Hyperion Records

Ronde champêtre, written around 1870, was originally included in the Pièces pittoresques. The title, along with those of other pieces, was probably not Chabrier’s but the publisher’s. The opening theme comes from Poussah’s aria from Fisch-Ton-Kan, the operetta written during 1864 in collaboration with Paul Verlaine. In A minor, unpolished and jerky in style, this theme is repeated three times in the guise of a refrain. A second motif in A major, of great sweetness, wrapped round with arpeggiated chords, is then repeated almost at once with slight variations. This is followed by a lively and staccato third motif in B flat, which starts piano before finally reaching an exalted ff, hammered out in octaves.

from notes by Jean-Paul Sévilla © 2006
English: Roland Smithers