Topic: Sauguet's Sanctum (Henri Sauguet 1901-1989)

[André]

Thanks Johan and Peter too - the PC sounds very good.

Yes, thanks guys, I didn’t know this existed ! Precisely that version, conducted by Rozhdestvensky. My old Chant du Monde LP had Les forains as a coupling - that work is easier to find.

Edit: I just noticed I had written in this thread as recently as last year  . I had totally forgotten 

[Scion7]

Papy Oil's discourse in another thread made me go exploring (I really had never heard this chap's work before, unless it was on WCPE in the background and it never registered.)  After hearing a piano concerto, I'm on board! 

" He studied the piano from an early age, and in 1916 became organist and choirmaster at Floirac near Bordeaux ... In 1920, formed the Groupe des Trois with Émié and the composer Jean-Marcel Lizotte ... In 1927 came his first major success with the ballet La chatte ... From 1926 to 1936 (with interruptions for, among other works, a second opéra-bouffe, La contrebasse, and a fine ballet La nuit), he worked on a large-scale opera, La chartreuse de Parme ... musical influences suggest contemporary Russian symphonists, notably Prokofiev and Shostakovich ... Except for a brief period of military service, Sauguet spent WW II composing, helping his many Jewish friends as best he could ... The later decades were marked by several large-scale works, including the delightful opera Les caprices de Marianne (1954) ... Sauguet was active as a critic in the earlier part of his career, writing for L’Europe nouvelle (from 1929), Le jour (until 1939) and La bataille (1945– c1948). "

Quite a list of works (incomplete):

CHAMBER MUSIC
=========================
3 françaises, piano, 1923 
Sonatine, flviolin, piano, 1923 
3 nouvelles françaises, piano, 1925 
Viñes aux mains de fée, pf duet, 1925, collab. Jacob 
Sonata, D, piano, 1926 
Romance en ut, piano, 1929 
Feuillets d’album, piano, 1929 
Près du bal, clarinet, bassoon, piano, 1929 
Chant nuptial, org, 1930 
Divertissement de chambre, flute, clarinet, bassoon, va, piano, 1931 
Les jeux de l’amour et du hasard, 2 piano, 1932 
Pièces poétiques pour enfants, 2 sets, piano, 1933–4 
Suite, clarinet, piano, 1935 
Barcarolle bn/cello, hp/piano, 1936 
Nuit coloniale sur les bords de la Seine, piano, 1937 
Virgo selutaris, violin, org, 1940 
Pastorale de septembre, piano, 1940 
Str Qt no.1, 1941
5 images pour St Louis, flute, oboe, hpd, 1941 
6 interludes, org, guitar, tambourine, 1942 
Trio, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 1946 
Str Qt no.2, 1948 
Bocages, 10 insts, 1949 
Plainte, musical saw, piano, 1949 
Valse brève, 2 piano, 1949 
Espièglerie, piano, 1950 
Sonata, cello, 1956 
Le manègeà, piano, 1956 
vapour Lente valse d’amour inquiet, piano, 1951 
Le chant de l’oiseau qui n’existe pas, flute, 1957 
Soliloque, guitar, 1958  Ballade, cello, piano, 1960 
Harmonies du soir, piano, 1960  Suite royale, hpd, 1962 
Prière nuptiale, org/hmn, 1962 
Golden Suite, brass qnt, 1963 
Cantilène, oboe, 1964 
Hommage à Grevin, 8 insts, 1964 
Oraison nuptiale, str, 1964 
Sonatine bucolique, a sax, piano, 1964 
La chanson du soir, piano, 1964 
A Jean Voilier, piano, 1965 
Le bestiaire du petit Noë, 10 Easy Pieces, piano, 1965–6
 Max Jacob de lenimper, oboe, eng hn, clarinet, bassoon, 1966
 6 fanfares, 2 trumpet, 4 tr bassoon, 1969
 3 préludes, guitar, 1970
 Sonatine aux bois, oboe, piano, 1971
 Un soir à Saint-Emilion, bassoon, piano, 1971
 Sonatine en 2 chants, clarinet, piano, 1972
 3 pièces, viola, 1972
 Choral varié, accordion, 1973
 Petite valse du grand échiquier, pf/ens, 1973
 Musique pour Claudel I, II, guitar, 1973
 Bonjour Hèlène, Bonsoir Héléne, piano, 1973
 Berceuse-valse, piano, 1974
 Élègie pour Alain, piano, 1974
 Hommageà Dmitri Chostakovich, piano, 1974
 Une valse pour Jeanne, piano, 1974
 Pour regarder Watteau, hpd, 1975
 6 pièces faciles, flute, guitar, 1975
 Sonatine en deux chants et un intermède, clarinet, piano, 1975
 Alentours saxophoniques, a sax, wind, piano, 1976
 Le jardin de Mamy, piano, 1976
 Oraisons, 4 sax, org, 1976
 Str Qt no. 3, 1979
 Concert à trois pour Fronsac, flute, sax, hp, 1979
 Nec morietur in aeternam, trumpet, org, 1979
 Sonate crépusculaire, violin, piano, 1981
 Quelques trilles pour les treilles, flute, 1982
 Portrait-Souvenir de Virgil Thomson, piano, 1982
 Le souvenir de Déodat, piano, 1983
 Méditation, string quartet, 1983
 Une fleur, sax, piano, 1984
 Un duo, flute, piano, 1984
 Cadence, guitar, 1985
 Révérence à J.S. Bach, guitar, cello, 1985
 Valse anachronique, piano, 1985
 Introductions aux Méditations religieuses de Max Jacoboe, piano, 1985
 Ombres sur Venise, piano, 1986
 90 notes, flute, 1986


ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
====================================
 Danse de matelots, 1923
 Pf Conc. no.1, 1934
 Symphonie de la montagne (Premier de cordée), 1944
 Symphonie expiatoire, 1945
 Stèle symphonique, 1948
 Pf Conc. no.2 (Rêverie concertante), 1948 [from film score Les amoureux sont seuls au monde]
 Sym. no.2 ‘Allégorique’ (Les saisons), S, chorus, children’s chorus, orch, 1949
 Tableaux de Paris, sym. suite, 1950
 Variation sur un thème de Campra, 1952
 Conc. d’Orphée, vn, orch, 1953
 Les 3 lys, 1954
 Sym. no.3 ‘I N R’, 1955
 Variation en forme de berceuse, 1956
 La solitude, 1958
 Pf Conc. no.3 (Concert des mondes souterrains), 1961–3
 Mélodie concertante, vc, orch, 1963
 2 mouvements, str, 1964
 Symphonie des marches, 1966
 Garden’s Conc., harmonica, chbr orch, 1970
 Sym. no.4 ‘Du troisième âge’, 1971 Reflets sur feuilles, 1979 [after Debussy: Feuilles mortes]
 Sonate d’église, org, str, 1984
 Septembre, 1986


Musique concrete
==================================
Spectacle Jean Tardieu (1955)
 Le temps du verbe (1956)
 1er aspect sentimental (1957)
 Le rêve d’Isa, composition métaphonique, 1962 [for the film Les Amants de Teruel]


BALLET, etc.
======================================
  Les roses (after O. Métra: La valse), 1924 [lost]
  La chatte (B.A. Kochno), 1927
  David (Doderet), 1928
  Près du bal, 1929
  La nuit (Kochno), 1929
  Fastes (A. Derain), 1933
  Cartes postales, 1941
  La cigale et la fourmi (J. Chernais after J. de LanFotaine), 1941
  Les mirages (Cassandre, S. Lifar), 1943
  Image à Paul et Virginie, 1944
  Les forains (Kochno), 1945
  La rencontre (Kochno), 1948
  Pas de deux classique, 1951, lost
  Les saisons, 1951
  Cordelia (Sauguet), 1952
  Trésor et magie, 1952 [lost]
  Le cardinal aux chats (Sauguet), 1952
  Le caméléopard (A. Vigot, after E.A. Poe), 1956
  Les 5 étages (R. Liechtenhan, W. Orlikowsky P.J. de Béranger), 1957
  La dame aux camélias (T. Gsovsky, after A. Dumas), 1957, [rev. 1960]
  La solitude (Sauguet, R. Cluzel), 1958
  L’as de coeur (C. Aveline), 1960
  Plus loin que la nuit et le jour (cant-ballet, L. Emié), T, chorus, 1960
  Pâris (Kochno), 1964
  Le prince et le mendiant (ballet-mimodrame, Kochno), 1965
  Much incid music for the theatre, cinema, radio and television


