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The origins of the piano and organ duet According to Rimsky-Korsakov, no combination of instruments sounds ugly or wrong as long as it is used with taste and intelligence – and this is certainly true of the works on this CD. The origins of the piano and organ duet are closely connected to the development of the bourgeoisie. By the end of the 18th century, this social class had firm hold of the reins of economic power, but did not, generally speaking, have any influence in the political sphere, hence the so-called bourgeois revolutions of 1789, 1830 and 1848, targeting the interests of the bastions of conservative power: church, aristocracy and monarchy. The organ was associated with those traditional seats of authority, while the piano was the symbol of the new revolutionary class. This explains why very little organ music was written by the best-known composers of the first half of the 19th century: Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann and Brahms were all progressive thinkers. From the 1850s onwards, many of the richest members of the bourgeoisie began to acquire political power, abandon their revolutionary ideals and imitate the aristocracy (by marrying into its families, for example). Thereafter, for them the organ symbolised their new status as they left their ‘Jacobin’ past behind. Many bourgeois households purchased small organs to stand next to their old pianos, while those who could not afford one could get a cheaper substitute: the harmonium (by the late 19th century, organ-builders such as Cavaillé-Coll and Merklin were selling more instruments to private homes than to churches). Composers such as Saint-Saëns and Widor began publishing duets for the two instruments – salon music to suit bourgeois tastes. In the second half of the 19th century, the combination of the industrial and bourgeois revolutions led to the emergence of the middle classes, and to extraordinary urban growth. This period also witnessed the birth of the leisure market. Universal expos were part of this phenomenon, and concert organs were often built to be exhibited at such events (for example in the St Louis Festival Hall, the Salle des Fêtes in Paris’s Palais du Trocadéro, and the Palau Nacional and Palacio de Bellas Artes in Barcelona). The concert organ also became an important feature of the Victorian musical landscape in British-influenced countries. At the turn of the 20th century, then, there were even more concert organs in Europe, America and Australia than there are today (five in Paris alone). Piano and organ duets moved from the everyday setting of the bourgeois salon to that of grand concert halls. They became more and 2
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more ambitious in scale, some even taking on symphonic dimensions, and made increasing technical demands on performers, in an apparent desire to push the possibilities of each instrument to the limit. Today, now that concert organs are to be found the world over, the piano–organ duo, a chamber formation designed for the concert hall, is enjoying a new wave of popularity. Saint-Saëns: Six Duos for harmonium and piano Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921), best-known for his Carnival of the Animals and Symphony No.3, was an amateur astronomer. This hobby has close links to the Six Duos for harmonium and piano, for when the publisher Girod purchased them for 500 francs, the 22-year-old composer used his earnings to buy himself a telescope! This took place a year after he had been appointed organist at the Madeleine (1857) – it may seem strange that the first works to be published by the new organist at Paris’s most prestigious church should have been for harmonium, but that instrument was then at the height of its popularity. The Duos are dedicated to Louis James Alfred Lefébure-Wély, one of the most popular organists in Paris at the time. It is fascinating to imagine Lefébure-Wély and Saint-Saëns performing them for a select few guests in some rich Parisian bourgeois home, an image conjured up by the distinguished style of this charming, graceful musique de salon, as represented here by the Capriccio. Widor: Six Duos for harmonium and piano Charles-Marie Widor (1844–1937) became assistant to Camille Saint-Saëns at the Madeleine at the age of 24. A year later, he became organist of the Saint-Sulpice church, the most prestigious such post in France. Originally appointed on a provisional basis for one year, he remained at Saint-Sulpice until 1934. Widor was highly respected in Paris’s cultural circles: in 1892 he was made a Chevalier of the Légion d’Honneur, and in 1914 was elected permanent secretary of the Académie des Beaux-Arts. He was well-connected in Parisian society and was often invited by members of the haute bourgeoisie to take part in the kind of musical events for which he wrote his Six Duos for piano and harmonium. Given that he was only 23 at the time, however, it seems likely that he was asked along for entertainment purposes rather than to be included in any political discussions of note. In these pieces, Widor, like Saint-Saëns 4
