I am fortunate to have
been the recipient of four recent releases
from the Belgian independent label Classic
Talent. The label continues to explore
lesser-known Classical and Romantic
repertoire and the vast majority of
their issues I have found fascinating
and rewarding. This release is an attractive
collection featuring a work each from
seven late-Romantic composers.
The major work here
is undoubtedly the Saint-Saëns.
In 1921, the last year of his life,
Saint-Saëns set out to compose
sonatas for each of the main woodwind
instruments. He never composed those
sonatas for cor anglais and flute but
he did write three sonatas, one each
for oboe; bassoon and clarinet. The
Saint-Saëns sonata is a work worthy
of considerable attention and is one
of his lesser-known gems. I remain delighted
by my review copy of an impeccable version
of a work that is played with such vigour
and charm by clarinettist Richard Hosford
and pianist Ian Brown. The 2004 account
recorded at the Henry Wood Hall, London
is available on a well-filled double
set of Saint-Saëns’s Chamber
Music performed by members of the
Nash Ensemble on Hyperion CDA67431-2.
The Fantaisie was
composed in 1911 by Philippe Gaubert
who was a distinguished flutist and
conductor. Gaubert served as a professor
of flute at the Paris Conservatoire;
principal conductor of the Société
des Concerts and chief conductor and
artistic director at the Paris Opéra.
The Fantaisie is a graceful and
highly expressive score.
Ernest Chausson was
a young man when he composed his Andante
et Allegro. Attending the Paris
Conservatory as a pupil of Massenet,
Chausson entered this work for
that prestigious competition the Prix
de Rome but was unsuccessful. I admire
the award-winning performance of the
Chausson from pianist Pascal
Devoyon and clarinettist Charles Neidich.
Their stylish and sympathetic reading
forms part of a disc of Chausson Chamber
Music recorded in 1997 at St-Nazaire
on Hyperion CDA67028.
Gabriel Pierné
is primarily remembered as an organist
at the Sainte Clotilde cathedral, in
Paris. A pupil of Franck and Massenet
he won the esteemed Prix de Rome
in 1882 for his cantata Edith.
Pierné also conducted the celebrated
Concerts Colonne and I believe
he composed for Diaghilev's Ballets
Russes. The Canzonetta was
composed in 1888. My preferred version
is from clarinettist Gervase de Peyer
and pianist Gwenneth Pryor recorded
at Rosslyn Hill Chapel, Hampstead, London
in 1982-83 on a disc of French Music
for Clarinet and Piano on Chandos
CHAN 8526.
Henri Rabaud was a
student of Massenet at the Paris Conservatoire
and won the Prix de Rome in 1894
with his cantata: Daphné.
In 1920 Rabaud succeeded Fauré
as director of the Paris Conservatoire.
A conservative composer Rabaud was known
for using the catch phrase, "modernism
is the enemy". The Solo
de Concours was composed in 1901
as a test-piece for the Paris Conservatory.
André Messager
worked as a conductor at the Folies-Bergère
in Paris, the Eden-Théâtre
in Brussels and in London for Richard
D'Oyly Carte's Opera Company. Messager
was a great friend of Gabriel Fauré
who as director persuaded him to write
the Solo de Concours as a clarinet
test-piece in 1899 to be used at the
Paris Conservatoire.
The leader of musical
impressionism Debussy was one of the
most important and influential composers
of the twentieth century. He studied
at the Paris Conservatoire and in 1884
won a coveted Prix de Rome with
his cantata L'enfant prodigue.
Originally composed as a chamber score
for clarinet and piano for the Paris
Conservatoire, the Première
Rhapsodie was written in 1909-10
and orchestrated in 1911. It inhabits
the same sound-world as his famous score
Prélude à l'après-midi
d'un faune. Although the
work was named by Debussy as his Première
Rhapsodie he never wrote a second.
My preferred version is again from de
Peyer and Pryor, featured on the same
disc as the Pierné preference
CHAN Chandos 8526. Although not currently
in my collection, I have heard approving
reports of an account by clarinettist
Ralph Manno and pianist Alfredo Perl
on Arte Nova.
This Classic Talent
collection is played with style and
authority, displaying phenomenal virtuosity
and impressive insight. I especially
enjoyed the reading of the Saint-Saëns
where the exquisite playing of the opening
movement makes the hairs stand up on
the back of the neck. A touch more jauntiness
would have improved the vigorous allegro
animato. In the Gaubert the duo
communicate an overriding sense of sadness
and in Chausson’s Andante et Allegro
I was impressed with the serious
character imparted to the andante
and the robust and restless quality
of the dark and unhappy allegro.
Boeykens and Groslot
perform Pierné’s brief and attractive
Canzonetta (which lasts 03:36
and not 07:20 as stated) with remarkable
control and impressive weight of tone.
With Rabaud’s test-piece I was moved
by their ability to communicate the
overriding shadowy and sombre character
of the score. The Messager’s has swiftly
varying moods to which the partnership
adjusts seamlessly with alertness and
fluency. The concluding work, the Debussy,
comes from his radical Impressionism
and is clearly different in musical
style to the six late-Romantic scores
that it follows. The duo provide an
unaffected and natural interpretation
of this very beautiful and atmospheric
piece.
It seems to be characteristic
of Classic Talent to provide uninteresting
and error-strewn booklet notes that
are lacking in what one would generally
consider to be essential information.
Details of the recording dates and venues
are not supplied either which contributes
to the disappointment of the pretty
dismal presentation.
The sound quality on
the other hand is of a decent standard.
These are first-rate performances even
if they would not necessarily be my
first choice. A disc certainly worth
hearing.
Michael Cookson
Walter Boeykens (clarinet) 