OPERA
==========================
Le plumet du colonel (ob, 1, Sauguet), 1924, Paris, Champs-Elysées, 27 Feb 1924
La contrebasse (ob, 2, H. Troyat, after A.P. Chekhov: Romance with a Double Bass), 1930, Paris, Madeleine, 1930
La chartreuse de Parme (4, A. Lunel, after Stendhal), 1927–36, Paris, Opéra, 6 March 1939; rev. 1968
La gageure imprévue (oc, 1, P Bertin, after M.J. Sedaine), 1942, Paris, OC (Favart), 4 July 1944
Les caprices de Marianne (2, J.-P. Grédy, after A. de Musset), 1954, Aix-en-Provence, 1954
Le pain d’autrui (2, E. Kinds, after I.S. Turgenev), 1967–74
Boule de suif (comédie musicale, A. Husson and J. Meyer, after G. de Maupassant), 1978, Lyons, Célestins, Dec 1978
Tistou, les-pouces-verts (children’s op, 1, J.-L. Tardieu, after M. Druon), 1980, Paris, Jardin d’Acclimatation, 1981


CHORAL & SONGS
================================================== 
  Petite messe pastorale, female or children’s chorus, org, 1934
  Enigme (H. Heine), S, orch, 1932
  La voyante (Sauguet), cant, female v, 10 insts, 1932
  Les ombres du jardin (J. Weterings), cant, S, T, Bar, B, male chorus 4vv, wind 1938
  Cantique à St Vincent, chorus 3vv, org, 1940
  Madrigal (J. Aubry), S, fl, str trio, harp, 1942
  Beauté, retirez-vous (G. Couturier), S, fl, va, vc, hp/hpd, 1943
  Ma belle forêt (G. Pajot), chorus, 1943
  Je vous salue, Marie, S, org, 1943
  Les 4 saisons, children’s chorus, 1949 [from Sym. no.2]
  La cornette (R.M. Rilke), B/Bar, orch, 1951
  Mouton-blanc (Princess Bibesco), chorus, 1952
  Requiem aeternam, chorus, org, 1954
  Tombeau d’un berger (L. Jacques), 2 Bar, 2B, 1956 [lost]
  Pie Jesu Domine, chorus, org, 1957
  Requiem aeternam, libera me, Pie Jesu, Allelulia, chorus 4vv, 1959 [from film score Tu es Petrus]
  Plus loin que la nuit et le jour (L. Emié), cant, T, chorus, 1960
  L’oiseau a vu tout cela (J. Cayrol), cant, Bar, str, 1960
  5 chansons (Emié), 4vv, 1965
  Toast, male v, 1965
  Ecce homo, chorus, 1965
  Chant pour une vieille meurtrie (M.A. Monfet), orat, 6 solo vv, chorus, orch, 1967
  3 chants de contemplation (Lao-Tseu), v, pf 1971 [also version for rec/brass/wind qt]
  Elisabeth de Belgique, la reine aux cheveux d’or (M. Carême), S, 6 insts, 1976
  Par-delà les étoiles (J.L. Wallas), S, T, chorus, org, hp, ondes mar, cel, glock, 1982
  Messe jubilatoire, B, T, str qt, 1983

  Cirque, 5 songs for voice and piano
  La Voyante (The Fortune-Teller), for voice and piano
  Le Chemin des Forains, for voice and piano
  Les Animaux et leurs Hommes, song cycle for voice and piano  
  Le Chat, for voice and piano
  6 Mélodies sur des poèmes symbolistes, for voice and piano  
  Îles, for voice and piano
  L'espace du dedans, for voice and piano
  Force et Faiblesse, song cycle for voice and piano  
  Comme à la Lumière de la Lune, for voice and piano  
  Visions Infernales, song cycle

[vandermolen]

Papy Oil's discourse in another thread made me go exploring (I really had never heard this chap's work before, unless it was on WCPE in the background and it never registered.)  After hearing a piano concerto, I'm on board! 

