Jiyoon Lee, the first concertmaster of Staatskapelle Berlin, plays the 1701 'Circle' Stradivarius violin, on generous loan from a European benefactor.
Critical Reception
After World War I, Cécile Chaminade's music fell out of favor and was dismissed as mere 'salon music,' but her work has been rediscovered and appreciated since the 1990s.
Composer Biography
Cécile Chaminade was the first female composer to be made a member of the Légion d'Honneur in 1913, and she ran a hospital during the First World War.
Composer Biography
Cécile Chaminade, born in Paris in 1857, received her first piano lessons from her mother and studied privately with teachers from the Conservatoire.
Performer Biography
Pianist Johann Blanchard received the German Record Critics' Award for his recording of Cécile Chaminade's piano works.
Cultural Impact
Cécile Chaminade was very popular in the United States, evidenced by the 'Chaminade Clubs' that flourished there during her 1908 tour.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Cécile Chaminade enriched the French art song repertoire with over 125 mélodies, often setting texts by contemporary poets like Edouard Guinand, who also wrote the libretto for her opéra comique La Sévillane.
