Schmitt, F.: Piano Quintet, Op. 51 / Hasards

Featuring

Christian Ivaldi
Laurent Causse
Bertrand Menut
Marie Triplet
Jean de Spengler
Stanislas Quartet

Florent Schmitt

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Performer Biography

Le Quatuor Stanislas, founded in Nancy in 1984, is known for the quality of their interpretations and the originality of their programming, with a focus on contemporary music.

Performer Biography

Christian Ivaldi, the pianist on this recording, has had a diverse career with a predilection for chamber music and a curiosity for rare works, leading him to be a permanent guest at many important festivals.

Composition History

Florent Schmitt's Piano Quintet Op. 51, composed in 1908, was dedicated to Gabriel Fauré, who was Schmitt's common master.

Composer Biography

Florent Schmitt was known for combining opposites in his personality, concealing a quivering sensitivity behind an apparent severity, which earned him the nickname 'the boar from the Ardennes'.

Compositional Technique

The piano part of Florent Schmitt's Quintet is exceptionally difficult, often written on four staves, as Schmitt took pride in 'overflowing the pianist's hands with notes'.

Critical Reception

Florent Schmitt's Piano Quintet Op. 51, though once popular and toured worldwide by the composer, is now rarely featured in concert programs due to its magnitude and technical difficulty.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Florent Schmitt, the composer, possessed a high degree of rigor, a sense of proportions, construction, and moderation, which are characteristic of French art.