" He studied the piano from an early age, and in 1916 became organist and choirmaster at Floirac near Bordeaux ... In 1920, formed the Groupe des Trois with Émié and the composer Jean-Marcel Lizotte ... In 1927 came his first major success with the ballet La chatte ... From 1926 to 1936 (with interruptions for, among other works, a second opéra-bouffe, La contrebasse, and a fine ballet La nuit), he worked on a large-scale opera, La chartreuse de Parme ... musical influences suggest contemporary Russian symphonists, notably Prokofiev and Shostakovich ... Except for a brief period of military service, Sauguet spent WW II composing, helping his many Jewish friends as best he could ... The later decades were marked by several large-scale works, including the delightful opera Les caprices de Marianne (1954) ... Sauguet was active as a critic in the earlier part of his career, writing for L’Europe nouvelle (from 1929), Le jour (until 1939) and La bataille (1945– c1948). "

Quite a list of works (incomplete):

CHAMBER MUSIC
=========================
3 françaises, piano, 1923 
Sonatine, flviolin, piano, 1923 
3 nouvelles françaises, piano, 1925 
Viñes aux mains de fée, pf duet, 1925, collab. Jacob 
Sonata, D, piano, 1926 
Romance en ut, piano, 1929 
Feuillets d’album, piano, 1929 
Près du bal, clarinet, bassoon, piano, 1929 
Chant nuptial, org, 1930 
Divertissement de chambre, flute, clarinet, bassoon, va, piano, 1931 
Les jeux de l’amour et du hasard, 2 piano, 1932 
Pièces poétiques pour enfants, 2 sets, piano, 1933–4 
Suite, clarinet, piano, 1935 
Barcarolle bn/cello, hp/piano, 1936 
Nuit coloniale sur les bords de la Seine, piano, 1937 
Virgo selutaris, violin, org, 1940 
Pastorale de septembre, piano, 1940 
Str Qt no.1, 1941
5 images pour St Louis, flute, oboe, hpd, 1941 
6 interludes, org, guitar, tambourine, 1942 
Trio, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, 1946 
Str Qt no.2, 1948 
Bocages, 10 insts, 1949 
Plainte, musical saw, piano, 1949 
Valse brève, 2 piano, 1949 
Espièglerie, piano, 1950 
Sonata, cello, 1956 
Le manègeà, piano, 1956 
vapour Lente valse d’amour inquiet, piano, 1951 
Le chant de l’oiseau qui n’existe pas, flute, 1957 
Soliloque, guitar, 1958  Ballade, cello, piano, 1960 
Harmonies du soir, piano, 1960  Suite royale, hpd, 1962 
Prière nuptiale, org/hmn, 1962 
Golden Suite, brass qnt, 1963 
Cantilène, oboe, 1964 
Hommage à Grevin, 8 insts, 1964 
Oraison nuptiale, str, 1964 
Sonatine bucolique, a sax, piano, 1964 
La chanson du soir, piano, 1964 
A Jean Voilier, piano, 1965 
Le bestiaire du petit Noë, 10 Easy Pieces, piano, 1965–6
 Max Jacob de lenimper, oboe, eng hn, clarinet, bassoon, 1966
 6 fanfares, 2 trumpet, 4 tr bassoon, 1969
 3 préludes, guitar, 1970
 Sonatine aux bois, oboe, piano, 1971
 Un soir à Saint-Emilion, bassoon, piano, 1971
 Sonatine en 2 chants, clarinet, piano, 1972
 3 pièces, viola, 1972
 Choral varié, accordion, 1973
 Petite valse du grand échiquier, pf/ens, 1973
 Musique pour Claudel I, II, guitar, 1973
 Bonjour Hèlène, Bonsoir Héléne, piano, 1973
 Berceuse-valse, piano, 1974
 Élègie pour Alain, piano, 1974
 Hommageà Dmitri Chostakovich, piano, 1974
 Une valse pour Jeanne, piano, 1974
 Pour regarder Watteau, hpd, 1975
 6 pièces faciles, flute, guitar, 1975
 Sonatine en deux chants et un intermède, clarinet, piano, 1975
 Alentours saxophoniques, a sax, wind, piano, 1976
 Le jardin de Mamy, piano, 1976
 Oraisons, 4 sax, org, 1976
 Str Qt no. 3, 1979
 Concert à trois pour Fronsac, flute, sax, hp, 1979
 Nec morietur in aeternam, trumpet, org, 1979
 Sonate crépusculaire, violin, piano, 1981
 Quelques trilles pour les treilles, flute, 1982
 Portrait-Souvenir de Virgil Thomson, piano, 1982
 Le souvenir de Déodat, piano, 1983
 Méditation, string quartet, 1983
 Une fleur, sax, piano, 1984
 Un duo, flute, piano, 1984
 Cadence, guitar, 1985
 Révérence à J.S. Bach, guitar, cello, 1985
 Valse anachronique, piano, 1985
 Introductions aux Méditations religieuses de Max Jacoboe, piano, 1985
 Ombres sur Venise, piano, 1986
 90 notes, flute, 1986


ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
====================================
 Danse de matelots, 1923
 Pf Conc. no.1, 1934
 Symphonie de la montagne (Premier de cordée), 1944
 Symphonie expiatoire, 1945
 Stèle symphonique, 1948
 Pf Conc. no.2 (Rêverie concertante), 1948 [from film score Les amoureux sont seuls au monde]
 Sym. no.2 ‘Allégorique’ (Les saisons), S, chorus, children’s chorus, orch, 1949
 Tableaux de Paris, sym. suite, 1950
 Variation sur un thème de Campra, 1952
 Conc. d’Orphée, vn, orch, 1953
 Les 3 lys, 1954
 Sym. no.3 ‘I N R’, 1955
 Variation en forme de berceuse, 1956
 La solitude, 1958
 Pf Conc. no.3 (Concert des mondes souterrains), 1961–3
 Mélodie concertante, vc, orch, 1963
 2 mouvements, str, 1964
 Symphonie des marches, 1966
 Garden’s Conc., harmonica, chbr orch, 1970
 Sym. no.4 ‘Du troisième âge’, 1971 Reflets sur feuilles, 1979 [after Debussy: Feuilles mortes]
 Sonate d’église, org, str, 1984
 Septembre, 1986


Musique concrete
==================================
Spectacle Jean Tardieu (1955)
 Le temps du verbe (1956)
 1er aspect sentimental (1957)
 Le rêve d’Isa, composition métaphonique, 1962 [for the film Les Amants de Teruel]


BALLET, etc.
======================================
  Les roses (after O. Métra: La valse), 1924 [lost]
  La chatte (B.A. Kochno), 1927
  David (Doderet), 1928
  Près du bal, 1929
  La nuit (Kochno), 1929
  Fastes (A. Derain), 1933
  Cartes postales, 1941
  La cigale et la fourmi (J. Chernais after J. de LanFotaine), 1941
  Les mirages (Cassandre, S. Lifar), 1943
  Image à Paul et Virginie, 1944
  Les forains (Kochno), 1945
  La rencontre (Kochno), 1948
  Pas de deux classique, 1951, lost
  Les saisons, 1951
  Cordelia (Sauguet), 1952
  Trésor et magie, 1952 [lost]
  Le cardinal aux chats (Sauguet), 1952
  Le caméléopard (A. Vigot, after E.A. Poe), 1956
  Les 5 étages (R. Liechtenhan, W. Orlikowsky P.J. de Béranger), 1957
  La dame aux camélias (T. Gsovsky, after A. Dumas), 1957, [rev. 1960]
  La solitude (Sauguet, R. Cluzel), 1958
  L’as de coeur (C. Aveline), 1960
  Plus loin que la nuit et le jour (cant-ballet, L. Emié), T, chorus, 1960
  Pâris (Kochno), 1964
  Le prince et le mendiant (ballet-mimodrame, Kochno), 1965
  Much incid music for the theatre, cinema, radio and television


