Jacques Chailley (1910-1999) : Symphonie n°1 (1945) **MUST HEAR**
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 พ.ย. 2024
- Jacques Chailley (1910-1999) (France)
Symphonie n°1 en sol mineur (1945) *MUST HEAR*
Dir : Jean Fournet
Orchestra National de l'ORTF
1- Allegro ritmico (6.02)
2- Andantino (9.27)
3- Scherzo (3.57)
4- Finale (10.01)
Begun in Amsterdam in 1936 where Jacques Chailley studied to become a conductor under the great Willem Mengelberg, his « String Quartet » earned him a position with the well-known composers. If he did not belong to the groupe « Jeune France » formed at time by André Jolivet, Olivier Messiaen, Daniel-Lesur and Yves Baudrier, he was nevertheless close enough to have his works represented in concerts given by this famous association of artists.
His « Symphony No.1 » was the first great work written upon his return from the 1939 campaign as an escaped prisoner with a military medal and the military cross. This symphony was born during the dark times of the Occupation, when, together with the Director Claude Delincourt, he took on the dangerous task of defending the Academy students against the terats of both compulsory work gangs and deportation. Written between 1942 et 1945, his « Symphony No.1 » is a pure work of music which stands for itself even though certain critics declared that one could perceive within, an echo of the tragic events that this periode brings back to mind. The composer does not exclude this possibility, but maintains that if this is so, it was not done consciously.
The first movement, the Allegro ritmico, aims primarily at asserting itself though the unity of the movement. This continue without any digression in a tighter construction from two themes of opposite nature, but of unchanging tempo. André Jolivet, who particulary appreciated this movement, admitted to the composer that he had been influenced by it at the time of writing his first symphony in 1953.
The melodius Andante forms by contrast a peaceful element being of a classical conception and of a purposefully clear language for which the composer apologizes to those possibly offended.
The light Scherzo is built upon an unique theme with certain ironic elements in the trio of the coda. It includes an adagio of a restrained lyricism, characteristic of Jacques Chailley's harmonic style during this period. The peroraison, dedicated to the percussion section and with the rhythm of the theme developing with a whistle solo, was met with a rapturous welcome, following the first performance in Toulouse (France).
The Finale which freely combines the forms sonata and rondo opposes a popular theme « à 7 temps », used successively as a refrain and as a developing element, to a lyrical theme which opens out on a choral in the peroraison following the suggestions kindly given by Monsieur Croche, well-know for his views against amateurism.
The first performance was partly given in Algers (Algeria) in 1947. This was then followed by a complete performance at the Théâtre du Capitole on March 4th, in 1948, conducted by Gaston Poulet. Presented in Paris on February 27th, 1949 at the concerts Pasdeloup and conducted by the composer, there followed the nex day the exceptional honour of an invitation for a second audition. This took place the following year on February 26th. It has since been interpreted in many countries, particulary in Belgium and Rumania. It was after having listened to it, that José Bruyr approached Jacques Chailly to ask if he would write the score of his opera « Thyl de Flandre » which completed in 1953, was performed at the Monnaie de Bruxelles.
In a three column article in the journal « Arts », the critic Raymond Charpentier wrote that Jacques Chailley, through this work, had henceworth « fully become a part of the aristocrat family of the symphonists ». Further, in the journal « Images musicales », J. M. Grénier thus concluded his review : « Such a new works written and thought out with a rare quality, will allow the public to regain the thrill of the first performances ». Would the times have changed ? »
UNFORTUNATELY, NO.
Major works :
Les Perses, incidental music (1936) ; Jeanne devant Reims, for Choir and Orchestra (1941) ; Pan and the Syrinx, opera (1946) ; Thyl de Flandre, opera (1949-54) ; Le Jeu de Robin et Marion, opera (1950) ; La Dame à la licorne, ballet (1953) ; Le Cimetière marin, for Choir and orchestra (1980) ; Symphony No. 2 (1984) ; Triptych, for organ (1984-87) ; Eloge de la sagesse, oratorio (1992).
LIST OF UPLOADS OF COLLECTIONCB, COLLECTIONCB2 and COLLECTIONCB3
and
IDEAL "DISCOTHEQUE" OF MORE THAN 1,300 ORCHESTRAL WORKS OF FEELINGS :
www.corentinboi...
Cher Jacques Chailley ! Son « traité historique d’analyse musicale » reste, malgré ses travers de phallocratie, une base lumineuse pour comprendre l’évolution du langage harmonique occidental, du Moyen-Âge et en-deçà, jusqu’à aujourd’hui - y compris dans le jazz que pourtant il ne traitait pas.
This is a very interesting symphony. Fine orchestration and lots going on. Each movement is so different from the last you don't have time to take a breath. Loved it.
instaBlaster...
Met Jacques Chailley in 1981 at the Besançon Competition for conductors where I was one of the laureates and he on the jury along with Pierre Dervaux and others. Later, I expressed interest and he wrote me, sending a list of his compositions. However, I regret that I didn't get to know him and his music better.
I do not think his character of personality needs to be better known …
Heureux de découvrir la musique de Jacques Chailley, superbe professeur d'histoire de la musique qui m'a fait découvrir efficacement les musiques du Moyen-âge occidental. J'ai eu la chance de l'avoir un peu connu davantage ayant été hébergé chez lui dans les années 67/68 rue de Châteaudun à Paris, il m'avait fait l'honneur de venir écouter la création de "Vestiges" pour orchestre en 1993, au conservatoire de Boulogne Billancourt.
