The composers & their works Parisian composer Amédée-Ernest Chausson (1855-1899), was one of the few fortunate musicians born into prosperity. This was thanks to his father’s fortune, amassed while assisting Baron Haussmann’s redevelopment of Paris in the 1850’s. At the age of 25, Chausson abandoned his profession of law (probably entered into under parental pressure) in order to attend the composition classes of Jules Massenet at the Paris Conservatoire. From 1886 until his death in 1899, Chausson was secretary of the Société Nationale de Musique. In this role, he met with many of the artistic elite of the period, among them were Debussy, Fauré, Duparc, Albeniz, and the poet Mallarmé. Chausson’s unexpected and untimely death in 1899 occurred at his country estate. He lost control of his bicycle while riding downhill, ran straight into a brick wall, and died instantly. He was just 44. Chausson’s music bridges the gap between the Romanticism of Franck and the Impressionism of Debussy. Although he had only 39 opus numbers to his credit, the quality and originality of his compositions put him among the great French composers of the 2nd half of the 19th century. The Concerto for Piano, Violin & String Quartet was, together with the Piano Quartet and Piano Trio, Chausson’s only foray into chamber music. It is, for all practical purposes, a masterly double concerto with the four string parts acting as an orchestra. It is also unusual for its interplay of sensuous emotions and fiery climaxes. This seems uncharacteristic of Chausson, whose musical language was, until then, known and appreciated most of all for its mysticism, poetic beauty and emotional restraint. As one French writer remarked, his music always appears to be saying “chère.” The extremely humble Chausson did not struggle against the obscurity that enveloped him, since he always felt quietly assured that he would ultimately be recognized if his music deserved it. Toward the end of his life, a certain measure of recognition came to him, thanks to the efforts of musicians such as the violinist Eugene Ysaye. Ysaye helped to introduce this and other works of Chausson’s at a concert in Brussels in 1892. In August of 1885, César Franck (1822 - 1890) was awarded the ribbon of the Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur . By this time, Franck had produced the Piano Quintet, the oratorio Les Beatitudes, the symphonic poem Les Éolides, and some major organ works. It seems ironic that the decoration was presented to the 62 year old composer in honour of his service as an organ teacher! Franck, a simple man, asked no more from life than to serve music and the Roman Catholic Church with reverence and humility. In 1858, he became organist at Sainte-Clotilde in Paris - a position he held until his death. He gave private lessons in piano and sollfeggio; in 1872 he became a professor of organ at the Paris Conservatory. Although his students considered him a bit odd, they loved him and recognized his genius. Debussy, Chausson, D’Indy, Duparc - all gave him their adulation and unwavering devotion for inspiring them. The Piano Quintet in f minor is filled with themes of other-worldly beauty that are worked out with consummate mastery. Completed in 1878, it caused quite a stir at its premiere. Franck’s wife sensed in the quintet’s first movement a surging and earthly passion which was very different from Franck’s usual religious emotions. She was not pleased. Similarly, composer Camille Saint-Saens, the pianist for the premiere, demonstrated his disgust at such an unabashed display of raw passion by conspicuously leaving the score on the piano as he left the stage at the end of the performance. Indeed, no other work of Franck, before or after, wears its heart so much on its sleeve. The performers & the recordings It was fortunate when the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation approached the pianist Antonín Kubálek and the two major Canadian chamber ensembles of the 70’s: the Orford and Vaghy string quartets. The purpose was to record two masterworks of the chamber music repertoire - works which were not only seldom recorded but also rarely heard in live performance. In this genre, there is little similar repertoire which compares. This is partly due to the technical challenges set by Franck and Chausson. For example, the two solo parts in the Chausson leave the pianist and violinist no time to rest. A good performance requires considerable rehearsal time for these two solo parts. Antonín Kubálek received his musical education and early professional experience in what was then Czechoslovakia. In common with a number of other artists, he left Czechoslovakia in 1968. He eventually settled in Toronto, Canada, and quickly obtained concert bookings for solo, chamber, and orchestral appearances. He worked with the CBC, and made recordings for several labels. Since the collapse of communism in 1989, Kubálek has returned to what is now the Czech Republic to present concerts and master classes. One notable occasion was his recital at the 2002 Prague Spring Festival, where he was honoured with three standing ovations. He has made over 20 CD recordings with Dorian Records, CBC, Arabesque, and others. His recorded catalogue ranges from classical through contemporary repertoire with several notable recordings of Czech composers such as Dvořák, Suk, Janáček, Novák, and Martinů. Orford String Quartet The Orford String Quartet was formed in 1965 at Canada’s Jeunesses Musicales at Orford Art Centre in Mount Orford, Quebec. The founding members were Andrew Dawes and Kenneth Perkins, 1st and 2nd violin, Terence Helmer, viola, and Marcel Saint-Cyr, violoncello. In 1968, the group became quartet-in-residence at the University of Toronto. Their recording for the Delos Label in 1987 of the complete Beethoven String Quartets made the Orford Quartet one of the best-known and most highly regarded string quartets in the world. In 1991, the Orford Quartet performed for the last time at a farewell concert in the series "Music at Sharon". Chausson’s Concerto for Piano, Violin and String Quartet, Op. 21 receives a truly powerful performance. Kubálek and Dawes are extraordinary and the Orfords - with contributing violinist Otto Armin assisting in the leader’s chair - are masterful. Chausson: Recorded in Eaton Auditorium, Toronto, 1974 Producer - James Kent; Technician - James Reed Originally released as CBC LP SM246 Vaghy String Quartet At the time the Franck recording was made (1976), the Vaghy String Quartet - Deszo Vaghy, 1st violin; David George, 2nd violin; Tibor Vaghy, viola; and Robert Dodson, violoncello - were Artists-in-Residence at Queen’s University in Kingston (Ontario, Canada). The quartet was formed in 1965 at New York’s Juilliard School by the Vaghy brothers, Deszo and Tibor; they quickly established a reputation as one of the most promising young foursomes in North America. After the quartet's New York debut on March 2, 1975, Peter G. Davis in the New York Times praised a “large, lush, glamorous ensemble tone... used... to excellent effect.” The Vaghy Quartet is well known for its performances of 20thcentury music, which includes recordings of Bartok, Prokofiev, and Shostakovich quartets. The Franck quintet is a work of strong impulses and emotional force, and that’s the sort of performance it’s given here by the Vaghy Quartet and Kubálek. Franck: Recorded in Eaton Auditorium, Toronto, October 1976 Producer - James Kent; Technician - Ed Marshall Originally released as CBC LP SM319 Programme notes by Patricia Wotherspoon Antonin Kubalek, piano with: Andrew Dawes, solo violin Otto Armin, 1st violin and members of the Orford Quartet - Kenneth Perkins, 2nd violin - Terence Helmer, viola - Marcel Saint-Cyr, cello (Chausson) Vaghy Quartet - Deszo Vaghy, 1st violin and leader - David George, 2nd violin - Tibor Vaghy, viola - Robert Dodson, Cello (Franck) Cover reproduction: Realism Meets Idealism (copyright Joseph Drapell 2009, detail) Used with the kind permission of The Museum of New New Painters, Toronto.