The French Music Exploration thread

Started by Papy Oli, September 14, 2020, 03:17:20 AM

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Papy Oli

Quote from: Florestan on September 16, 2020, 10:19:46 AM
If you are into piano music, then Cecile Chaminade is a must. Salon music at its best: elegant, tuneful, witty and eminently enjoyable.

Sounds good, I'll add it.

I actually came across her name a few months back in a really round about way. A character played the role of Cecile Chaminade in "Anne with an E", the Netflix version of "Anne of the Green Gables", playing ...salon music at a party in a rich aunt's house and inspiring one of the artistic main characters towards music   ;D
Olivier

Papy Oli

Quote from: Iota on September 16, 2020, 10:29:56 AM
Excellent thread idea, PO! Look forward to seeing what tasty morsels emerge from it. And in honour of its inception I just listened to the Ibert flute concerto which seems rather butterfly-like in the first and last movements, with an attractive tendresse in the middle movement, which was the one I preferred.
Also listened to 3 Pieces Breves, as recommended above, again whimsical, but I felt there was a tad more Stravinskian bite and humour to the whimsy than in the concerto, which made it more interesting to me. I suspect his smaller scale works might engage me most, but may try the Symphonie Marine too.

Welcome aboard, Iota  8)
Olivier

Florestan

Quote from: Papy Oli on September 17, 2020, 02:47:17 AM
Sounds good, I'll add it.

I actually came across her name a few months back in a really round about way. A character played the role of Cecile Chaminade in "Anne with an E", the Netflix version of "Anne of the Green Gables", playing ...salon music at a party in a rich aunt's house and inspiring one of the artistic main characters towards music   ;D

Nice!
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Papy Oli

Quote from: Madiel on September 16, 2020, 04:24:40 PM
So far Edgar isn't doing it for me.

Nor me, I'm afraid. Too much banging and dissonance overall for my own tastes.

"Arcana" was sort interesting for 5-10 minutes but it lost me afterwards. "Tuning up" was original and quirky, even pressed replay on this particular one, but I do not feel the need to revisit again.
Olivier

Madiel

#64
Quote from: Papy Oli on September 17, 2020, 03:00:36 AM
Nor me, I'm afraid. Too much banging and dissonance overall for my own tastes.

"Arcana" was sort interesting for 5-10 minutes but it lost me afterwards. "Tuning up" was original and quirky, even pressed replay on this particular one, but I do not feel the need to revisit again.

I haven't tried either of those yet. So far it was Ionisation, then Amériques. Just now Density 21.5 which is for solo flute, and now starting on Déserts where I stumbled across a Naxos performance conducted by someone I obliquely know, so that's novel...

I'm not having much reaction on the whole.

EDIT: Though interestingly, David Hurwitz was thoroughly enthusiastic about the Naxos disc. Said the performances were much better than Boulez' (and I've just found someone on Amazon saying the same thing). So maybe I'll listen to more of this album.

I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Scion7

You don't like Varèse? You don't like Varèse??!?  Don't you know every time you say that, a beautiful water sprite in the Csárda-valley dies?? 



Varese is one of the most inventive and important of the 20th century composers.  Spend more time with his music.  Let him get under your skin, as it were.
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

Papy Oli

Quote from: Scion7 on September 17, 2020, 05:47:37 AM
You don't like Varèse? You don't like Varèse??!?  Don't you know every time you say that, a beautiful water sprite in the Csárda-valley dies?? 

Varese is one of the most inventive and important of the 20th century composers.  Spend more time with his music.  Let him get under your skin, as it were.

I'll live with that burden :P  ;)


Olivier

Madiel

#67
Me too. For starters, I'm gay so talking about beautiful water sprites was entirely the wrong tactic.  ;D
I am now working on a discography of the works of Vagn Holmboe. Please visit and also contribute!

Papy Oli

I moved on to Jean-Philippe Rameau earlier this afternoon.

I do not have a lot in my collection but he actually is the French composer I return to the most for the following :

Les Indes Galantes (Orchestral - Bruggen)
Les Indes Galantes (Harpsichord - Rousset)
Pieces de Clavecin (Bielder, Ross , Meyer)

The Suite in E minor particularly is a strong favorite of mine as it includes Rappel des Oiseaux et Gigue en Rondeau. I have always been satisfied with only Indes Galantes in instrumental versions. It should be a short foray as I tried a few times the operas themselves (audio, YT video) but to no avail. It just doesn't work for me once the singing is there.

Earlier today, I listened to the Overtures by Rousset. That was very good, really enjoyed that.



Checking out Rameau's works on wikipedia, I notice he did some motets. I'll give that a go later today on tomorrow.