Et superbe collabo pendant les heures noires de l'occupation!
This was powerful, complex, full of tension, and lush! Only knew Chailley as a music historian.
CB2, I usually take ***MUST HEAR*** at face value. If you recommend it, I'll listen to it. Thanks for so many obscure and new (to me) classics.
Great! Stupendo!First time! So much! great music! and everybody! hearing the same! thing!
You wrote "hearing the same!". This being 3 words, it fails to follow what is clearly your own rule of having an exclamation mark after no more than 2 words. Therefore I'm afraid I'll have to deduct a point from your final score for this comment. Yep that's it-zero to minus 1.😏
Thanks for posting this. The beginning of the work reminds me of the feverish intensity of Honegger's Symphony No.3 ("Liturgique")..
Excellente oeuvre qui vaut la peine d'être écouté. Passages très "Hollywoodien" dans le 4e mouv.
« Hollywoodiens » en effet, sans que cela soit péjoratif ! La « musique de film » de l’entre-deux guerres aux USA a bénéficié d’un apport important de musiciens juifs de haut niveau, rompus aux disciplines classiques, et il en va de même pour la comédie musicale, genre essentiel à cette époque. Mais dans le cinéma, les compositeurs avaient bien plus d’occasions d’utiliser les harmonies complexes ( polytonalité etc.) dont ils affectionnaient le côté avant-gardiste, particulièrement dans les passages dramatiques ou angoissants. Des dissonances qui auraient été peu appréciées en concert abondent dans nombre de films !
Manifique !!
Met Jacques Chailley in 1981 at the Besançon Competition where I was one of the laureates and he on the jury, along with Pierre Dervaux, among others. He appeared to be a rather sensitive, perhaps modest gentleman. I did express interest in his music some time later. He sent me a list of his works with a letter. I regret that I didn't seize the opportunity to get to know him and his music better.
So you were a friend of one of the worst nazi collaborator among the French composers
Thank you for your awesome uploads!
"40,000 Years of Music," written by Jacques Chailley, Paris, 1961; translated into English by Rollo Myers, London, 1964.
Finalmente mi sono liberato dai concetti di Adorno di progressivo e regressivo in musica.Penso che una musica non debba essere giudicata in base alle tendenze del tempo,ma per il suo valore intrinseco.
C'est tout à fait vrai ! Questo è molto vero ! It's absolutely right !
Corentin Boissier, composer + collectionCB, collectionCB2 and collectionCB3
Très juste ! D'ailleurs Chailley en tant que collabo ne devait pas porter dans son cœur Adorno
Ah yes, intrinsicisity. But is not people's judgement of what has intrinsic value an ever-evolving thingie, and to a large degree a product of exposure to current trends? Although I'm willing to concede, some stuff would be considered great in any era.
thank you!
nice
I am a bit shocked to see J. Chailley's music being promoted without the least bit of a disclaimer about the diligent hand he had in enforcing antisemitic policies under the Nazi Germany occupation, which has been well documented by French research since the early 2000s at least. Chailley was instrumental in establishing lists of Jewish teachers and students at the Paris Conservatoire as early as october 1940, prior to any specific demands from the collaborationist government or even Nazi authorities. Chailley also had an active hand in enforcing the eventual exclusion of all students with any degree of Jewish descent a couple years later in 1942, as per official instructions.
Chailley never expressed any form of regret for these actions, and simply claimed ignorance in the face of overwhelming evidence when these facts were established by historical research. He might've saved his public image and escaped retribution in the immediate aftermath of the war, but his legacy is problematic nonetheless.
This is the "must hear" part whenever Chailley's name comes up. Whatever music or essays he might've written are entirely secondary, although they are indeed of great documentational value.
This raises the perennial question of whether one should allow our appreciation of the artistic or intellectual work of a person to be influenced by facts about their political or ideological stances or actions. We know the story: Should Wagner be banned from Israel's concerts, given the 'piece' he once wrote about 'Jewish corrupting influence in music'? Or Heidegger be shunned as a philosopher, etc. And why, by the way, are those complaints nearly always about antisemitism (real or alleged), and rarely about other forms of discrimination or 'questionable' behaviour? (just a naive question)
... eine wirklich sehr hörenswerte Symphonie - mit dem Charme der französischen Neoklassik - voller Temperament und Schönklang; hervorragend interpretiert von Maestro Jean Fournet und dem ORTF-Nationalorchester.
Of course you like him , as a former Kollabo
my ancestor
Tu n'es pas responsable de sa piteuse attitude pendant les heures noires de l'occupation, mais c'est pas non plus une raison pour t'en vanter !
Agreed!
.. beautifuly dark symphony...uncounciously, the souveniers of the war working in a paralalell estate of mind?..
Souvenirs, Selective Reminiscence, Trauma? That beauty can arise therefrom....
if u wanna hear amazing look up hungarian rhapsody No.2
Is good, but there's a ton of better music out there.
That said, Horowitz's and Hamelin's performances of that one are fantastic.
What is the reference about the composer being a racist? What has this to do with him music?
Too bad he has such a racist blot on his reputation!!