Michael Schäfer, the pianist, initially considered studying glaciology before pursuing a career as a professional musician.
Composition History
The Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn was composed in 1909 for the 100th anniversary of Haydn's death, as part of a collection that also included contributions from Debussy and Ravel.
Composer Biography
Vincent d'Indy, the composer, was considered a doctrinaire opponent of many of his contemporaries, yet this album reveals his lighter, more humorous side.
Compositional Technique
In the Contes de fées, d'Indy satirizes contemporary musical trends, for example, by using an inappropriate 5/4 march for a prince's entrance or post-Tristanesque harmonies for a fairy.
Compositional Technique
The Six paraphrases sur des chansons enfantines de France include a two-minute parody of Richard Strauss's An Alpine Symphony and a quote from Schumann's 'Widmung' that aligns with a nursery rhyme melody.
Performer Biography
Michael Schäfer is known for unearthing 'lost treasures' within the piano and chamber music canon, much like a glaciologist, through painstaking research.
Composition History
The Trois romances sans paroles, an early work from 1869, pays tribute to Mendelssohn, Schubert, and particularly Schumann, who remained a lifelong influence on d'Indy.
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