Belle Époque

1 Belle époque Claude Debussy (1862-1918) Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) (arr. Luciano Berio) 1 Première Rhapsodie (1910/1912) 7. 41 Clarinet Sonata No. 1, Op. 120 in F Minor (1894) 6 I. Allegro appassionato 8. 00 Manfred Trojahn (1949) 7 II. Andante un poco adagio 5. 21 Rhapsodie pour clarinette et orchestre (2002) (world-premiere recording) 8 III. Allegretto grazioso 4. 05 2 I. Rêverie 8. 40 9 IV. Vivace 5. 13 3 II. Intermède avec valse à musette 4. 48 4 III. Caprice 4. 35 Charles-Marie Widor (1844-1937) (arr. Jelle Tassyns) 10 Introduction et Rondo, op. 72 (1898) 7. 37 Gabriel Pierné (1863-1937) (arr. Jelle Tassyns) 5 Canzonetta (1907) 3. 43 Total playing time: 59. 50 Annelien Van Wauwe, clarinet Orchestre National de Lille Alexandre Bloch, conductor The belle époque, the "beautiful era", period shine in its golden glow in the form Belle époque has become a memento of symbolises the glow of a "golden" period at of a recording and PENTATONE fulfilled my contrasting facets of my past that connect the end of the 19th century in Europe. It was wish to make this album together with the with samples of some of the most beautiful a time characterised by optimism, happiness, Orchestre National de Lille under the direction works ever composed for clarinet and peace, freedom, culture, beauty, prosperity, of conductor Alexandre Bloch. orchestra. success and social tranquility. This Golden Age was abruptly interrupted by the horrors of the Because the present is often a reflection of First World War. the past, I enriched the original French music of Claude Debussy, Charles-Marie Widor In 1889 the World Exhibition took place in and Gabriël Pierné with music from some Paris. It was a model of progress, innovation contemporary European composers from and cultural development. Capitalism reigned Germany (Manfred Trojahn), Italy (Luciano supreme. The different European states Berio) and Belgium (Jelle Tassyns). Their works inspired each other during the belle époque and arrangements refer one by one to existing and citizens travelled more often. They had an works from the belle époque or are inspired inquisitive and open view of the world. by that style and period. All the compositions on this Belle époque recording were written Art and music were inspired by nature, in the four countries where I have lived and and the belle époque exudes elegance, style, studied. The fluid, natural, honest, intensive flowing lines and curves. As a young Belgian and detailed interpretations that I am aiming woman, naturally intrigued by beauty and for could only come alive thanks to this rich with an eye for details in art and culture, breeding ground of various influences. I grew up in a country full of architectural gems and objects from Art Nouveau. I have always felt the urge to let the music from that 4 5 Claude Debussy (1862–1918) to survive.' In the event, the composer was Manfred Trojahn (b. 1949) The journey I took while composing Première Rhapsodie delighted and he wrote again to Durand Rhapsodie for Clarinet and my piece for clarinet and orchestra on 15 July that 'the clarinet concours was Orchestra took me away from the title of a Following a request from Gabriel Fauré, extraordinarily good, and to judge from the concerto. The movements and their Debussy joined the council of the Paris reaction of my colleagues, the Rhapsody The German composer and flautist Manfred characters are of a more light- Conservatoire in 1909 and in 1910 he was was a success! ... One of the competitors, Trojahn studied the flute with Karlheinz Zöller hearted nature than seemed right appointed to serve as one of the adjudicators Vandercruyssen, played it by heart and and his composition teachers included György to me for a piece entitled 'concerto'. for the woodwind concours. During December with great musicianship. The others were Ligeti. Since 1991, he has been professor I tried to achieve a lightness such 1909 and January 1910 he completed the accurate if mediocre.' A few months later, of composition at the Robert Schumann as is found at times in French original clarinet and piano version of the at the Salle Gaveau on 16 January 1911, the Hochschule in Düsseldorf, and also lives in music, to which this composition is Première Rhapsodie. The piece was printed work's first public performance was given by Paris. His major works include several music indebted. In the three movements, in the spring of 1910, in good time for the Prosper Mimart at a concert of the Société theatre pieces, notably Orest (first performed slow tempi dominate, and in the solo competitors to learn it for the concours, and Musicale Indépendante. The following summer in 2011 by Netherlands Opera as a sequel instrument these are at times filled it carried a dedication to Prosper Mimart, Debussy produced a version for clarinet and to Gluck's two Iphigenia operas, Mozart's with fast ornamentations