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The Classical Saxophone - A French Love Story
Javier Oviedo
The Classical Saxophone - A French Love Story
Genres: New Age, Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (7) - Disc #1

My interest with French repertoire began while a student at The University of Texas at Austin. My studies with the renowned saxophonist, Harvey Pittel, introduced me to the then-peculiar sonorities and lush, quite modern h...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Javier Oviedo
Title: The Classical Saxophone - A French Love Story
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: MSR Classics
Original Release Date: 1/1/2008
Re-Release Date: 4/22/2008
Genres: New Age, Classical
Styles: Instrumental, Chamber Music, Forms & Genres, Concertos, Historical Periods, Classical (c.1770-1830), Instruments, Reeds & Winds
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 681585128824

Synopsis

Product Description
My interest with French repertoire began while a student at The University of Texas at Austin. My studies with the renowned saxophonist, Harvey Pittel, introduced me to the then-peculiar sonorities and lush, quite modern harmonies of the composers of France, especially those from the turn of the 20th century. This newly-acquired taste for the French sensibility led me to discover many other facets of art from that culture such as art, literature, language, and, of course, food! One of the works young saxophonists study is the Rapsodie pour Orchestre et Saxophone by Claude Debussy. What enticed me about this piece, aside from its incredible beauty, was its unique history involving the composer and saxophonist Elise Hall of Boston. I relayed this tale to Jean-Pierre Schmitt upon which he became very interested in researching other commissioned repertoire for which Madame Hall was responsible. After a trip to the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, we discovered that the estate of Elise Hall actually left these works to the archive at the New England Conservatory of Music back in Boston! A much shorter trip from New York to Boston uncovered musical gems of the French repertoire by composers almost forgotten by the public. With the kind assistance of the staff at the Library in Boston, we were able to obtain copies of these scores and introduce them to the public. Throughout the year, Mr. Schmitt and I have had the great pleasure in performing concerts both in the United States and in France, reacquainting audiences with the great spectrum of color and expression of this well-known instrument as well as its rich musical past. Javier Oviedo, March 2008. JAVIER OVIEDO. Acclaimed for his lustrous tone and formidable technique, saxophonist Javier Oviedo has traveled across the country and around the world, bringing the significant but underplayed classical saxophone repertoire to new and appreciative audiences. His recent engagements with orchestras such as the New Jersey Symphony, The Louisiana Philharmonic and Orchestre Pasdeloup were enjoyed by press and public alike. He has a special affinity for France and its culture and has toured and concertized extensively there. Mr. Oviedo has performed in recitals and with orchestras in many of New York s most prestigious performance venues, including Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Steinway Hall, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, and the Dag Hammerskjöld Auditorium at The United Nations. An active and accomplished chamber musician, Mr. Oviedo is a charter member of both The F.R.E.D. Chamber Players and Elision Saxophone Quartet and can be heard on the latter s LIVE Through the Years recording. JEAN-PIERRE SCHMITT. After graduating from the National Conservatory of Versailles and the International Conservatory of Paris, conductor Jean-Pierre Schmitt studied orchestral conducting with Jean-Claude Hartmann at the Conservatory of Creteil. In 1979, he was appointed conductor of the student orchestra of the Conservatory of Paris. In 1982 he began private studies with the great French conductor, Jean Fournet. Upon his arrival in The United States, Mr. Schmitt served as conductor of the Lawyers Orchestra in New York. In 1998 he founded the French-American Chamber Orchestra, performing in such New York venues as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Dag Hammarskjöld Auditorium at the United Nations and Florence Gould Hall. In 2003, he recorded with this ensemble both Haydn cello concertos with cellist Ariane Lallemand. Mr. Schmitt is guest conductor of The Classic Chamber Orchestra in Connecticut and the Philharmonic Orchestra of Macedonia. He recently conducted the Chamber Ensemble Resonare in Paris. He is also co-founder and conductor of the New York Wind Symphony.

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CD Reviews

Charm to spare!
Jim D. | NYC | 05/24/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The saxophone is less well-known nowadays as a classical instrument, but that was one of the uses for which it was originally designed. (The first was for the military band, and it transitioned from there to the dance and jazz combo.) Here's an hour's worth of delightful music--unknown and hitherto unrecorded--played with all the style and charm you could ask for. Lovely stuff!"
Elegantly Unexpected
B. Joy | CT, USA | 03/25/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)

"I found the CD delightful, elegant and tastefully compiled. Mr. Oviedo's tone is unique and is the staple of a new generation of classical saxophonists. Being a saxophone student myself, and having studied under Javier I can attest that he has set a new standard to the art of classical saxophone. He has shown both the different sides to the "undiscovered" repertoire as well as breathing new life into old favorites such as the Bozza Aria and the Glazunov Concerto, which I do agree that many players plow their way through. I have played this for a room of people who never listen to classical music, let alone even knew that the saxophone existed outside of jazz and after the end of the CD said it was one of the coolest things they have ever listened to."