Philippe Gaubert, a flutist, composer, and conductor featured on this album, had an unusual start to his career: his mother cleaned the apartment of his future teacher, Paul Taffanel, who then taught him.
Composition History
Gabriel Fauré's Sonata, Op. 13, originally for violin and piano, was an attempt to assert French strength in chamber music, a field then dominated by German composers, and was praised by his teacher Camille Saint-Saëns.
Composer's Artistic Vision
A characteristic of Gabriel Fauré's style is his reliance on intuition over strict rules, resulting in enchanting melodies and surprising harmonies, with a fondness for modulation and continuous change.
Instruments
The German inventor Theobald Böhm revolutionized flute construction in the 1830s by introducing levers, a new fingering system, enlarged tone holes, and open keys, with metal (silver) becoming the preferred material by 1847.
Historical Context
The French Flute School, which flourished at the turn of the 20th century, was influenced by the defeat of France in the 1870 war against Prussia, leading to a rejection of the dominant German musical style.
Performer Biography
Pianist Tymoteusz Bies is a versatile musician who has won over thirty awards in piano and chamber music competitions, performed on three continents, and was Artist-in-Residence of the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Album & Artwork
The album title "French" reflects the unique place French flute music holds in the canon of modern flute performance, shaped by the French Flute School.
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