The manuscript scores of Adolphe Biarent, a major figure in Walloon music history, were saved from being thrown away by a telephone call in 1977.
Composer Biography
Adolphe Biarent, the composer, was famously home-loving and devoted his entire life to developing musical life in his home region of Charleroi, rarely visiting Brussels or Paris.
Compositional Technique
Adolphe Biarent, a zealous admirer of César Franck, organized his Cello Sonata using a cyclical model, where the same themes structure all four movements to unify the work.
Historical Context
Adolphe Biarent died prematurely in February 1916, before reaching the age of 45, during World War One when musical and cultural life was in deep hibernation.
Critical Reception
The composer Vincent d'Indy, a famous composer, once declared about a work by Biarent: 'This work is a marvel. It is music that will last. Let it sleep.'
Recording & Production
The three piano pieces on this album are presented as world premieres, having been composed between 1903 and 1906.
