Presents
René de Boisdeffre
Trois Pieces Pittoresques for Violoncello and Piano, Op.93
Boisdeffre’s Trois Pieces Pittoresques (three picturesque pieces) for Violoncello and Piano were composed toward the end of Boisdeffre;s life shortly after 1900 and dedicated to the French cellist Louis Hasselmans, but they were not published until 1914 by which time the composer had been dead for nearly a decade. The three pieces were sold separately, no doubt to increase sales and profits. We present them together as a collection. Each piece bears a title and the music conjures up the composer’s musical representation of the title. The first work is titled Paysage (Landscape). The music is lovely, gentle and romantic. One might imagine an extensive grassy park with flowers and trees. The second piece, Sur un Plage (on the beach) Boisdeffre also called a Ballad. While one might have expected happy music, one does not find it here. Rather the music is melancholy, almost dark. Perhaps an overcast day by the ocean. The last piece, Sur le lac (on the lake) is also subtitled Barcarolle. The piano creates the effect of waves softly moving as the cello sings a long, languid melody over it.
René de Boisdeffre (1838-1906) was born in the French village of Vesoul. He came from a distinguished military family and moved to Paris at the age of four when his father, at that time a captain in the army, was transferred. His parents did not allow him to enter the Paris Conservatory but he received private piano and composition lessons from Charles Wagner and later from the respected French composer and professor at the Conservatory Auguste Barbereau. These came to an end when Saint Saens warned him away from Barbereau and briefly took the aspiring composer under his wings. Of independent means, he was able to devote himself to composition. He was especially fond of the genre of chamber music writing several trios, quartets and quintets, all with piano, as well as a number of instrumental pieces.
We warmly recommend these works. Together they can take the place of a sonata or separately, each can serve as a shorter recital piece.
Parts: $19.95