OPERA
==========================
Le plumet du colonel (ob, 1, Sauguet), 1924, Paris, Champs-Elysées, 27 Feb 1924
La contrebasse (ob, 2, H. Troyat, after A.P. Chekhov: Romance with a Double Bass), 1930, Paris, Madeleine, 1930
La chartreuse de Parme (4, A. Lunel, after Stendhal), 1927–36, Paris, Opéra, 6 March 1939; rev. 1968
La gageure imprévue (oc, 1, P Bertin, after M.J. Sedaine), 1942, Paris, OC (Favart), 4 July 1944
Les caprices de Marianne (2, J.-P. Grédy, after A. de Musset), 1954, Aix-en-Provence, 1954
Le pain d’autrui (2, E. Kinds, after I.S. Turgenev), 1967–74
Boule de suif (comédie musicale, A. Husson and J. Meyer, after G. de Maupassant), 1978, Lyons, Célestins, Dec 1978
Tistou, les-pouces-verts (children’s op, 1, J.-L. Tardieu, after M. Druon), 1980, Paris, Jardin d’Acclimatation, 1981


CHORAL & SONGS
==================================================
  Petite messe pastorale, female or children’s chorus, org, 1934
  Enigme (H. Heine), S, orch, 1932
  La voyante (Sauguet), cant, female v, 10 insts, 1932
  Les ombres du jardin (J. Weterings), cant, S, T, Bar, B, male chorus 4vv, wind 1938
  Cantique à St Vincent, chorus 3vv, org, 1940
  Madrigal (J. Aubry), S, fl, str trio, harp, 1942
  Beauté, retirez-vous (G. Couturier), S, fl, va, vc, hp/hpd, 1943
  Ma belle forêt (G. Pajot), chorus, 1943
  Je vous salue, Marie, S, org, 1943
  Les 4 saisons, children’s chorus, 1949 [from Sym. no.2]
  La cornette (R.M. Rilke), B/Bar, orch, 1951
  Mouton-blanc (Princess Bibesco), chorus, 1952
  Requiem aeternam, chorus, org, 1954
  Tombeau d’un berger (L. Jacques), 2 Bar, 2B, 1956 [lost]
  Pie Jesu Domine, chorus, org, 1957
  Requiem aeternam, libera me, Pie Jesu, Allelulia, chorus 4vv, 1959 [from film score Tu es Petrus]
  Plus loin que la nuit et le jour (L. Emié), cant, T, chorus, 1960
  L’oiseau a vu tout cela (J. Cayrol), cant, Bar, str, 1960
  5 chansons (Emié), 4vv, 1965
  Toast, male v, 1965
  Ecce homo, chorus, 1965
  Chant pour une vieille meurtrie (M.A. Monfet), orat, 6 solo vv, chorus, orch, 1967
  3 chants de contemplation (Lao-Tseu), v, pf 1971 [also version for rec/brass/wind qt]
  Elisabeth de Belgique, la reine aux cheveux d’or (M. Carême), S, 6 insts, 1976
  Par-delà les étoiles (J.L. Wallas), S, T, chorus, org, hp, ondes mar, cel, glock, 1982
  Messe jubilatoire, B, T, str qt, 1983

  Cirque, 5 songs for voice and piano
  La Voyante (The Fortune-Teller), for voice and piano
  Le Chemin des Forains, for voice and piano
  Les Animaux et leurs Hommes, song cycle for voice and piano 
  Le Chat, for voice and piano
  6 Mélodies sur des poèmes symbolistes, for voice and piano 
  Îles, for voice and piano
  L'espace du dedans, for voice and piano
  Force et Faiblesse, song cycle for voice and piano 
  Comme à la Lumière de la Lune, for voice and piano 
  Visions Infernales, song cycle

Thanks for this Scion7. I think that I need to explore the Piano Concerto next.

[André]

That concerto is a superb work. Unassuming from the outset, but it grows on you. Lovely stuff.

[Papy Oli]

Cross-posted from the French Music Exploration thread:

Henri Sauguet is the French composer I am exploring today. I was really impressed by his 1st symphony recently, upon Jeffrey's (Vandermolen) recommendations. I'll be exploring his symphonies 2 (playing now), 3, 4, his three string quartets, his mélodies (songs), and some ballet music as well. Also some guitar music.

   

 

Once again, I know nothing of this composer so I look forward to some recommendations here.

So far, his symphony No.2 is surprisingly very engrossing. I wasn't convinced to start off with, with the soprano and the choir, but they just draw you in, like in a tale, through the seasons. Very atmospheric, sometimes eerie. Definitely a work where some narration would fit right in, like in Children of Lir  actually (I can't believe I would miss/consider narration !!). Worth it if in the right mood.

