French Piano Music

[Jim Faston]

I will definitely work on the Op. 78 Prelude - now, I recently requested some of Chaminade's earlier works as B&W PDF copies from the BnF and the correspondent stated that the works (clearly from the 19th Century) were protected... I'm really not sure how this can be...

This is because, in France -- and in France only I guess -- the copyright time of musicial works, which is normally of 70 years post mortem as thoughout Europe, is augmented with the "prorogations de guerre", i.e. a certain numbers of years around the first WW and/or the second WW when it is considered that copyright has not been enjoyed peacefully. In practice, for works published between the two wars and up to 1948, the additional years make a bonus of 8 years and 120 days.
This is why Ravel, who died in 1937 and is public domain everywhere in the world, is not yet so in France until May 2016.
Chaminade, who died only in 1944, will remain under copyright in France until May 2022.

BNF has posted the two Chaminade Mazurkas from 1869 however.

[Jean-Séb]

BNF has posted the two Chaminade Mazurkas from 1869 however.

They probably did not realize that a work published in 1869 could still be under copyright 150 years later, which is kind of shocking actually and happens very rarely : here we have the rare combination of a work published when Chaminade was quite young, and she lived quite old.
Since these mazurkas were published in 1869, way before the two WW, the additional war years do not apply and the copyright is only 70 years post mortem, i.e. 1st January 2015.
BNF has only anticipated a little bit!

[4candles]

An intriguing-looking etude at the following link, by composer Ernest d'Agrèves. I say 'looking' as I couldn't hope to play it, so don't actually know how it sounds!

http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b9 ... ude.langFR

4c

[passthesalt]

Sir Peter, a million thanks for all the luscious Chaminade.

[Jim Faston]

I was glad to see two short piano pieces of Blanche Selva appear on IMSLP yesterday. No disrespect meant toward the uploader, but the files weren't of the best quality so I renovated them a bit and am uploading them here. These are the first of her original compositions I have seen--any other of her works would be most appreciated.

Selva_Cloches au Soleil.pdf

Selva_Cloches dans la Brume.pdf

I was going to include an English version of a short biography I found but Google Translate completely catastrophizes the translation. I'm providing a link to the original webpage in French:
http://www.musicologie.org/Biographies/ ... anche.html

Here are a few Youtube links of her performing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdlM-nK8ppM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JrEUd5IA9g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYj3Z8eYClM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nh9uhWV_gBc

[4candles]

Blanche Selva

Selva_Cloches au Soleil.pdf

Selva_Cloches dans la Brume.pdf

Thanks for these pieces Jim - I had not heard of Selva before, but I am always intrigued by composers' different takes on the sound of bells in music, so these are a welcome addition.
4candles

[Jean-Séb]

Thank you very much for these two pieces, Jim. By the way, they have been recorded recently :
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/blanc ... d621560031

[fleubis]

Having listened to Selva's performances on YouTube, I must say she has an exquisite touch and her playing of Garreta "Sardana" just sparkles--and that is another piece worth tracking down. Her original pieces are most interesting.

[Jim Faston]

Having listened to Selva's performances on YouTube, I must say she has an exquisite touch and her playing of Garreta "Sardana" just sparkles--and that is another piece worth tracking down. Her original pieces are most interesting.

It's from the c minor Sonata that Malcolm posted a few years back:
download/file.php?id=2124

[fleubis]

Having listened to Selva's performances on YouTube, I must say she has an exquisite touch and her playing of Garreta "Sardana" just sparkles--and that is another piece worth tracking down. Her original pieces are most interesting.

It's from the c minor Sonata that Malcolm posted a few years back:
download/file.php?id=2124

Thanks Jim.

That whole sonata is quite a remarkable work and I see the "Sardana" is the 3rd of the 4 movements. Had much fun playing through this brilliant piece which is very well written for the piano and full of effective gestures.