before him, employs the kind of charm and grace much appreciated in such circles. Nevertheless, there are differences between the two: while Widor uses the organ both as a solo voice and as a gentle accompaniment to the piano, we rarely find the contrapuntal textures discernible in Saint-Saëns’ works. Dupré: Variations on Two Themes for piano and organ With Marcel Dupré (1886–1971) we come to a new vision of the piano and organ duet. His works were written specifically for the organ (not the harmonium), and are very different in style from light salon music. This is music designed for the concert hall, music of great virtuosity and technical complexity. In the final years of the 19th century, concert organs became more and more common, making it viable to write expressly for that instrument and for piano and organ duos. Marcel Dupré was taught by Charles-Marie Widor and replaced him as organist of Saint-Sulpice, remaining in the role until his death in 1971. In turn, Dupré taught the next two generations of organists, including such well-known musicians as Jean Langlais, Marie-Claire Alain, Rolande Falcinelli and Jeanne Demessieux. He wrote his Variations à deux thèmes in 1937 to mark the death of the Russian composer Glazunov (whose Fantaisie for organ Op.110 was dedicated to Dupré). Dupré gave the first performances of his piano and organ works (The Variations, a Ballade and a Sinfonia) with his daughter Marguerite, and it was with the Variations that she made her US debut. Here, the opening (descending) theme is presented on the piano, followed immediately by the second (ascending) theme on the organ. We then hear twelve variations which alternate between harmonious dialogue and violent conflict, the climax being a dazzling and spectacular final fugue. Textural variety and an insightful use of the two instruments, both of which are pushed to previously unimaginable limits, make this a touchstone of the piano and organ repertoire. Langlais: Diptyque for piano and organ A student of Marcel Dupré and Paul Dukas at the Paris Conservatoire in the Thirties, and a disciple of Charles Tournemire whom he succeeded as organist at Ste-Clotilde in Paris (the César Franck organ), Jean Langlais left a vast catalogue in various genres. The Diptyque pour piano et orgue, en deux mouvements, Op.179, written in 1974, is the only piece he 5
wrote for the rare combination of piano and organ. When he was asked to write a piece for these instruments by the French teacher and composer Rolande Falcinelli, he decided to construct two highly contrasting movements (1st movement – 2nd movement) in one piece based on the same melody written in an eight-note free mode and treated differently in each movement. Dating from 1974, its second movement includes the reworking of an earlier piece (Mouvement perpétuel for piano solo Op.23 composed in 1936) which superimposes on the original piano part a new organ part intended to sustain the piano’s uninterrupted flow of semiquavers. The first movement is original, based on contrasts between the piano and organ treated separately and together. The two instruments conclude with a fortissimo syncopated cadenza. The work was first performed on 11 February 1976, on the large Gonzalez organ at the French Radio auditorium in Paris, by Rolande Falcinelli at the piano and Marie-José Chasseguet at the organ. There is no indication that the piece was dedicated to anyone. Marie-Louise Langlais, Paris, November 2010 Bedard: Duet Suite for organ and piano The Duet Suite was commissioned for Duo Majoya by the Edmonton Centre of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. The premiere performance was on 5 May 2000 at the West End Christian reformed Church in Edmonton, Alberta. The Duet Suite is in five movements. The first two, Introduction and Fughetta, are in a dramatic style. They are followed by a graceful Minuetto, a tranquil Romance and a brilliant, energetic and joyful Final. Denis Bedard, Vancouver, November 2010 Denis Bedard (b.1950) is a Canadian composer and organist whose catalogue of over ninety works includes chamber music, organ pieces, and orchestral and vocal music. He is one of the most-performed composers in America and Canada today.
Cervelló: Preludiando for piano and organ Preludiando was originally written in 2004 for piano, and dedicated to the eminent pianist Alicia de Larrocha, who gave its premiere at her prestigious music school, the Acadèmia Marshall in Barcelona. In 2008 I transcribed Preludiando for string quartet and entitled the new work À Bach (To Bach), having added an introductory adagio. By 2010 the work had become very popular, and I decided to adapt it again, this time for piano and organ, dedicating the result to Dúo MusArt. It is a transformation of the Preludio from Bach’s Partita for violin No.3. I played this piece on numerous occasions as a violinist, which is why I chose to use it as the basis of my own composition, Preludiando. The piano and organ version has a wealth of sound effects, many of which are reminiscent of orchestral instrumentation, with very individual harmonies and a wide range of dynamic contrasts. Jordi Cervelló, Barcelona, November 2010 Jordi Cervelló (b.1935) is a Spanish violinist and composer whose works have been performed across Europe as well as in the US, Canada, Russia, South America and Israel. His music is rich and hugely versatile, full of wide-ranging expression and character, yet always retaining perfect unity of form. Cervelló is one of Spain’s most highly respected composers and was recently awarded his country’s National Prize for Culture