Couldn't be any more different to what I discovered with his First either.

Well, I just listened to some long 'samples' of some of Sauget's works:  Les Forains, Tableaux de Paris, and his first symphony and what I heard left me feeling "Eh".     It felt very retro to me...unexciting.  Pleasant and charming for Les Forains and the Tableaux, but not memorable.  Perhaps it was my mood?  Would be interesting to hear others thoughts here.

PD

More likely it’s the genre, PD. French composers were often adept at writing charming light music with ease, so judging from that end of their output may lead one to believe they have little depth or originality. Like Florent Schmitt. Imagine coming to him through Le petit elfe Ferme-l’oeil (charming work). You’d never think he had stuff like the piano quintet, Psaume XLVII or La tragédie de Salomé in him.

For meaty, serious Sauguet, the symphonies nos 3 and 4 and the piano concerto may help you reconsider.

I have sampled those two (guitar music, songs) but they didn't work for me.

Madiel,
You might want to check out the Melodies/Songs one just in case it hits the mark for you.


 

Okay, I'm not loving the Sauguet.

I lasted with Symphony No.3 for only a couple of minutes before thinking no, that's not what I want right now.  So I switched to String Quartet No.3, and while I've had it on for a bit longer I'm not feeling inspired. I can hear some of the same uninteresting qualities. Sure, it could be the performers (there's only 1 to choose from on Primephonic in each case)... or it could be that the music is a bit dull.

Switching to that Melodies album... hmm, could I find the words somewhere? That'd help me. But see, now I have to work out if it's the music that's flat or only the singer. Because the singer is definitely not impressing me.

I'd really like... a spark of energy somewhere. And I can't be certain whether this is just a run of flat performances or whether the music itself is flat.

They list his songs here but at a glance, not many have the lyrics. Some have.

https://www.lieder.net/lieder/get_settings.html?ComposerId=2462

I already struggle with songs in French but there were also too much "mannerism" in the singing, that really put me off.

Different day, different reaction.

Didn't click at all with Sauguet's symphonies No.3 & 4. Sampled about half of Les Forains ballet music as well. Bit underwhelmed too.
Trying his String quartets right now.

Oh well.

I have been doing some exploratory listening to Sauguet’s music over the last couple of days as I also know nothing of this composer. I started with the Sauget thread, Sauget’s Sanctum, started by Jeffrey when he was a young man.    In the opening post Jeffrey offers a link to the opening of Symphony which I found that I very much like. I like its noble grandeur, its rich but bleak musical language and the wonderful harmonies that it employs. I will certainly follow up on this one.

The Piano Concerto I thought was a very fine work. I like the wistfulness of both its nature and tone. 

I have also sampled his guitar music and from what I have heard I find it engaging if not completely compelling.

I then sampled his Garden’s Concerto for harmonica which I duly abandoned.

Finally, I discovered the String Quartets. These, I found to be a delight. I liked the melodic and harmonic structure of these intriguing works. No. 3, in particular, demanded my attention. I found it very challenging but I know that I will ultimately find it very rewarding.


Just like Varese earlier, these are two composers to whom I have had no previous exposure. However, that has obviously changed and I will definitely pursue both of these further.

Did you hear this (Sauguet) in the version for oboe?

No, with the harmonica....

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/2j4Fqsm3qa4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/2j4Fqsm3qa4</a>

....although I could see how it might work for oboe. The voicing might make a difference all right.

try this:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSYiyHyeBqE

Thank you. I will investigate with no preconceptions 

the oboe is infinitely better for classical music!

[Scion7]

The organ concerto piece, Sonata D'Eglise (Church Sonata) for Organ & String Orchestra - is quite exciting.  It almost sounds like it could have  been used as the soundtrack to one of Hammer' classic horror films.

