Daniel Blumenthal, the American pianist on this recording, has won numerous international competitions, including Sydney, Leeds, Geneva, Busoni, and the Queen Elisabeth Competition.
Compositional Technique
Mariotte's piano writing in works like "Impressions urbaines" uses dissonances, bitonality, and complex rhythms to create a 'motorism' that distinguishes it from Impressionistic music.
Composition History
The piece "Décombres" (Rubble) from "Impressions urbaines" is dedicated 'To the memory of my godson, A. Mariotte, killed in 1915,' suggesting it is a war piece.
Composer Biography
Mariotte studied with Vincent d'Indy, a French composer and teacher, at the Schola Cantorum, and later directed the Opéra-Comique in Paris.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The "Impressions urbaines" (City Impressions) by Mariotte portray the 'ugliness of this world and the sordid living conditions of the workers,' reflecting a naturalist literary approach.
Composer Biography
Antoine Mariotte, a French composer, was initially trained at the École navale (naval school) but chose music over a career at sea.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Mariotte cultivated a 'taut, direct style, deliberately dissonant' that set him apart from the Debussy-influenced composers of his generation.
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