Inspiring music from France

A feverish vacation. A fascinating city. The death of a loved one: Many things can inspire a piece of music. And the French pieces on the opening concert of the 2023 Rheingau Music Festival are wonderful examples of this – and they're wonderful pieces to listen to.

Hector Berlioz's 'Le Carnaval Romain'

The French composer Hector Berlioz spent a fair bit of time living in Rome. He was fascinated by the Italian capital's aura of love and grand parties. In 1838, he even tried his hand at composing an Italian opera – without much success. So, in 1844, he lifted some melodies from his fruitless opera and used them to write a concert piece, an overture, which he entitled "Le Carnaval Romain" or "The Roman Carnival."

Berlioz was quite a radical composer. At the time, musical academies still adhered to the structures, instrumentation and time signatures that had been used by composers like Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Berlioz defied all these musical expectations to the point that some critics call him a "dangerous madman."

It sounds harsh, but there might well have been some truth in that description. Conductor Alain Altinoglu explains, "Many times in his life, Berlioz didn't have big successes with his pieces, and later on he was, of course, one of the most famous French composer. He's really an innovator. And he had a very crazy mind. In his own diary, he writes really crazy things, like, sometimes, he killed somebody, or things like that, which seems a bit invented, but I think it might be true."

Edouard Lalo's 'Symphonie Espagnole'

Berlioz definitely had his fans. One of them was fellow French composer Edouard Lalo, some twenty years his junior. Lalo left home when he was 16, defying his father's wish that he pursue a military career. He instead headed to Paris to study music. His rebelliousness also extended to his music; like Berlioz, he had no intention of upholding conventions.

Lalo wasn't that well known in mid-19th century France. He and his first wife were relatively poor; composing was just enough to keep them afloat. However, his second wife was quite rich. Her wealth enabled him to organize private weekly gatherings, or "salons," for musicians and poets in his home, where he also performed his music.

However, it was only after meeting the Spanish violinist Pablo de Sarasate that Lalo found new inspiration for his compositions. He composed a violin concerto for Sarasate, and also his popular "Symphonie Espagnole," "Spanish Symphony," for orchestra and solo violin.

In France at the time, everything Spanish-sounding was in vogue – even if what sounded Spanish was actually in the eye of the beholder, or better said, in the ear of the listener. Conductor Alain Altinoglu explains: "You know, this 'Symphonie Espagnole' – it's very interesting that in France in the 19th century, many French composers wrote about Spain without ever been in Spain in their life, like, of course, 'Carmen' by Bizet."

It takes a skilled violinist to perform the solo violin part in Edouard Lalo's "Symphonie Espagnole," and Guido Sant'Anna certainly fits that description.

Sant'Anna may only be in his late teens, but he's already won numerous competitions and played with famous orchestras in his native Brazil. His international breakthrough came in 2022, when he became the first South American violinist to win the International Fritz Kreisler Competition, Austria's most prestigious violin competition. In 2023, he made his German debut at the Rheingau Music Festival, which has long sought to promote new talent.

'Stabat Mater' by Francis Poulenc

And now it's on to a 20th-century French composer: Francis Poulenc grew up in a Christian family that was musically inclined. As a young child, he enjoyed listening to concerts and collecting performers' autographs, but he actually didn't start learning piano until he was 15. Two years later his father died, and so did his belief in God.

As an adult, Poulenc had a reputation for being entertaining and charismatic. He was also somewhat of a philanthropist, donating money to support the projects of musicians like Pierre Boulez.

It would be a series of deaths among his close friends that spurred Poulenc back toward Christianity and to compose, among other religious pieces, his powerful "Stabat Mater."

The Stabat Mater is a 13th-century Latin text depicting the suffering of the Virgin Mary at her son Jesus' crucifixion. Poulenc grouped the text's 20 three-line stanzas into 12 musical movements, each of which focuses on a different religious aspect but also has its own musical feeling and style. Lyrical and joyful passages contrast with dramatic and fearful ones, mirroring the lighthearted and somber sides of Poulenc's personality.

The choir plays a major role in the Stabat Mater, and even sings a cappella at times The soprano, in contrast, has very little to do, despite being the only solo vocal part. That being said, as the voice of Mary, the soprano does have some intense emotions to convey. French soprano Vannina Santoni tells us more about the part: "This piece talks about a mother who sees her son suffer, and I, of course, I can understand her because I am a mother, so I know and I can imagine this pain, this awful pain to see her son suffer."

Santoni sang the soprano part in the opening concert of the 2023 Rheingau Music Festival, which took place on June 24th in Eberbach Abbey. And while the setting is perfect for a religious piece, it's echoey acoustics make it challenging for the vocal line to cut through.

Frederic Chopin's 'Prelude C Minor'

The composer we're turning to next spent much of his life in France, but he was actually born in Poland: Frederic Chopin. A piano prodigy, he composed primarily for the instrument, and the 24 preludes he wrote between 1836 and 39 are particularly well-known. Chopin modeled them on Johann Sebastian Bach's "Well-tempered Clavier," a two-volume series of exercises consisting of 48 preludes and fugues in all major and minor key signatures.

Chopin's 24 preludes likewise cover all the different keys, and each one has a distinct emotional sound, reflecting the Romantic-era practice of associating key signatures with moods. The C minor prelude is solemn and hymn-like, while the A major one is sweet and delicate. Melancholy, passion, thoughtfulness – Chopin's preludes have it all.

And that's it for this episode of DW Festival Concert hosted by Cristina Burack. Thanks to producer Gaby Reucher and sound engineer Thomas Schmidt. If you have any comments you'd like to share, send us an email at music@dw.com.

Performances in this recording:

(All music recorded by Hessischer Rundfunk (HR) at Eberbach Abbey, Eltville am Rhein, on June 24, 2023, unless otherwise indicated.)

1. Hector Berlioz

"Le Carnaval Romain," overture, Op. 9
Frankfurt Radio Symphony
Conducted by: Alain Altinoglu

2. Edouard Lalo

"Symphonie Espagnole" in D minor, op. 21
Frankfurt Radio Symphony
Guido Sant'Anna, violin
Alain Altinoglu, conductor

3. Eugene Ysaye

Sonata No. 5 in G Major and "Danse rustique"
Guido Sant'Anna, violin
Alain Altinoglu, conductor
 

4. Francis Poulenc

"Stabat mater" for solo soprano, mixed choir and orchestra, FP 148
Frankfurt Radio Symphony
MDR Radio Choir
Vannina Santoni, soprano
Alain Altinoglu, conductor

5. Frederic Chopin

24 Preludes, Op. 28
-    Prelude No. 1 in C Major
-    Prelude No. 2 in A Minor
-    Prelude No. 3 in G Major
-    Prelude No. 4 in E Minor
-    Prelude No. 5 in D Major
-    Prelude No. 6 in B Minor
-    Prelude No. 7 in A Major
-    Prelude No. 8 in F-sharp Minor
Claire Huangci, piano

Recorded by Deutschlandfunk (DLF) in the Prince from Metternich Hall in Johannisberg Palace, Geisenheim-Johannisberg, on July 18, 2023.

6. Frederic Chopin
24 Preludes, Op. 28
-    Prelude No. 21 in B-flat Major
-    Prelude No. 22 in G Minor
-    Prelude No. 23 in F Major
-    Prelude No. 24 in D Minor
Claire Huangci, piano

Recorded by Deutschlandfunk (DLF) in the Prince from Metternich Hall in Johannisberg Palace, Geisenheim-Johannisberg, on July 18, 2023.

Edited by: Manasi Gopalakrishnan