Brillon de Jouy: The Piano Sonatas Rediscovered

Featuring

Nicolas Horvath
Anne Louise Brillon de Jouy

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Composition History

Anne-Louise Brillon de Jouy composed nearly 90 works, mostly chamber music, but none were published during her lifetime as it was not customary for women of her standing to make their music public.

Historical Context

Anne-Louise Brillon de Jouy maintained a close friendship with Benjamin Franklin, who lived next door to her in Paris and described her salon as 'my Opera'.

Performer Biography

Nicolas Horvath, the pianist on this recording, is known for his boundary-less musical explorations and for rediscovering forgotten composers like Moondog and Germaine Tailleferre.

Composer Biography

Anne-Louise Brillon de Jouy, a talented harpsichordist and composer, hosted salons where musicians like violinist Jean-Pierre Pagin and cellist Luigi Boccherini gathered.

Compositional Technique

Madame Brillon's sonatas feature innovative keyboard techniques often associated with later composers like Czerny and Liszt, such as hand-crossing, syncopation, and scales in doubled thirds.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Anne-Louise Brillon de Jouy was a resolutely modern composer who acquired a fortepiano for her salon, an instrument that allowed for greater virtuosity and tonal variation.