[Roy Bland]

Sauguet is a very underrated composer  (IMHO symphonies aren't best part of his opus) and also ballets canadian disc it's done rather sloppily  in sound,playing  and organization of tracks

[vandermolen]

Sauguet is a very underrated composer  (IMHO symphonies aren't best part of his opus) and also ballets canadian disc it's done rather sloppily  in sound,playing  and organization of tracks

Very much agree that he's an underrated composer but the symphonies, especially No.1 'Expiatoire' are my favourites. The Organ Concerto sounds most interesting - must track that one down. And of course there is this fine recording of the First Symphony, a distinctive alternative to the Marco Polo recording, although I wouldn't be without either version:

[vandermolen]

Here is another reason why I like Sauguet:

[vandermolen]

From WAYLTN thread:
Sauguet: Symphony No. 2 'Allégorique' (The Seasons)
What a wonderful work! I hadn't fully appreciated it before. It's long (87+ minutes spread over two CDs) but my attention was held throughout. Unlike the urgent and powerful 1st Symphony 'Expiatoire', this one is dreamily atmospheric but also hauntingly memorable with some delightful passages (choral sections are interspersed with orchestral ones). Although I've owned this double CD set for many years I have only just 'clicked' with this music - one of my discoveries of the year:

[vandermolen]

I was surprised and delighted to see that there exists a boxed set of the complete Sauguet symphonies (Antonio de Almeida cond. Moscow SO, previously released on Marco Polo):

[André]

I was surprised and delighted to see that there exists a boxed set of the complete Sauguet symphonies (Antonio de Almeida cond. Moscow SO, previously released on Marco Polo):

That’s the one I have !

[vandermolen]

That’s the one I have !

Excellent André - the big question is do I need this boxed set? I already have all the individual Marco Polo releases of the same recordings and I suspect that the box set notes are all in French (no problem for you, but I failed my French 'O' (Ordinary) Level exam three times at school!) However, it's useful to have all the symphonies grouped together in a single box and there's a nice photo of Sauguet on the front cover which I've never seen before - looks like a no-brainer! 

[ritter]

As I mentioned in the first page of this thread, I’m not really that much into the music of Sauguet…..but, the enthusiasm of some fellow GMGerss has led me to do some more research, and it turns out the Sauguet set to music a paragraph from Proust’s Les plaisirs et les jours. It’s included in this CD (with mélodies on texts by othe4 major poets), and I’ve just ordered it.



Does anyone know this disc? Who knows, if I like it, I might even go for the set of the symphonies. 

[André]

Excellent André - the big question is do I need this boxed set? I already have all the individual Marco Polo releases of the same recordings and I suspect that the box set notes are all in French (no problem for you, but I failed my French 'O' (Ordinary) Level exam three times at school!) However, it's useful to have all the symphonies grouped together in a single box and there's a nice photo of Sauguet on the front cover which I've never seen before - looks like a no-brainer! 

You’re right my friend, it’s all in French. It’s part of Naxos’ Patrimoine series, which I believe to have been produced exclusively for the french market (d’Indy, Ferroud and a few others are part pf that series). The notes are very good, the text of the 2nd symphony is included but alas, no translation. The presentation is chic, which is a plus  .

[André]

As I mentioned in the first page of this thread, I’m not really that much into the music of Sauguet…..but, the enthusiasm of some fellow GMGerss has led me to do some more research, and it turns out the Sauguet set to music a paragraph from Proust’s Les plaisirs et les jours. It’s included in this CD (with mélodies on texts by othe4 major poets), and I’ve just ordered it.



Does anyone know this disc? Who knows, if I like it, I might even go for the set of the symphonies. 

Try one of the symphonies, Rafael - any of them (1 occupies a disc, 2 two discs, while 3 and 4 are paired on a single disc). Sauguet became more succinct over time. Personally I have a weak spot for the last 2 symphonies, I like their austerity and boldness.

[vandermolen]

You’re right my friend, it’s all in French. It’s part of Naxos’ Patrimoine series, which I believe to have been produced exclusively for the french market (d’Indy, Ferroud and a few others are part pf that series). The notes are very good, the text of the 2nd symphony is included but alas, no translation. The presentation is chic, which is a plus  .

Thanks André. I have a Tournemire set in the series.

[vandermolen]

Try one of the symphonies, Rafael - any of them (1 occupies a disc, 2 two discs, while 3 and 4 are paired on a single disc). Sauguet became more succinct over time. Personally I have a weak spot for the last 2 symphonies, I like their austerity and boldness.

I agree - although 1 and 2 are my favourites.