The French Music Exploration thread

[Mirror Image]

Look, nothing wrong with pairing those 2 together, they were very close.

Indeed.

[Symphonic Addict]

Thank this thread I got reacquainted with Ibert's music and it was a very welcome rediscovery this year. Just heard Ouverture de Fête again. What a stunning piece of music. It has grandeur and a certain rhythmic vitality, scintillating orchestration, and it's quite moving in a sort of way. And the orchestration, as always, very French, energetic, at times sharp, but always masterful. Blown away, literally!

His Flute Concerto also left me amazed the other day by how eloquent and quirky passages it has. What other works of his you all consider in the same or similar league (including Ouverture de Fête if you know it)?

[Irons]

Thank this thread I got reacquainted with Ibert's music and it was a very welcome rediscovery this year. Just heard Ouverture de Fête again. What a stunning piece of music. It has grandeur and a certain rhythmic vitality, scintillating orchestration, and it's quite moving in a sort of way. And the orchestration, as always, very French, energetic, at times sharp, but always masterful. Blown away, literally!

His Flute Concerto also left me amazed the other day by how eloquent and quirky passages it has. What other works of his you all consider in the same or similar league (including Ouverture de Fête if you know it)?

You mention "rhythmic vitality", if you have not already heard it Symphonie Marine I'm sure you will be impressed.

[Symphonic Addict]

You mention "rhythmic vitality", if you have not already heard it Symphonie Marine I'm sure you will be impressed.

Thanks, Irons. I'm not sure if I've heard it already. I'm gonna check.

[Papy Oli]

Very sporadic listening in the last week but I have been going over samples a few times of various Saint-Saëns recordings.

The Nash ensemble twofer on Hyperion will definitely be a purchase in the future. Too many good things on this one. I was listening to samples in the living room the other day and a few tracks in, my partner looked up from her work & laptop and said "ooooh i like that". Not that I needed much convincing myself.

Other samples I have found of interest : his String quartets, Cello Concertos, his symphonic poems (all on Naxos). Also really enjoyed his piano concertos 2 & 4 off my shelves. Will have to dig deeper in a full cycle of his PC (possibly stick with Dutoit/Rogé that I have for the PC4, maybe Hough on Hyperion too. Need to check Naxos again for those.).

Symphony-wise, No3 is just stupendous. The other symphonies never really took off and bore me a fair bit.

Still, another composer to add as a positive outcome of this little project.

The opera Samson et Dalila. Preferably the Davis, Cura, Borodina recording.

The requiem. I have the Chandos with Fasolis. It seems altogether perfect to me.

Not a fan of opera myself but I will check the requiem to close the loop on Camille's lot, thank you.

[Papy Oli]

I actually decided a few weeks ago that I was going to do the whole chronological exploration thing with Saint-Saens. Yes, I know that's going to take me a while. I've no regrets 3 opuses in.

I just think that I've become increasingly aware of what a massively important figure he is in French music, yet I know barely any of his music. I own a few works because they're in my box set of Paul Tortelier, and that's about it. But he was a major driving force in establishing, or re-establishing, the French musical scene that led to such major composers in the next couple of generations.

Poor soul      Enjoy the journey 

[Papy Oli]

Thank this thread I got reacquainted with Ibert's music and it was a very welcome rediscovery this year. Just heard Ouverture de Fête again. What a stunning piece of music. It has grandeur and a certain rhythmic vitality, scintillating orchestration, and it's quite moving in a sort of way. And the orchestration, as always, very French, energetic, at times sharp, but always masterful. Blown away, literally!

His Flute Concerto also left me amazed the other day by how eloquent and quirky passages it has. What other works of his you all consider in the same or similar league (including Ouverture de Fête if you know it)?

Glad you find this exploration thread of interest, Cesar.

Ibert was nice discovery for me. The Chandos twofer by Jarvi is one I have in the purchasing pipeline for this particular composer.

[Mirror Image]

Glad you find this exploration thread of interest, Cesar.

Ibert was nice discovery for me. The Chandos twofer by Jarvi is one I have in the purchasing pipeline for this particular composer.

Why not this one?

[asin] B004ZARXTW[/asin]

[Madiel]

Poor soul      Enjoy the journey 

Thanks for the reminder. Listening to opus 8: duos for piano and harmonium. Kind of fascinating.

[Papy Oli]

That Saint-Saëns exploration has been fruitful.

I have basically gone through & liked everything I had on my shelves :

Cello Concerto No 1 In A Minor Op. 33
Piano Trio No.1 in F Major
Violin Concerto No.03 in B minor
Danse Macabre
Havanaise
Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso
Le Carnaval des Animaux
Samson et Dalila (Extracts)
Symphony No.03 in C minor "Organ"
Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor, Op.22


I then bought The Nash Ensemble twofer on Hyperion, simply full of gems and a collection I will go back to often :

Septet in E Flat Major Op.65
Tarentelle in E minor Op.6
Bassoon Sonata in G major Op.168
Piano Quartet in B Flat Major Op.41
Piano Quintet in A minor Op.14
Oboe Sonata in D Major Op.166
Clarinet Sonata in E Flat Major Op.167
Caprice sur des Airs Danois et Russes Op.79


I also bought and received today a full used Piano concertos set with Dutoit/Rogé (same forces as the No.2 I had in my collection on an "Essential" twofer). Will run my way through those in the coming days but the samples were really good (even if it is a format I do not usually seek).

