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Françaix: Chamber Music / Various
Brilliant Classics

Françaix: Chamber Music / Various

$13.99

Details

Composer
FRANCAIX, JEAN
Artist
Various
Format
CD
Label
Brilliant Classics
Released
Jul 23, 2021
Catalog #
BRI96341
UPC
5028421963419

About

In his 80s, Jean Françaix (1912-1997) supervised this 1996 Dutch album of four pieces for varied forces, writing the engaging booklet notes and performing with undimmed skill in the Divertimento which he wrote back in 1953 for the flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal. As he notes, the title is somewhat ironic for those who play it: ‘if it is “diverting” to listen to, it is not at all so to play it and requires great virtuosity.’ Le Colloque des deux Perruches (The Dialogue of Two Parakeets) is a modern classic of the repertoire for two flutes: a six-movement dialogue opening with a fluttering, swooping Allegrissimo, followed by a melancholy little Larghetto. Smiles and laughter are never far away in Françaix’s music and the mood brightens with a darting Scherzando. The fifth movement is another plaintive Larghetto, with the parakeets in earnest conversation. As a 22-year-old composer of already remarkable fluency, Françaix composed the String Trio for the Trio Pasquier, who went on to play it in over a thousand concerts: an inimitably bustling, weightless piece in four movements enclosing a wistful Andante and rounding off with one of those Françaix tunes that turns round in the listener’s head for days afterwards. The ten-minute Cantate de Méphisto sets a text by Paul Valéry: according to the composer, ‘This 'Méphisto' is terribly authentic, cunning, subversive and perverse.’ The devil wheedles and beguiles in a lyric parlando, accompanied by a string ensemble, spiced by the irony and satire of his operas and comedies such as Le diable boiteux, his first work for the stage. Valéry’s text is printed in the booklet. Françaix’s music features in countless compilations: here is an authoritatively performed opportunity to immerse yourself in his world for ‘une heure exquise’.

Tracklist 16 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegretto - Vivo 02:08
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegretto - Vivo
    Duration
    02:08
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Caroline Strumphler, Ken Hakii, Daniël Esser
  2. 2 II. Scherzo - Vivo 02:53
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Scherzo - Vivo
    Duration
    02:53
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Caroline Strumphler, Ken Hakii, Daniël Esser
  3. 3 III. Andante 03:35
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Andante
    Duration
    03:35
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Caroline Strumphler, Ken Hakii, Daniël Esser
  4. 4 IV. Rondo: Vivo 03:42
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Rondo: Vivo
    Duration
    03:42
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Caroline Strumphler, Ken Hakii, Daniël Esser
  5. 5 I. Allegrissimo 01:36
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Allegrissimo
    Duration
    01:36
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Rien de Reede
  6. 6 II. Presto 01:33
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Presto
    Duration
    01:33
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Rien de Reede
  7. 7 III. Larghetto 03:06
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Larghetto
    Duration
    03:06
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Rien de Reede
  8. 8 IV. Scherzando 03:36
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Scherzando
    Duration
    03:36
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Rien de Reede
  9. 9 V. Larghetto 05:04
    Track
    9
    Title
    V. Larghetto
    Duration
    05:04
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Rien de Reede
  10. 10 VI. Allegro 03:23
    Track
    10
    Title
    VI. Allegro
    Duration
    03:23
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Rien de Reede
  11. 11 I. Toccatina 01:13
    Track
    11
    Title
    I. Toccatina
    Duration
    01:13
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Jean Françaix
  12. 12 II. Notturno 01:52
    Track
    12
    Title
    II. Notturno
    Duration
    01:52
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Jean Françaix
  13. 13 III. Perpetuum mobile 01:05
    Track
    13
    Title
    III. Perpetuum mobile
    Duration
    01:05
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Jean Françaix
  14. 14 IV. Romanza 03:18
    Track
    14
    Title
    IV. Romanza
    Duration
    03:18
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Jean Françaix
  15. 15 V. Finale 03:33
    Track
    15
    Title
    V. Finale
    Duration
    03:33
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Thies Roorda, Jean Françaix
  16. 16 La cantate de Méphisto 07:57
    Track
    16
    Title
    La cantate de Méphisto
    Duration
    07:57
    Composer
    Jean Françaix
    Performer
    Romain Bischoff, Marleen Asberg, Christoph Streuli, Michael Gieler, Daniël Esser, Jan Wolfs