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Brilliant Classics

Couleurs de France

$14.99

Details

Composer
Jacques Casterede, Arthur Honegger, Charles Koechlin, Guillaume Lekeu, Camille Saint-Saens
Artist
Ciconia Consort The Hague Orchestra, Paolo Giacometti
Format
CD
Label
Brilliant Classics
Released
Jun 05, 2026
Catalog #
BRI97408
UPC
5063758974080

About

This recording by Ciconia Consort, Couleurs de France, offers a rare and evocative journey through four lesser-known works for string orchestra by three prominent 20th-century French composers: André Jolivet, Jacques Castérède, and Daniel-Lesur. Jacques Castérède's connection to his French predecessors is evident in his use of modal, chromatic, and diatonic scales. A student of Olivier Messiaen, Castérède nonetheless forged a highly personal harmonic style within an extended tonal idiom, characterized by melodic clarity and accessibility. His compositions seem to harmoniously blend the various French styles of the 20th century. In his work, we hear the sonic fingerprints of Arthur Honegger, Daniel-Lesur, and his teacher Messiaen - all woven into a coherent, lyrical whole. Throughout his life, André Jolivet aimed to "restore to music it's original, ancient meaning, when it served as a magical, incantatory expression of the religious beliefs of human communities."* His later compositions continued this exploration, seeking music's original function as an emotional, ritualistic, and celebratory form of expression. His Symphonie pour cordes, commissioned by French radio and television, was composed in 1961 and premiered on January 9, 1962. The symphony demands exceptional technical skill from all performers. It is written in a freely atonal idiom and is characterized by intense dissonance. Daniel Jean Yves Lesur (1908-2002) was a French composer, organist, and teacher, closely linked to the group La Jeune France, alongside Olivier Messiaen and André Jolivet. His music often reflects a balance between tradition and modernity, combining rich harmonic language with a sense of spiritual depth. Lesur's output includes choral works, chamber music, and orchestral compositions, yet he remains less widely known than some of his contemporaries. Among his instrumental works is the Sérénade pour cordes (1949), a luminous piece that highlights his lyrical style and refined craftsmanship. Written for string orchestra, it embraces classical clarity while exploring colorful modal harmonies, characteristic of Lesur's personal voice. This recording is the fifth CD on Brilliant Classics by the Ciconia Consort (The Hague String Orchestra), a Dutch string orchestra conducted by Dick van Gasteren, an internationally active conductor who was Bernard Haitink's assistant during the Mahler Festival Amsterdam in 1995.

Tracklist 11 tracks

  1. 1 Prelude and Fugue 11:57
    Track
    1
    Title
    Prelude and Fugue
    Duration
    11:57
    Composer
    Jacques Castérède
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren
  2. 2 I. Pastorale 05:37
    Track
    2
    Title
    I. Pastorale
    Duration
    05:37
    Composer
    Jacques Castérède
    Performer
    Paolo Giacometti
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren
  3. 3 II. Scherzo 04:12
    Track
    3
    Title
    II. Scherzo
    Duration
    04:12
    Composer
    Jacques Castérède
    Performer
    Paolo Giacometti
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren
  4. 4 III. Nocturne 09:11
    Track
    4
    Title
    III. Nocturne
    Duration
    09:11
    Composer
    Jacques Castérède
    Performer
    Paolo Giacometti
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren
  5. 5 IV. Rondo 05:13
    Track
    5
    Title
    IV. Rondo
    Duration
    05:13
    Composer
    Jacques Castérède
    Performer
    Paolo Giacometti
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren
  6. 6 I. Farouche 08:07
    Track
    6
    Title
    I. Farouche
    Duration
    08:07
    Composer
    André Jolivet
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren
  7. 7 II. Flottant 07:59
    Track
    7
    Title
    II. Flottant
    Duration
    07:59
    Composer
    André Jolivet
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren
  8. 8 III. Trépidant 06:34
    Track
    8
    Title
    III. Trépidant
    Duration
    06:34
    Composer
    André Jolivet
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren
  9. 9 I. Allegretto 04:22
    Track
    9
    Title
    I. Allegretto
    Duration
    04:22
    Composer
    Jean Yves Daniel-Lesur
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren
  10. 10 II. Adagio 04:06
    Track
    10
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    04:06
    Composer
    Jean Yves Daniel-Lesur
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren
  11. 11 III. Allegro deciso 05:35
    Track
    11
    Title
    III. Allegro deciso
    Duration
    05:35
    Composer
    Jean Yves Daniel-Lesur
    Ensemble
    Ciconia Consort
    Conductor
    Dick van Gasteren