Chabrier, España The music of French composer Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894) was a strong influence on composers Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and Francis Poulenc, and is considered by some to be a major factor in the early modern music. Gustav Mahler referred to España, today’s performance … Read more
Ravel, Piano Concerto in G Major We have an in-depth treatment of Maurice Ravel (1875-1837) in our Composer Showcase, in which we feature many representative works along with information about the man and his times. But even though “in-depth,” we necessarily had to pick and … Read more
Boulanger, Complete Works for Solo Piano This week’s performance pick presents all of the solo piano works by Lili Boulanger (1893-1918), her Prelude in D-flat major (1911), Trois Morceaux (1914), and Theme and Variations (1915). Lili’s older sister, Nadia Boulanger (1887-1979), became perhaps the foremost … Read more
I met a man on the road today. He was coming down a steep bluff as I was climbing up, and so we chatted briefly about how much farther I had to go. He asked if I had served and said he had also. In … Read more
Janequin, D’un seul soleil After last week’s foray into the ars subtilior, you may be ready for something a bit more sedate. Clément Janequin (1485-1558) was in his time perhaps the most celebrated composer of French chansons. Today he may be best known for two … Read more
Rameau, Suite in A Minor People who study music seriously have a tendency to become “music purists,” insisting that performances adhere to certain historical characteristics or avoid certain anachronisms. That’s a polite way of saying we become musical snobs, and, yes, I can often be … Read more
Massenet, Méditation The Belle Époque describes a peaceful and prosperous era between two catastrophic European wars: the end of the Franco-Prussian War in 1871 and the onset of World War I in 1914. Major advances in science and technology were accompanied by a flourishing of … Read more
Franck, Panis Angelicus I had something else scheduled as today’s Friday Performance Pick, but it can wait. I want to note instead the passing of soprano Patricia Janečková. She died of breast cancer on October 1 at the age of 25. Janečková seems to have … Read more
Philidor, Sinfonia 1 in G Minor François-André Danican Philidor (1726-1795) came from a family with a prominent place in French Baroque music during the 17th and 18th centuries. The oboist Michel Danican (c. 1600-1659) so impressed Louis XIII that he dubbed him “Philidor” as a … Read more
Chambonnières, Sarabande Jacques Champion de Chambonnières (1601/2 – 1672) is described as the founder and one of the most distinguished members of the French classical school of harpsichord playing. We know little of his early life, but his reputation as harpsichordist was firmly established prior … Read more