Guillaume Lekeu (1870 - 1894)

[Scion7]

Supposedly he died from typhus, but it could have been many things that present the same way. Short of a modern post-mortem, we'll never really know.

[vers la flamme]

I just got this:



... mostly for the Milhaud, but as it turns out, the two Lekeu songs for soprano and piano quintet are the standouts. They're both amazing!

Where to from here? I must confess I'm looking at the Ricercar box, but I don't know if it's wise to buy an 8-disc box on the strength of two five-minute works.

[MusicTurner]

I like that disc too ...

Most of his more ambitious chamber and piano works are great, likewise much of the orchestral music, IMO. Having collected various discs, I finally decided for the box you mention & am satisfied with it. He could have become a composer of major importance, no doubt, yet there are many fine works in spite of his short life.

[T. D.]

I bought the box some years ago based on just the Violin Sonata and have been happy with it.

[André]

I just got this:



... mostly for the Milhaud, but as it turns out, the two Lekeu songs for soprano and piano quintet are the standouts. They're both amazing!

Where to from here? I must confess I'm looking at the Ricercar box, but I don't know if it's wise to buy an 8-disc box on the strength of two five-minute works.

What are the songs in question ?

[vers la flamme]

What are the songs in question ?

They are called Nocturne (words by Lekeu himself) and Fragment (words by one Jules Sauveniêre). Can't say I know much more than that.

[André]

Nocturne appears on this disc:



along with Sur une tombe and Ronde. The same three songs are also included in the Ricercar set. Never heard Fragment, though and it's not in the 8cd box. Nevertheless, I highly recommend splurging for it. But if one prefers to just sample Lekeu's music, the Harmonia Mundi disc pictured above is an excellent choice.