Search - Saint-Saens, Franck, Widor :: Duos for Harmonium & Piano

Bourgeois High Art...

Sébastien Melmoth | Hôtel d'Alsace, PARIS | 07/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

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In large prosperous 19th Century European bourgeois households, it was not at all uncommon to find both a piano and an harmonium. The piano was the more desired; the harmonium, both cheaper and easier to maintain. Moreover, the two together form a delicious duo which timbrally complements one another: the punctuating piano is underscored by the droning pedal point of the harmonium. Just add two bourgeois daughters and have a little tea-party concert.



The harmonium, of course, is a wind & reed keyboard instrument likened to an huge accordion. Between c.1850 to c.1925 it was a very important instrument in bourgeois households, smaller churches, in the concert hall, and also in the early cinema where its eerie vibrations perfectly corresponded with German Expressionism. But these charming pieces were originally intended to be played at a concert of fin-de-siècle art music.



Withal, both Saint-Saëns and Widor produced some charming duos for public consumption. Plus, it is a little known fact the César Franck originally wrote this exquisite concert-piece Prélude, Fugue, et Variation (Op. 18) for piano and harmonium duo. Here it is given fully a :12min reading, which is about the best around. Also look for Franck's complete works for harmonium: César Franck: Intégrale de l'oeuvre d'harmonium .



Karg-Elert, of course, wrote for P&H duo Karg-Elert: Duos for Harmonium & Piano , and all his works for harmonium or piano are highly recommended: Works for Harmonium 1 .



cpo is a fine label; Michel and Breidenbach are experts with this material.



Rare art.

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