Christine Hartley-Troskie |
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Pupitre 14 Concerts (1976-1984)
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Claude Debussy : He was sometimes called: Claude de France !
Sonata pour flute viola and harp, One of his very last works, which he wanted to include in a group of sonatas as Couperin used to do : "Suite for various instruments". He also signed: "Claude Debussy, French composer". This was recorded from an ORTF's radio-transmission (1977).
Jacques Ibert : One of these composers whose name is quite well known, but music much less.
One of the works that has made him known even internationally, is: Escale, regularly quoted in the manuals (but without going further, and never played). And perhaps also "Divertimento" for chamber orchestra, in fact, stage music for Labiche’s comedy: A straw hat from Italy… his production is yet impressive: chamber music, operas, piano music, symphonic music, melodies…
2 interludes for flute, violin and harp : 2 movements with no ambition but to please, a sort of a postcard to the Spanish reminiscences.
André Jolivet : Too little known, Jolivet deserves a place among the great French composers. Very large catalogue ranging from piano to opera, chamber music, symphonic music, ballet…
His compositions are primarily oriented towards expression, and often also towards ethnic music of incantatory character, often called primitive since coming from worlds where TV did not exist.
Chant de Linos : In ancient Greece, it was a funeral song. Jolivet used the flute, the Greek instrument par excellence and which he venerated as a symbol of the breath of life and music, and then the harp, here again the symbol of ancient Greece. To support them, a string trio.
Music of paroxisms in the expression of pain, with its almost instantaneous passages of revolt in violence to annihilation in apathy.
Robert Quatrefages A friend, deceased now. We had shortly before his death, played in concert much of his works.
4 Studies for harp and percussions
The harp being tuned in quarter tones gives it a sound full of vibrations that integrate well with the sound of the percussions. I would call it a study on sonority.
During years, Béatrice Cavet was the harpist in the ensemnle Pupitre 14. Most of those pieces were recorded during concerts.
Glinka : For too long, Glinka was only known for his opera "The Life for the Czar", Which name was known to many since it appeared in the music programs of the colleges, but most of the students never had the opportunity to hear it (this is what I call university-type teaching). Today, one starts slowly to hear of his chamber music here and there.
Nocturne : This little piece is a jewel… no need to say more about it.
Alphonse Hasselmans : 1845-1912 This harpist and composer born in Belgium but who spent most of his life in Paris where he taught at the Conservatoire was the teacher of a good number of harpists having become well known, for instance and to quote only a few: Marcel Tournier, Marcel Grandjany, Lili Boulanger, Lily Laskine, Pierre Jamet…
La source
All the charm of this French Salon Music of the second half of the 19th century when it was of quality. This piece made Hasselmans’s reputation.
G.B. Pescetti : Musicien vénitien du XVIIIe siècle
Slow movement from the sonata in C minor
Marcel Tournier : He was the student of the previous, harpist et composer, prix de Rome, harpist at the "Opéra de Paris".
Concert study
Gabriel Fauré : If I had to choose the composer best representing French music, I believe that, even more than Debussy, I would choose Fauré… Such distinction, such élégance, and also such delicacy of feelings, which in no way prevents its depth.
A music filled with tenderness, softness, from which Ysaÿe this faithful friend said, talking about one of his quintets : "it’s an extract of goodness".
Impromptu : A great work !
Hindemith : His perhaps most famous work is the tryptic "Mathis der Mahler" with sparkling orchestration… one of the deepest being "Trauer Musik" (Funeral music) for viola and string orchestra (he was viola a player). I am planning to add this last one here soon.
Sonata for harp
one of Hindemith’s excellent works, whose production is sometimes uneven.
