Françaix’
Ouverture anacréontique dates from 1978, and was first performed in Recklinghausen on 22 February 1981 by the Westphalian Symphony Orchestra (for whose 25th anniversary it was composed) under Karl Anton Rickenbacher. The character of the overture mirrors its title: convivial and somewhat erotic in intent, in Françaix’ output it is a relatively large single-movement. In a note appended to the score, the composer says he attempted to portray an imaginary world, without wars, in which all is well. He quotes and paraphrases the dramatist Sacha Guitry: ‘“… ce qui n’est pas clair n’est pas français”, mais … ce qui n’est pas clair n’est pas ‘de’ Françaix …’ [‘“…that which is not clear is not French”, but … that which is not clear is not by Françaix …’].
from notes by Robert Matthew-Walker © 2002