Piano Concerto No.1 in D Major Op.17
Piano Concerto No.4 in C minor, Op. 44
Piano Concerto No.3 in E Flat Major Op.29
Piano Concerto No.5 in F Major Op.103

Finally, I have asked for his Piano Trios (by the Florestan Trio - Hyperion) for my forthcoming Birthday. Again, gorgeous samples. Looking forward to getting this one.

The only works that didn't really appeal to me were the rest of his symphonies. I am also still on the fence about his string quartets.

Anything major I may have missed please ?

[André]

I caught the first symphony on the radio, it had just started and didn't recognize it. I last listened to the work when I bought the Martinon set some 15 years ago. What struck me is how heteroclite the music was - fun, melodious but seemingly from different influences, with a wagnerian first movement, an offenbachian finale. I liked it a lot and was surprised when I heard what it was.

[Mirror Image]

I need to go back to those Saint-Saëns symphonies. Of course, I love the 3rd, but don't quite remember the others. Hopefully, over my off days, I'll be able to revisit at least two of them.

[Jo498]

The trios are worthwhile. And the violin sonatas, especially the first. The string quartets are not essential, but like the other cello and violin concertante pieces worth getting eventually.
The popularity of the concertos is probably 2nd and 4th piano, b minor violin and first cello concerto before the rest, but the actual wwrdifferences are not huge to the "lesser" works. There was also a nice anthology of tone poems with Dutoit, I think? I don't listen to S-Saens frequently, but it is all original and entertaining music.

[Brass Hole]

That Saint-Saëns exploration has been fruitful.
Anything major I may have missed please ?

These do not overlap with mine:
Cello Sonata 1 Op 32 (Poltera & Stott),
Allegro Appassionato for Cello & Orchestra or Cello & Piano Op 43 (Maisky OCO or Moser),
Fantasie for Violin & Harp Op 124 (Capucon & Langlamet) and
Violin Sonata 1 Op 75 (Weithaas & Avenhaus) though I dropped this sonata out a while ago.

I call him the heaviest of the lightweights.

[Symphonic Addict]

Saint-Saëns is the most consistently good and variegated French composer in my book, and clearly he belongs to my top 25 favorite composers. His symphonies, despite most of them are early, there is quite appealing music and ideas in each. Apart from the Organ Symphony, I particularly like the Symphony Urbs Roma.

[Papy Oli]

Thank you for the various inputs. Looks like I'll have to re-assess the symphonies. The Martinon set goes cheap on Ebay.

I'll sample the violin sonatas and cello sonatas later on and see how that fares.

[Papy Oli]

In the meantime, I am starting a run through César Franck.

On the shelf, there is :

Violin sonata in A (Oistrakh) - not convinced
Cello sonata in A Major (Du Pré) - not convinced
Piano Quintet (Richter) - not convinced
Prelude, Chorale, Fugue (Moravec) - Pretty good

Violin sonata in A (Argerich/Maisky)
Symphony in D (Bernstein NYP)
Symphony in D (Giulini)
Symphony in D (Naxos)
Psyche & Eros (Giulini)
Le Chasseur Maudit (Naxos)
Les Eolides (Nxos)

[Brahmsian]

In the meantime, I am starting a run through César Franck.

On the shelf, there is :

Violin sonata in A (Oistrakh) - not convinced
Cello sonata in A Major (Du Pré) - not convinced
Piano Quintet (Richter) - not convinced
Prelude, Chorale, Fugue (Moravec) - Pretty good

Violin sonata in A (Argerich/Maisky)
Symphony in D (Bernstein NYP)
Symphony in D (Giulini)
Symphony in D (Naxos)
Psyche & Eros (Giulini)
Le Chasseur Maudit (Naxos)
Les Eolides (Nxos)

Olivier,

I discovered Franck's Symphony in D minor last year and it is now immediately one of my overall favourite symphonies. Had the great fortune to also attend a live performance in early 2020.

[Papy Oli]

Olivier,

I discovered Franck's Symphony in D minor last year and it is now immediately one of my overall favourite symphonies. Had the great fortune to also attend a live performance in early 2020.

Sounds good Ray. I don't have much recollection of the work myself so I look forward to (re(visiting) the version I have.

Quite underwhelmed by Le Chasseur Maudit but really enjoying Les Eolides at the moment.

[Brahmsian]

Quite underwhelmed by Le Chasseur Maudit but really enjoying Les Eolides at the moment.

I have not heard these two works yet by Franck.

I will say that it took three or four listens to the Symphony in D minor before it made a positive impact on me. But, once it did!

The haunting, arresting English horn solo in the middle movement gives me shivers.