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In Art Nouveau all forms of artistic are employed and lead to identification
with the "complete
artwork".
The translation of emotion
is reflected in the field of poetry and music as well as in the fine arts.
The line becomes (in the fine arts and in music) flowing, transparent, sensual,
esoteric and decorative: it becomes a game which creates an arabesque or symbolism
in painting, thus uniting nature with the female body. And the "rhythm"
created from the lines finds its sublimation within music.
In the pieces compiled here, an attempt is made to introduce some of the
more important French composers from the turn of the 19th to the 20th century.
Placed alongside them are several representatives of the subsequent generation,
which, between 1910 and 1920 was already in the process of leaving behind the
style of the "fathers".
| Cristina
Ariagno,
piano solo
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Thus
our musical journey follows the development of Art Nouveau up to its decline,
and places famous, and popular works alongside other wonderful, yet lesser known
pieces, which nevertheless deserve to be rediscovered due to their beauty, and
modernity. The delicate sound of "Claire de lune"; and "Rêvere"
by Claude Debussy from the year 1980, evoke pure beauty from the modern ideals
of Verlaine, while "La plus que lente" from 1910 almost represents,
an affectionate caricature of the aesthetics of romanticism.
Claude
Debussy
1862 - 1918
A
key figure of this time was Erik Satie, an artistic genius, who opened up the
path for a musical revolution, which was concluded by Debussy, Ravel, the Groupe
des six, and many others.
The famous "Gymnopédie", which
is extraordinarily concentrated, and the intimacy of "Gnossienne" and
"Le Picadilly", which in 1904 were the first Ragtime pieces by a French
composer, presenting short samples of the artistic potential of this man.
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Erik
Satie 1866 - 1925
Progetto
per un busto del M. Erik Satie
(dipinto da se stesso),
con un pensiero:
"Io sono venuto al mondo troppo giovane in un tempo troppo vecchio"
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Naturally,
Satie's spiritual daughter Germaine Tailleferre should not omitted, represented
here with several early work full of imagination and simplicity. She could not
be left out as she faithfully mirrors the French melodic contributions, and became
the first professional female composer the world, due to her relentless efforts
up to the age of 91.
Darius
Milhaud 1892 - 1974
Germaine
Tailleferre 1892 - 1983
con David Milhaud |
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Germaine, Francis Poulenc and Darius Milhaud were also among the world, group
of six young Parisian musicians who were led by Jean Cocteau, tho personalities
who were of great importance to music of the 20th century.
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Francis Poulenc
1899-1963 |
The famous "Mouvements Perpetuels" by Poulenc convey the impression
of hypnosis with a charming melody. They are faced by the three "Rag Caprices"
by Milhaud, which were written immediately after his return from Brazil, representing
an entertaining blend of American rhythms and new French dissonances.
Ravel's "Pavane pour une infante défunte" is certainly not
one of his most representative works, however, presumably due to its simple cantability,
among his most famous works, known throughout the world, apart from the "Bolero".
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Maurice
Ravel
1875-1937 | |
Lili
Boulanger
1893 - 1918 |
Besides Germaine Tailleferre, music and Art Nouveau gives us the opportunity
to discuss anhoter woman: in her short, eventful life, Lili Boulanger had presented
extraordinarily musical, abilities, and among others, and won the famous "Prix
des Rome" in 1914.
She was only able to enjoy her fame for four years,
as her life was brought to end at the age of 25.
"D'un vieux jardin", "D'un jardin claire"
and "Cortége" are three of the few jewels for the piano
which she had bequeathed to us.
Jacques Ibert had always been a free man.
With much talent he writes about his feeling in a clear and simple manner. From
his works we have selected two particularly fascinating and curious pieces: "Le
petit âne blanc" and the romance "A giddy girl"
are two charming composition from the collection of piano pieces "Histoires",
whichoriginates from the year 1922.
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Jacques Ibert 1890 - 1962
Cristina Ariagno, pianoforte |
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