Presents
Fernand de La Tombelle
Piano Quartet in e minor, Op.24
Fernand de La Tombelle's Piano Quartet in e minor, Op.24 was composed in 1893 and was awarded a prize for excellence by Société des Compositeurs de Musique. The big opening Allegro is stormy and full of turbulence and urgency. Here and there, one hears echoes of Cesar Franck and Schumann. The solemn Adagio which follows features a very expressive dialogue between the strings and the piano. The third movement, Molto allegro, is a playful scherzo. In the exciting and lively finale, Allegro molto, the cyclical nature of the movement clearly follows in the Franckian tradition. This is an outstanding work of the first order which belongs in the repertoire and on the concert stage. It is not beyond competent amateurs.
Tombelle won prestigious Chartier Prize for an outstanding chamber music in 1896 in part for this piano trio. Born in Paris, Fernand de La Tombelle (1854-1928) studied piano with his mother who had been a student of Liszt and Thalberg. He also studied organ with the famous French organ virtuoso Alexandre Guilmant. .At the Paris Conservatory he studied composition with Theodore Dubois and organ with Guilmant. Subsequently, he became a well-known organist in Paris. He was, along with Vincent d’Indy, Guilmant and Charles Bordes, one of the founders of the Schola Cantorum, France’s other great conservatory. He taught there for many years. He wrote in most genres. In addition to this piano quartet he also composed a piano trio and a string quartet.
Long out of print, we warmly recommend this fine piano quartet and are sure it will win high praise from audiences lucky enough to hear it performed.
Parts: $34.95
