Jean Françaix
Composer Jean Françaix wrote in an accessible, attractive style that often led listeners and commentators to ignore the depth and originality present in much of his music. His father was the director of the Le Mans Conservatory. His mother was a teacher and choir director on its staff. He began to study piano when he was four. Before he was ten he had music lessons from Isidor Philipp (piano) and Nadia Boulanger (harmony, counterpoint, composition). He published a composition at the age of ten, Pour Jacqueline, a piano suite dedicated to his baby cousin.
In 1930 he won first prize in piano at the Paris Conservatory. Pierre Monteux premiered his Symphony in 1932. In the same year he wrote his Concertino for Piano & Orchestra. The premiere of the work in 1934 made Françaix's reputation. He quickly came into demand. Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo commissioned a ballet, Scuola di ballo (Dance School), choreographed by Léonide Massine, based on themes of Boccherini. Another ballet, Le Roi nu (The Naked King or The Emperor's New Clothes), was premiered by the Paris Opera in 1935. He wrote a piano concerto in 1936 and played it on his first American trip, in 1938. He toured often with cellist Maurice Gendron, the Trio Pasquier, and later, with his daughter Claude as a piano duo partner.
Françaix was also known for his orchestrations of works by Chopin, Schubert, Chabrier, and Mozart. Poulenc requested that Françaix orchestrate L'histoire de Babar for him. Françaix transcribed many of his own works for the Mainz Wind Ensemble.
The light, witty character of Françaix's music has caused some to dismiss it as frivolous. Others have decried the fact that his style remained static throughout his life. In reality, he had found all he needed and achieved his mature voice immediately. His orchestrations are always clear and sparkling, his forms precise and neo-Classical, his emotions reserved. Françaix had little use for the Romantic esthetic of the composer pouring his inner soul into the music. In this, he was primarily influenced by Ravel. However, he sometimes wrote works of great depth. His masterwork among this sort of composition is L'Apocalypse de St Jean, written in 1939, the year World War II began. The work is mystical, even ecstatic, with plain flowing melodies reminiscent of old chant. It was premiered in 1942 at the Conservatory, conducted by Charles Munch. It was played at a memorial concert for Françaix in Le Mans in 1999, its first French performance since 1951.
© TiVo
Discografía
12 álbum(es) • Ordenado por Mejores ventas
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Beethoven: Complete Music for Cello and Piano
Mstislav Rostropovich, Sviatoslav Richter, Maurice Gendron, Jean Françaix
Clásica - Editado por Decca Music Group Ltd. el 1 ene. 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Music for Violin & Piano; Arpeggione Sonata
Szymon Goldberg, Radu Lupu, Maurice Gendron, Jean Françaix
Clásica - Editado por Decca Music Group Ltd. el 1 ene. 2000
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvorak : Cello Concerto (+ Reger & Francaix)
Anja Thauer, Czech Philharmonic, Zdenek Macal, Jean Françaix
Clásica - Editado por Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd. el 25 sep. 2015
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jean Françaix: Musique de chambreEdition du centenaire - Centenary Official Edition (Edition du centenaire - Centenary Official Edition)
Jean Françaix, Octuor de France, Lola Descours
Música de cámara - Editado por Indesens el 4 jun. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Copland, Francaix, Nielsen : Concertos pour clarinette et orchestre (Great clarinet concertos)
Philippe Cuper, Orchestre De Bretagne, Jean-Claude Schnitzler, Jean Françaix
Música sinfónica - Editado por Indesens el 1 ene. 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Françaix spielt Françaix
Clásica - Editado por wergo el 1 oct. 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Francaix : Fantaisie pour violoncelle
Orchestre De Bretagne, Jean Françaix, Henri Demarquette
Clásica - Editado por Pierre Verany el 15 jul. 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Napoléon (Bande originale du film de 1954)
Bandas sonoras de cine - Editado por Disques Cinémusique el 6 ene. 2017
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
La musique de film de JEAN FRANÇAIX (Original Movie Soundtrack)
Bandas sonoras de cine - Editado por Disques Cinémusique el 1 ene. 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jean Francaix - Le Colloque des deux Perruches for Flute and Alto Flute
Música de cámara - Editado por Cantilena Records el 31 ene. 2024
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jean Françaix et ...
Jean Françaix, Bläser Ensemble Amadé
Clásica - Editado por wergo el 10 jun. 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lalo, Massenet & Others: Orchestral Works
Luxembourg Radio Orchestra, Pierre Cao, Jean Françaix
Clásica - Editado por Vox el 1 ene. 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo