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Track(s) taken from CDA67255/6

Sonata for violin and piano

composer
1943

The Nash Ensemble
Recording details: January 1999
Henry Wood Hall, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Andrew Keener
Engineered by Antony Howell & Julian Millard
Release date: November 1999
Total duration: 18 minutes 31 seconds
 

Reviews

‘An altogether first-class collection of Poulenc's very individual chamber music output played with real sensitivity … outstanding performances. The whole issue wins my enthusiastic recommendation: it bids fair to become the undisputed yardstick for the future’ (Gramophone)

‘A set which will surely and deservedly be popular’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Thoroughly excellent’ (The Observer)

‘Entrancing. It's hard to select the choicest treasures from this jewel box of Poulenc's most witty and vivacious, hauntingly melodic and touchingly heartfelt music, especially when it is played with such effervescence and devotion as here. The two masterpieces are the Sextet for Piano and Winds (1932) and the delectable "Mozartian" Trio for Piano, Oboe and Bassoon, played with dashing elan and soulful lyricism by the pianist Ian Brown and the Nash's brilliant wind principals. Richard Watkins's long-breathed account of the moving Elégie in memoriam Dennis Brain (1957) and Paul Watkins's noble-toned playing of the Cello Sonata (1940/48) are exceptional. But there is rapture, elation, zany high spirits in all of this music, dazzlingly played by the Nash Ensemble. Buy, buy, buy!’ (The Sunday Times)

‘It would be hard to imagine more consistently on-target presentations of Poulenc’s chamber music or more appropriate sound reproduction. Highly recommended’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘Thirteen pieces lovingly brought to life by the Nash Ensemble. For once, the word 'jewel-box' for the CD container sounds about right’ (BBC CD Review)

‘Those who treasure performances of this music should hear this recording to discover the insights which the very best of today's musicians bring to these scores’ (Classical Express)
Poulenc wrote his two string sonatas in wartime. The first, a Sonata for violin and piano, was begun in 1942, completed in 1943 and published in 1944, dedicated to the memory of the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca (1899-1936) – a victim of the Spanish Civil War. It was first played in Paris on 21 June 1943 by the young Ginette Neveu and Poulenc. Between a ‘fiery’ Allegro and a ‘tragic’ Presto of Stravinskian parentage comes an Intermezzo evoking guitar music.

from notes by Felix Aprahamian © 1999

Pendant la guerre, Poulenc écrivit deux sonates pour cordes. La première, une Sonate pour violon et piano fut commencée en 1942. Achevée en 1943 et publiée en 1944, elle fut dédiée à la mémoire du poète espagnol Federico Garcia Lorca (1899-1936) victime de la guerre civile espagnole – et créée à Paris, le 21 juin 1943, par la jeune Ginette Neveu et Poulenc. Entre un Allegro «fougueux» et un Presto «tragique», stravinskien, se glisse un Intermezzo évoquant la musique pour guitare.

extrait des notes rédigées par Felix Aprahamian © 1999
Français: Hypérion

Poulenc hat seine beiden Streichersonaten während des Krieges geschrieben. Die erste, eine Sonate für Violine und Klavier, wurde 1942 begonnen, 1943 fertiggestellt und 1944 veröffentlicht. Sie ist dem Andenken des spanischen Dichters Federico García Lorca (1899-1936) gewidmet – einem Opfer des spanischen Bürgerkriegs. Die Uraufführung am 21. Juni 1943 gaben die junge Ginette Neveu und Poulenc in Paris. Zwischen einem “feurigen” Allegro und einem “tragischen” Presto, bei dem Strawinski Pate gestanden hat, erklingt ein Intermezzo, das an Gitarrenmusik erinnert.

aus dem Begleittext von Felix Aprahamian © 1999
Deutsch: Anne Steeb/Bernd Müller

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