Antoni Szalowski, like Poulenc and Françaix, was inspired by the renowned composition teacher Nadia Boulanger and frequented the salon of Princess Edmond de Polignac, an important patron.
Performer Biography
Benjamin Feilmair, the clarinettist, began his artistic studies at Anton Bruckner private university at age eleven and has won multiple first prizes in competitions like 'Prima la Musica'.
Compositional Technique
In Weber's Grand Duo concertant, the piano part is not a mere accompaniment but an equal, virtuosic juxtaposition with the clarinet, a unique feature for its time.
Composer Biography
Francis Poulenc's Sonata for clarinet and piano was created shortly before his death in 1962 and premiered posthumously.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Jean Françaix's artistic credo was "Musique pour faire plaisir" (music that gives pleasure), and he felt no obligation to any musical ideology.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The album's selection of works by Poulenc, Françaix, and Szalowski follows the idea of "form and effect," where composers convey this principle in distinct ways.
Composition History
Carl Maria von Weber's Grand Duo concertant was likely written for clarinettist Johann Simon Hermstedt, not his usual collaborator Heinrich Baermann, to avoid endangering their friendship.
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