Théodore GOUVY (1819-1898)
Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 36 [24:44]
Sonata No. 2 in C minor, Op. 49 [24:45]
Sonata No. 3 in F major [16:25]
André De Groote and Irena Kofman (piano duet)
rec. 2014, exact date and venue unspecified. Steinway piano
TALENT DOM2911112 [65:53]
Louis Théodore Gouvy was born into a French-speaking family in the village
of Goffontaine, in the Sarre, a region on the then Franco-Prussian border -
now Saarbrücken-Schafbrücke, Germany. Given that this region fell under
Prussian control shortly before his birth, Gouvy could not attain French
citizenship until the age of 32. He was thus a man of two cultures - from
the historical standpoint a significant problem at the time. He eventually
realised that his music was infinitely more successful in Germany than in
France where public taste was far more concerned with Italian opera rather
than with chamber or symphonic music, Gouvy's main area of composition.
While to a certain extent he was known and recognized in his lifetime, he
fell into obscurity following his death, despite being much appreciated in
Germany, where he spent the last third of his life. Mendelssohn, Schumann
and Brahms were his models and his music developed along the lines one might
have expected of the first two men, had they lived longer.
Virtually all of his works show him to be a gifted melodist, and the three
sonatas for piano duet recorded here certainly corroborate this. Together
with the three composers mentioned above, it was evidently Gouvy's intention
to bring the somewhat neglected 19th-century piano duet to the same level as
other contemporary chamber-music genres. To this end his three essays in the
form can certainly hold their own against anything written by any more
illustrious names at the time. In fact, had they not fallen victim to the
never-ending rivalry of the time between France and Prussia, Gouvy's works
here might well have provided a model for later composers.
The Belgian Talent label describes itself as 'a label of classical
discoveries', and even though the website and online catalogue don't appear
to have been updated since February 2013, there is already a real mix of
familiar names with those almost on the verge of obscurity.
The Sonata No. 1 in D minor is a fully-fledged four-movement work
which engages the listener from the very outset, with its lyrical Romantic
opening which very quickly leads into a scherzo-like section. Thematic
material is skilfully shared between the players and the high craftsmanship
of the writing in general is immediately apparent in what is a most
compelling sonata-form movement. Shades of Mendelssohn are particularly
evident at the close. The gently serene Adagio slow movement is a lovely
creation, poignant yet never merely over-sentimental. It has some subtle
rhythmic movement in the accompaniment to ensure that onward progress never
appears lethargic. The third movement has a scherzo-like feel, though with a
moderate 2/4 gait, which brings to mind Schumann in some of his short
descriptive pieces. This leads straight into the finale, which bears the
indication 'Epilogue. Moderato assai quasi Larghetto', and has an almost
barcarolle-like charm. The jury's out though, as to whether it really
provides an effective and substantial enough close to what has gone before,
in terms of tempo balance between the four movements overall.
The Sonata No. 2 in C minor again opens with a more lyrical
movement, though with some more troubled overtones at times. Repeated
triplet patterns add to the overall dramatic mix, which then seems to
fluctuate between moments of passion and emotional urgency. Rather like
Brahms, Gouvy manages to accommodate all this romantic freedom within the
confines of regular first-movement sonata-form - the poetic coda adds a nice
touch here. There is an almost operatic feel to some of the melodic lines in
the ensuing Larghetto, particular when set against an accompaniment of
tremolo chords, clearly suggesting a similar effect with strings under a
vocal line. A brief modulation leads straight into the third movement - a
more sedate three beats-in-a-bar Minuet, rather than a faster one-in-a-bar
scherzo. The trio (in the tonic major) has almost a Viennese-Waltz ambiance,
and makes a perfect bitter-sweet contrast with the more robust Minuet
itself. The finale (Allegro vivace) reminds me more of a fleet-of-foot
gallop, though interspersed with moments of repose along the way. The
closing section accelerates to a most effective and exciting conclusion.
The Sonata No. 3 in F major is a shorter, more compact work in
three movements, and of a generally sunnier disposition than its two
minor-key partners. This is especially noticeable in the opening Allegro
con brio which looks forward, via Mendelssohn, slightly to the piano
writing of Saint-Saëns, and where the harmonic palette is also somewhat
richer than its predecessors. Once again a charming little coda rounds the
movement off to great effect. Originally Gouvy planned a long and impressive
Adagio for the slow movement, but wisely decided to substitute a
shorter Andantino scherzoso, a delightfully light confection with
some modal harmonies. This functions both as slow movement and
scherzo/minuet - possibly the reason why he did not feel the need for four
movements here. The final Allegro risoluto sounds remarkably like a
bit of Percy Grainger as it cheerfully struts its stuff. Triplet figurations
become important as the movement progresses, as do a number of pedal points.
A calmer section leads to the close, where triplets are again prominent in
the ultimate build-up, before an almost tongue-in-cheek ending rounds off
this appealing finale, which is never short on virtuosity or grace.
The question, then, is whether this musical 'discovery' is really
something worth 'discovering'. From the musical standpoint the answer must
be a resounding yes, as Gouvy really does speak with an individual voice. It
is abundantly clear that historical and geographical conditions did
seriously compromise the chances of Gouvy and his music becoming better
known at the time, and receiving the subsequent credit it duly deserves.
The performance, too, is absolutely first-rate. The De Groote/Kofman team
showing not only great empathy for the style, and clearly sounding as if
they enjoyed every single note, but in pure terms of balance and ensemble,
their playing can simply not be faulted. The recording has captured the
piano sound to perfection and, even if the sleeve-notes aren't particularly
comprehensive or overly informative, this highly-enjoyable CD of Gouvy's
music for Piano Duet is bound to please.
Philip R Buttall
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