Godard, being of Jewish extraction, disliked Richard Wagner's anti-Semitism and had little sympathy for Wagner's 'overblown rhetoric'.
Critical Reception
Godard's music was sometimes criticized for being superficial or 'over-hasty' due to his prolific output, reaching Opus 100 in his thirties.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Godard's musical style was romantic, aligning more with mid-19th century composers like Schumann and Mendelssohn than with Wagner or Tchaikovsky.
Composer Biography
Benjamin Godard, a child prodigy on the violin, studied with Richard Hammer and Henri Vieuxtemps, and entered the Paris Conservatoire at a young age.
Performer Biography
Chloë Hanslip, the British violinist on this recording, made her BBC Proms debut in 2002 and her United States concerto debut in 2003.
Cultural Impact
Godard's most familiar work is the 'Berceuse' from his opera Jocelyn, which has been arranged for many instruments and voices and performed by famous artists like Jussi Björling and Pablo Casals.
Performer Biography
The Slovak State Philharmonic Orchestra, Košice, established in 1968, has made over 130 compact disc recordings, many for Naxos and Marco Polo.