Olivier

Scion7

I enjoy a lot of his music also, but with Franck and Saint-Saens and Fauré out there, he doesn't get as many plays.
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

Irons

Quote from: Papy Oli on September 17, 2020, 06:23:49 AM
I moved on to Jean-Philippe Rameau earlier this afternoon.

I do not have a lot in my collection but he actually is the French composer I return to the most for the following :

Les Indes Galantes (Orchestral - Bruggen)
Les Indes Galantes (Harpsichord - Rousset)
Pieces de Clavecin (Bielder, Ross , Meyer)

The Suite in E minor particularly is a strong favorite of mine as it includes Rappel des Oiseaux et Gigue en Rondeau. I have always been satisfied with only Indes Galantes in instrumental versions. It should be a short foray as I tried a few times the operas themselves (audio, YT video) but to no avail. It just doesn't work for me once the singing is there.

Earlier today, I listened to the Overtures by Rousset. That was very good, really enjoyed that.



Checking out Rameau's works on wikipedia, I notice he did some motets. I'll give that a go later today on tomorrow.



Swerved Varése, but up for Rameau following Nielsen which should make for an interesting twosome this evening. ;D
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Papy Oli on September 17, 2020, 06:23:49 AM
I moved on to Jean-Philippe Rameau earlier this afternoon.

I do not have a lot in my collection but he actually is the French composer I return to the most for the following :

Les Indes Galantes (Orchestral - Bruggen)
Les Indes Galantes (Harpsichord - Rousset)
Pieces de Clavecin (Bielder, Ross , Meyer)

The Suite in E minor particularly is a strong favorite of mine as it includes Rappel des Oiseaux et Gigue en Rondeau. I have always been satisfied with only Indes Galantes in instrumental versions. It should be a short foray as I tried a few times the operas themselves (audio, YT video) but to no avail. It just doesn't work for me once the singing is there.

Earlier today, I listened to the Overtures by Rousset. That was very good, really enjoyed that.



Checking out Rameau's works on wikipedia, I notice he did some motets. I'll give that a go later today on tomorrow.


Must admit, I don't often visit (revisit?) Rameau.  Like you, I do enjoy (and own) that overtures disc with Rousset.  I should try again his operas (I own a few of them).

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Papy Oli on September 16, 2020, 01:27:16 AM
I just checked the shelves and I actually have this particular work in the collection already!  :-[  Well, not technically mine, actually a Christmas present (a Galway boxset) to my partner (she used to play flute when she was younger) and Ibert's is in it. I'll queue that too. I did enjoy some of that boxset by the way, more than I expected to (again, the usual small chunks apply for this one, more to do with the instrument).

Also lined up for this morning, one last Ibert CD :


Don't tell her that Olivier!  :o  ;)
Pohjolas Daughter

Papy Oli

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on September 17, 2020, 07:35:00 AM
Don't tell her that Olivier!  :o  ;)

I make an effort to compromise  ;)...but she knows  :laugh:
Olivier

Florestan

Quote from: Mandryka on September 16, 2020, 06:46:10 AM
One thing that may be the case is that French music is very subtle. That's probably why it's less well appreciated than Italian music or German music.

Debussy said this:  Le génie musical français, c'est quelque chose comme la fantaisie dans la sensibilité.

I don't know. It could very well aply to Schubert or Schumann as well.
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

André

Adolphe Adam, Marin Marais, Nicolas de Grigny, Jean Gilles, Marcel Landowski, Louis-Théodore Gouvy, Marcel Dupré are all composers I rate highly.

Scion7

Don't care for Landowski, but Adam, Gouvy and especially Dupre (a master organist) I like.
When, a few months before his death, Rachmaninov lamented that he no longer had the "strength and fire" to compose, friends reminded him of the Symphonic Dances, so charged with fire and strength. "Yes," he admitted. "I don't know how that happened. That was probably my last flicker."

Irons

Suites Des Indes Galantes

Most enjoyable. A recording from 1961 that wears it's years well.
You must have a very good opinion of yourself to write a symphony - John Ireland.

I opened the door people rushed through and I was left holding the knob - Bo Diddley.

Papy Oli

Quote from: André on September 17, 2020, 02:26:27 PM
Adolphe Adam, Marin Marais, Nicolas de Grigny, Jean Gilles, Marcel Landowski, Louis-Théodore Gouvy, Marcel Dupré are all composers I rate highly.

Merci André. I'll add them.
Olivier

Papy Oli

Quote from: Irons on September 17, 2020, 07:01:01 AM
Swerved Varése, but up for Rameau following Nielsen which should make for an interesting twosome this evening. ;D

Not really the best of weeks for the Water Sprites... :blank:  :laugh:
Olivier