Florent Schmitt(1870-1958)

[Mirror Image]

If I'm correct in thinking, that one I have heard on youtube, and yes, it was amazing! Very atmospheric indeed. None have beaten Paray quite yet for me though.. what do you think of that recording?
Are the Janowski and Fischer worth getting, John?

Paray's performance is quite good but I'm not satisfied with the audio aspect of it. It's serviceable, but, still, a fine performance for sure. I don't know the Janowski, but the Fischer is decent enough, it still doesn't beat Nezet-Seguin.

[The new erato]

I guess this new release may be of interest:

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[madaboutmahler]

Can someone translate the title please?

Have not heard of this work.. has anyone heard it?

[The new erato]

The little elf falls asleep. Probably a ballet, and probably never recorded before.

[madaboutmahler]

The little elf falls asleep. Probably a ballet, and probably never recorded before.

Ah thanks, sounds very interesting and exciting!

[pjme]

It is indeed a ballet and based on a fairy tale by H.C.Andersen :Ole-Luk-Oie, the Dream-God, Hans Christian Andersen (1842). One can compare the little elfe by the sandman.

One can read the "whole week" of Ole-Luk-Oie here: http://hca.gilead.org.il/

Best wishes for the New year!

P.

[Brian]

The suites to Antony and Cleopatra, and the Haunted Manor tone poem, will soon be released by Naxos. Buffalo Philharmonic; JoAnn Falletta.

[Phillip Nones]

The Florent Schmitt Blog has information on all of these works, along with details on the upcoming concerts and recording of "Antoine et Cleopatre" and "Le Palais hante" by the Buffalo Philharmonic, plus the Cleveland Orchestra's performance of "La Tragedie de Salome" in April 2015.  There are ~70 different articles on the site covering many of Schmitt's pieces -- both familiar and rare -- as well as interviews with artists who are championing his music in the concert and recital hall.  http://florentschmitt.com.

[cilgwyn]

The little elf falls asleep. Probably a ballet, and probably never recorded before.

I do hope all that sleep had a beneficial effect on his elf?!

[Sergeant Rock]

plus the Cleveland Orchestra's performance of "La Tragedie de Salome" in April 2015. 

I haven't been "home" in five years. That might be reason enough to fly to Ohio next spring.

Sarge

[snyprrr]

I haven't been "home" in five years. That might be reason enough to fly to Ohio next spring.

Sarge

it's a war zone

[Fagotterdämmerung]

I'm a fan of Schmitt, especially his grander works. I always feel like there are a number of competing aspects at work in his music: an almost trite neoclassical pastoral side ( some of his chamber works ), a lush late Romanticism ( most of his work ), and a more angular modernism-light, in the area of Stravinsky's primitivism, but not exactly there ( a lot of orchestral work ).

Probably my favorite work of his ( thus far ... given how little of his work is recorded ) is his Symphonie Concertante. Blazing, bombastic, yet delightfully suave and rich to the ear.

I guess this new release may be of interest:

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A release I'd missed entirely! Always good to see a premier recording of his work.

Still hoping for his late String Quartet one day!

[Zeus]

To start the New Year in style, I'm treating myself to a traversal of my Schmitt collection:

Schmitt: La tragédie de Salomé, etc / Chandos



Schmitt: Works for Violin & Piano / Naxos



Schmitt: Piano Quintet, A Tour d'anches / Naxos



Schmitt: Symphonie concertante [WORK ONLY] / Naive



and finally Suite en Rocaille, for flute, viola, cello & harp, Op. 84
from French Flute Chamber Music / Naxos



I'm not too familiar with Schmitt. In fact the two Naxos discs above and the Symphonie Concertante are getting their first listens today. But so far I like what I hear!

[snyprrr]

To start the New Year in style, I'm treating myself to a traversal of my Schmitt collection:

Schmitt: La tragédie de Salomé, etc / Chandos



Schmitt: Works for Violin & Piano / Naxos



Schmitt: Piano Quintet, A Tour d'anches / Naxos



Schmitt: Symphonie concertante [WORK ONLY] / Naive



and finally Suite en Rocaille, for flute, viola, cello & harp, Op. 84
from French Flute Chamber Music / Naxos



I'm not too familiar with Schmitt. In fact the two Naxos discs above and the Symphonie Concertante are getting their first listens today. But so far I like what I hear!

ooooo... can you give a blow by blow or something... I'm not having the success with Schmitt as I thought I would, the Piano Quintet didn't quite EdgarAllenPoe me as I thought it would... I thought Schmitt would be the most Poe-ishly macabre of the French Composers... ah, I'm not getting anywhere, need help. Stop.

[Zeus]

I think if you want Poe, you might consider Langgaard's Music of the Spheres or Antichrist. Schmitt is more middle-of-the-road French late-Romantic. Though not very similar to Debussy or Ravel. Maybe more like Koechlin?

Anyway, here are my notes to myself:

a very good late Romantic French composer
maybe a bit stronger in chamber music
haven't heard any solo piano yet   

ORCHESTRAL WORKS

Psaume 47, Op. 38
Le palais hante, Op. 49
   based on The Fall of the House of Usher
La tragédie de Salomé, Op. 50
   all of these are quite good, though just shy of excellent
   they do however have a few excellent moments in them

Symphonie concertante for Orchestra and Piano, Op. 82
   very thick, busy, twisty, etc
   in parts seems more like chamber music

CHAMBER WORKS

various works for violin and piano
   uniformly very good to excellent

Piano Quintet, Op. 51
   a little thick but overall quite decadent

Suite en Rocaille, for flute, viola, cello & harp, Op. 84
   very nice

A tour d'anches, Op. 97
   very nice

Habeyssee, Op. 110
   very nice

[pjme]

This is (was??)  a great performance - wth chorus. has it ever been reissued? Download?

Peter

[Scion7]

The Quintet is an impressive piece.

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I've read some negative reviews about the performance of the last listed, but I haven't heard it personally.

[Scion7]

And there are others:

https://florentschmitt.com/2014/05/01/forgotten-records-resurrecting-noteworthy-recordings-of-florent-schmitts-music-from-the-lp-era/






^  click to enlarge  ^



translation of French text to the first movement:

Moderate movement. The laconic theme of introduction, of which, both during this first part, the trace will be found, either as a link between the rhythmic idea, a six-eight vaguely shadow of melancholy, and the melodic idea. More ardent, or that later he brings back, in a somewhat order. . . Embellished, said Boileau, and the harmonies gently violent, the initial exposure. The epilogue which in this tone of sol dieze,* hesitates a moment between two modes, is resigned to the last measures to the minor third.

*the octave of the Sol Dieze of the harmony - one of the 12 semitones - the term derives from the German idea of the kaleidescope

[schnittkease]

A score-video of the lone String Quartet has been posted to YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/v/gzTBrH19VsY

This piece (especially the 1^st & 2^nd movements) never fails to remind me of the outstanding quality of Schmitt's music.

[Omicron9]

Surely somebody else likes Schmitt's music??

I recently discovered and have been heavily digging his solo piano works.

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