and the Arts 2010. Lutoslawski: Variations on a Theme by Paganini In Nazi-occupied Poland, Lutoslawski (1913–1994) managed to stay alive by performing in the cafés of Warsaw. He wrote many pieces at the time, most of which were lost in the chaos of occupation and subsequent liberation. The only work dating from this period to survive is his Variations on a Theme of Paganini, for two pianos, written in 1941. Thirty-seven later he orchestrated the piece and dedicated the score to the Polish pianist Felicja Blumental. On this album, Dúo MusArt perform their own transcription for piano and organ. The Variations are based on the last of Nicolò Paganini’s 24 Caprices for violin, itself a highly challenging set of variations, on which earlier composers such as Liszt, Schumann and Brahms had written their own variations or paraphrases. Lutoslawski displays flawless musical technique here, alluding to many of Paganini’s original ideas in a work remarkable for its intelligence and impact. Text: Duo MusArt Barcelona · Translations: Susannah Howe /
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Dúo MusArt Barcelona International concert artists Mª Teresa Sierra Martínez and Raúl Prieto Ramírez, described by the press as ‘two rising stars in Spain’, joined forces in 2007 to offer the public the opportunity to see and hear a unique keyboard duo coming from Mediterranean artistic fields. Since the formation of Dúo MusArt-Bcn, audience and the press alike have taken much interest in their playing. Their performances in the largest concert halls in Spain – such as Madrid’s Auditorio Nacional, Conde Duque’s Hall, Circulo de Bellas Artes, Barcelona’s Palau de la Musica and Main City Hall, Pau Casals Hall, and Alfredo Kraus Hall – have been met with much acclaim. They have also performed in Russia, in Germany and in the USA (New York, Alabama, Boston…) playing at major festivals, including the HCMG Celebrity Series (Huntsville, USA), the International Barcelona Piano Festival, the International Festival in Segovia, and the Third International Organ Festival in Perm (Russia), where critics remarked: ‘Spectacular concert with exceptional artists’. The high artistic and virtuosic standards that Ma Teresa and Raúl achieve individually permit this extraordinary duo to go very deep into the music with outstanding chamber-music perfection: ‘they play as one mind’ (Le Monde, Spain). Their interpretation of Jean Langlais’s Diptyque pour piano et orgue was praised by Marie-Louise Langlais as: ‘one of the best performances of this work I have ever heard’. Both Mª Teresa and Raúl are skilled and experienced solo artists in their own right, and this allows them to devise exciting and versatile programmes which alternate solo pieces and duets. They have a wide repertory of original pieces for piano and organ as well as their own transcriptions of works by Tchaikovsky, Lutoslawski, Horowitz and Liszt, and famous Spanish masterpieces by Falla and Granados. In addition to this, they also commission pieces by modern composers to widen the original repertoire for this unusual combination. Thanks to Phillip Truckenbrod Concert Artist management, Duo MúsArt is now available in the USA and Canada. www.duomusart.com /
This recording is dedicated to the memory of Leonid Sintsev, our maestro and our mentor.
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Recorded: 22–23 September 2010, Palau de la Musica, Barcelona Production: Ligeia Pro and Radio Galega Recorded in collaboration with CONCA (Consell Nacional de la Cultura i de les Arts) Recorded by: Servicio de Arquivo Sonoro Radio Galega Mixing and mastering: Estudio 5-Radio Galega Sound engineer: Pablo Barreiro Photography: Christian Herrera (www.christianherrera.com) and Gerard Poch P and C 2011 Brilliant Classics
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Palau de la Música Catalana Organ built by Walcker – Ludwigsburg – in 1908 / OESA 1973 / Restored Grenzing-Scheffler 2002
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I 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60
Orgue Major Super I Super III-I Flautat Major Bordó Major Flautat de Cara Flauta Xemeneia Bordó Viola de Gamba Salicional Octava Flauta Xemeneia Dotzena Quinzena Vintena Corneta Plens Fagot Trompeta Clarins II-I III-I Sub III-I
II 21 22 23 24 25
Positiu III-II Quintató Principal Flauta Harmònica Corn de Camussa
16 16 8 8 8 8 8 4 4 2 2 1 1⁄7 III-V III 16
16 8 8 8
26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33
Bordó de Fusta Dolciana Flauta Dolça Octava Flabiolets Plens Oboè Trèmol
8 8 4 4 2 III 8
III 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Recitatiu expressiu IV-III Bordó Major Violó Principal Viola de Gamba Flauta de Concert Bordó Quintató Aeolina Veu Celeste Principal Flauta Octaviant Flautí Sesquiàltera Clarinet Trèmol
IV 16 17 18
Eco Expressiu (Fernwerk) Corn de Nit 8 Bordó 8 Flauta 8
16 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 4 4 4 11 8
19 20 34 35 36 37 38
Viola Veu Angèlica Flauta Cònica Piccolo Veu Humana Trompeta Harmònica Trèmol
61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78
Pedal Bordó Greu Contrabaix Subbaix Baix de Violó Bordó Dolç Botzena Baix Violoncel Flauta Bordó Octava Bombarda Trompeta I-Pedal II-Pedal III-Pedal IV-Pedal Bassmelodie
8 8 4 2 8 8
32 16 16 16 16 10 2⁄3 8 8 8 8 4 16 8
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