

snyprrr

Quote from: kyjo on September 13, 2013, 11:22:16 AM
I do. :) The earlier ones are very Franckian, moody and chromatic, but the later ones are much lighter in tone, with influences from folk music and neoclassicism. I'll also put a plug in for Ropartz's fine symphonies, especially the majestic no. 3, made to sound like a near-masterpiece in Plasson's recording:

[asin]B00000DOCJ[/asin]

Thanks. Yes, I was interested in the later ones.


Peter Power Pop

Quote from: vandermolen on September 12, 2010, 02:37:42 PM
'J' (Greg) from this forum alerted me to the qualities of Ropartz's 4th Symphony (1910-11), which I had but had hardly ever played - so I listened again and realised that I had been missing a very fine work.  I have played it through about five times in the last few days. It is a very eloquent work and moving in an understated way - reminding me a bit of Cesar Franck, early Miaskovsky and of the music of his compatriot Tournemire, but still quite original in its way - certainly it kept me gripped throughout. Any other views or recommendations relating to this interesting French composer?

Ropartz - Symphony No. 4
http://www.youtube.com/v/G0TSYFBcG6c

Peter Power Pop

Quote from: snyprrr on September 13, 2010, 06:23:50 AM
With friends like you... ;D

I've always enjoyed R's Prelude, Marine & Chanson (fl, hrp, SQ), but then, who wouldn't?

Ropartz - Prélude, Marine et Chansons
Osian Ellis (harp); Melos Ensemble
http://www.youtube.com/v/aBkVmeZdrWs

Quote from: snyprrr on September 13, 2010, 06:23:50 AMI've listened to all the amazon snippets of his SQs, and, they did have a certain quality to them, but I did not find them absolutely essential at the moment. I picked up the Complete D'Indy SQs, and said, I'm satisfied. Perhaps,... if R's Timpani discs didn't cost $24 a piece!! >:D

Well, he's not as wacky as Koechlin, and I don't know if he has D'Indy's melodic gift...

SymphonicAddict

I'm listening to the symphonies (Nr. 3 right now) and I liked it. It isn't boring (as I saw in some commentary above), indeed is better than other choral symphonies. It has a great lyrical sense and there are showy moments.

calyptorhynchus

#19
Reviving this thread... just been listening to the Symphony No.5 and have been very impressed. It's a very simple lyrical work from 1945 and very old fashioned for the date, I guess. But because it is so simple it is timeless, in the my view (and not Romantic-fussy). Très belle, or perhaps pezh belec'h. And of course because of the date you can't help thinking of La France Libre at the same time.

Also have heard the String Trio from the 30s. Similar thoughts.

I guess I will work backwards through his works, although there is quite a gap between these late works and his other symphonies say (1-4 date from the 1890s to 1910). They might be less to my taste.

Just one question, what text(s) is he setting in the Symphony No.3?
'Many men are melancholy by hearing music, but it is a pleasing melancholy that it causeth.' Robert Burton