mikeweil Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 (edited) After receiving a double CD with more of his beautiful piano music I felt the urge to start a thread about this too little known composer, and found out he was born exactly 131 years ago, on July 20, 1873. He is one of my top five favourite classical composers, although I know only his piano music, but this is among my desert island music. He was born in the South of France, in St. Félix de Caraman en Lauragais, studied law on demand of his parents in Toulouse, but his desire for music was stronger - he moved to Paris in 1896 after first studies in Toulouse - Albéniz was among his teachers. Details about his career can be found in any major music encyclopedia - the online portrait I had bookmarked seems to have gone. He moved back to the South, to Céret on the Mediterranean coast near the border to Spain after ten years - many cubist painters he had made friends with in Paris followed him there. He left only for performances of his greater works - 3 operas - which are very rarely heard; he is best known today as a composer of piano music - on that field he rivaled Debussy and Ravel during his lifetime, and was premiered by the same pianists, Blanche Selva and Ricardo Vines. His piano pieces are the perfect soundtrack for the warm and beautiful landscape of that region of France, "Cerdana" is my favourite, its opening arpeggio takes me to heaven in seconds. CD recommendations: A comprehensive 2-CD selection of all major piano works: "Sunflower Sea", Finlandia 8573-87181-2 (2001) played by Izumi Tateno, who lovingly took photos in Séveracs birthplace and plays excellently. Excellent sound, too. Cheapest introduction containing his two most famous cycles, Cerdana & En Languedoc, Naxos 8.555855 (2004, recorded 2001) by Jordi Masó, a Cantalunyan pianist. Cerdana & three shorter works on Pianovox PIA 543-2 (2000) played very well by Billy Eidi - there is an identical edition of this recording on another label - a little superior to Masó in sound and interpretation. My favourite is the OOP CD by Jean-Joel Barbier, Oeuvres pour piano, Accord 200322 (1988, recorded 1970 & 1988) Aldo Ciccolini recorded the complete piano works in the 1960's for EMI France, they were reissued on a 3-CD set that is available on Amazon Marketplace etc., but I found his playing somewhat less poetic than the others mentioned, and the piano sound too harsh. His complete organ music is on L'oeuvre intégrale pour l'orgue, Aeolus AE-10141 (2000) played by Michelle Leclerc on a Cavaillé-Coll organ in Paris, with works by Henri Mulet, Vincent d'Indy & Ernest Chausson. Most of his songs for voice and piano are on a Hyperion CD which I haven't heard but plan to purchase, it got very good reviews. I doubt any of you has heard any of his music, but if you like French piano music (Debussy or Ravel) or Spanish (Albéniz or Granados) you might like him, though he has his own sound with only resemblances of these. His music holds a special place in my heart, so I thought I'd share this, especially as I had this idea on his birthday! Edited August 23, 2004 by mikeweil Quote
Peter Johnson Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 Thanks for the heads'-up, Mike--this sounds like great stuff. Shamefully, as a pianist who spent a lot of time with the impressionist classics, I'm not certain I've ever heard any of his work. This board gets more and more expensive, but I'm going to see what I can do to pick this stuff up. Thanks! Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted July 20, 2004 Report Posted July 20, 2004 I first heard his music about 30 years ago, had lp recordings and they went away in my big vinyl purge of the '90s. Quote
Larry Kart Posted July 21, 2004 Report Posted July 21, 2004 I've got the Accord CD. Haven't listened to it in a while but remember it fondly. The Hyperion CD of his songs is at Berkshire for $6.99: http://www.berkshirerecordoutlet.com/cgi-b...ndOr=AND&RPP=25 Quote
Larry Kart Posted August 17, 2004 Report Posted August 17, 2004 Got that Hyperion CD of De Severac songs from Berkshire yesterday. Music and performances are excellent. Quote
brownie Posted August 18, 2004 Report Posted August 18, 2004 My favourite is the OOP CD by Jean-Joel Barbier, Oeuvres pour piano, Accord 200322 (1988, recorded 1970 & 1988) That is a magnificient record. Thanks for enlightening us on it. My piano playing son loves it too!!! Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted August 18, 2004 Report Posted August 18, 2004 I think it is time for Mike to revisit the math in his first sentence. Quote
mikeweil Posted August 23, 2004 Author Report Posted August 23, 2004 (edited) I think it is time for Mike to revisit the math in his first sentence. Edited August 25, 2004 by mikeweil Quote
mikeweil Posted August 25, 2004 Author Report Posted August 25, 2004 Forgot to mention - nice to read that there are some souls out there who are moved by his music. Quote
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