of the slow the professor of clarinet at the Conservatoire orchestra. Debussy was delighted by Mimart's Idomeneo and Strauss's Elektra). Trojahn basic tempo. After its exceptionally from 1904 until 1918. Mimart gave Debussy performance and he considered the Rhapsody also has an extensive output of orchestral fast opening, the final movement some advice about the clarinet writing and 'one of my most pleasing pieces'. Following a works including the Rhapsodie for clarinet progresses in its second part into a this is reflected in the revisions Debussy made serene and atmospheric opening, the music and orchestra, first performed on 26 May more serene sonority. between the completion of the autograph becomes increasingly animated and more 2002 by Sabine Meyer with the Staatskapelle manuscript and the publication of the first playful – allowing the soloist to demonstrate Weimar under Georg Alexander Albrecht. This edition. Just before the competition itself both beauty of tone and acrobatic virtuosity, substantial work is in three sections: 'Rêverie', in July 1910, Debussy wrote to his publisher, culminating in a brilliant conclusion. 'Intermède avec valse à musette' and Jacques Durand: 'Have pity on me: on 'Caprice'. These titles suggest a homage to Sunday I have to listen to my Rhapsody French music, and this is no accident: Trojahn eleven times. I'll tell you about it if I manage himself has written: 6 7 Gabriel Pierné (1863–1937) Images and the first suite from Ravel's Daphnis Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) often stern and dramatic, though there are Canzonetta Op. 19, arranged by et Chloé. The same year, Pierné conducted Clarinet Sonata in F minor Op. 120 some heart-stoppingly beautiful moments of Jelle Tassyns the world premiere of Stravinsky's Firebird for No. 1, arranged by Luciano Berio repose. The movement ends quietly in F major. Diaghilev's Ballets russes (Palais Garnier, 25 The Andante un poco adagio that follows Born in Metz, Pierné studied the organ with June 1910). A brilliant and versatile musician, In the summer of 1891 during a stay in Ischl, (in A flat major) has a restrained eloquence César Franck and composition with Jules Pierné composed numerous small instrumental Brahms had composed his Clarinet Trio and that makes a profound but extremely poetic Massenet and was Franck's successor as pieces alongside his dramatic and orchestral Quintet for Richard Mühlfeld, the clarinettist impact. With the Allegretto grazioso the organist at the church of Sainte-Clotilde. His works. The Canzonetta Op. 19 was written in of the Meiningen Court Orchestra. Three mood becomes genial – a scherzo substitute most important works were for the stage, 1888 and published the following year with a years later, once again at Ischl, he wrote the that serves as a kind of lyrical intermezzo. with several operas and ballets. The most dedication 'à mon ami Ch[arles] Turban'. One two clarinet sonatas in F minor and E flat Robust and forthright, the finale opens in F enduring of these has been the two-act of the finest clarinettists of his time, Turban major. They were played at a private recital major – its expressive intentions made clear ballet Cydalise et le chèvre-pied, composed (1845–1905) was a leading member of the for members of the Vienna Tonkünstlerverein from the three repeated notes that begin in 1914. Pierné demonstrated his dramatic Société des Concerts du Conservatoire and on 7 January 1895 and the public premiere the main theme – and brings the work to an gifts early on and his greatest early success a friend of Camille Saint-Saëns: on 9 March of the F minor Sonata followed on 11 January impassioned conclusion. came in 1882 with his 'scène lyrique' Edith (set (Shrove Tuesday) 1886 he played the clarinet in the Bösendorfersaal of the Musikverein. at the Battle of Hastings in 1066), dedicated in the private premiere of Le carnaval des On both occasions the performers were While working on the sonatas, Brahms wrote to Massenet, which won the coveted Prix de animaux. In 1900 Turban became professor of Mühlfeld and Brahms himself. They went on to Mülhfeld from Ischl on 30 August 1894: Rome for musical composition. Winning the clarinet at the Paris Conservatoire following to give several more performances of the 'I have not been so impulsive as to write a prize enabled him to spend four years at the the retirement of Cyrille Rose, and he was sonatas in January and February 1895, the clarinet concerto for you! But if everything Villa Medici in Rome where he was joined succeeded by Prosper Mimart in 1904. latest of them at Meiningen on 26 February goes well, there will be two modest sonatas two years later by the winner of the 1884 Though a version for clarinet and orchestra after which Brahms sent the manuscript to with piano!!!???' No doubt spurred on by competition, Claude Debussy.

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