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Tag: Massenet

Massenet & Fauré Anniversary Celebrating French Masters

Today is the anniversary of the births of two outstanding French composers: Jules Massenet (1842-1912) and Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924).

Massenet’s fluency and emotionally direct style made him the most successful French opera composer of his generation. Fauré was the more progressive of the two. He wrote meticulously-crafted music of great nuance, with a harmonic sense that seemed to yearn for the 20th century. As an administrator, he blew the dust off the Paris Conservatory and ushered in an era of unprecedented reform.

Here are two absorbing interpretations of music by these very different French masters.

Joan Sutherland sings a selection from Massenet’s medieval romance “Esclarmonde”:

Germaine Thyssens-Valentin, a Fauré pupil, plays his Nocturne No. 6 in D-flat:

Joyeux anniversaire, mes amis!

PHOTOS: Fauré (left) and Massenet en plein air

May 12, 2020
Massenet & Fauré Birthdays Celebrate French Music

Today is the anniversary of the births of two outstanding French composers: Jules Massenet (1842-1912) and Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924).

Massenet’s fluency and emotionally direct style made him the most successful French opera composer of his generation. Fauré was the more progressive of the two. He wrote meticulously-crafted music of great nuance, with a harmonic sense that seemed to yearn for the 20th century. As an administrator, he blew the dust off the Paris Conservatory and ushered in an era of unprecedented reform.

Here are two absorbing interpretations of music by these very different French masters.

Joan Sutherland sings a selection from Massenet’s medieval romance “Esclarmonde”:

Germaine Thyssens-Valentin, a Fauré pupil, plays his Nocturne No. 6 in D-flat:

Joyeux anniversaire, mes amis!

PHOTOS: Fauré (left) and Massenet en plein air

May 12, 2020
Massenet and Fauré Anniversary: Celebrate French Masters

Today is the anniversary of the births of two outstanding French composers: Jules Massenet (1842-1912) and Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924).

Massenet’s fluency and emotionally direct style made him the most successful French opera composer of his generation. Fauré was the more progressive of the two. He wrote meticulously-crafted music of great nuance, with a harmonic sense that seemed to yearn for the 20th century. As an administrator, he blew the dust off the Paris Conservatory and ushered in an era of unprecedented reform.

Here are two absorbing interpretations of music by these very different French masters.

Joan Sutherland sings a selection from Massenet’s medieval romance “Esclarmonde”:

Germaine Thyssens-Valentin, a Fauré pupil, plays his Nocturne No. 6 in D-flat:

Joyeux anniversaire, mes amis!

PHOTOS: Fauré (left) and Massenet en plein air

May 12, 2020
Massenet Fauré Birthday on WWFM Today

Today is the birthday of two outstanding French composers: Jules Massenet (born 1842) and Gabriel Fauré (born 1845). Massenet’s fluency and emotionally direct style made him the most successful French opera composer of his generation. Fauré was the radical who blew the dust off the Paris Conservatory and ushered in an era of unprecedented reform.

We’ll enjoy music by both this afternoon, along with a Divertimento by Sir Lennox Berkeley (born 1903) and works by Johann Baptist Wanhal (born 1739), who played string quartets with Haydn, Mozart and Dittersdorf, and Franz Anton Hoffmeister (born 1754), who published works by all four.

“Picture Perfect” comes your way at 6. I’ll be posting more about that in just a bit. Suffice it to say, I’ll be your host from 4 to 7 p.m. EDT, on WWFM The Classical Network and wwfm.org.

PHOTOS: Fauré (left) and Massenet enjoying a little fresh air

May 12, 2017
Massenet & Fauré Birthday: French Opera & Reform

Today is the birthday of two outstanding French composers: Jules Massenet (born 1842) and Gabriel Fauré (born 1845). Massenet’s fluency and emotionally direct style made him the most successful French opera composer of his generation. Fauré was the radical who blew the dust off the Paris Conservatory and ushered in an era of unprecedented reform.

Here are two absorbing recordings by these very different French masters:

Soprano Emma Calvé sings “Pendant un an je fus ta femme” from Massenet’s “Sapho,” a role she created (be advised, the recording doesn’t start until about 15 seconds in):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhs88jKmT08

The elegant Samson François performs Fauré’s Nocturne in B Major, Op. 33, No. 2:

Joyeux anniversaire, mes amis!

PHOTOS: Fauré (left) and Massenet getting a little fresh air

May 12, 2014

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