The Sorbonne
Donald Macleod on the significance of Farrenc's education and family for her professional ambitions, focusing on her First Symphony.
Louise Farrenc writes her first symphony and a rare choral setting "O salutaris hostia"
Louise Farrenc may not be a household name in the twenty-first century, but in her own lifetime she enjoyed a career of international standing. She was an accomplished pianist, a valued teacher at the Paris Conservatoire and in the latter part of her life, she devoted the majority of her time to the preparation of a groundbreaking anthology of keyboard music dating from the 16th to the 19th century.
She was born in 1804, a year before Fanny Hensel, Felix Mendelssohn's older sister. However the fifty plus published works that make up her legacy, immediately set her apart. While the majority of her contemporaries had a tendency to focus on smaller forms, songs, choral works and salon pieces for the piano, Farrenc's creative interests involved writing music for much larger combinations of instruments, including quintets, a sextet, a nonet , orchestral overtures and three symphonies.
That's not to say she never contributed to vocal music. Research into Farrenc's extant legacy has established a small collection of her largely unpublished vocal works does exist. For the first time, especially for Composer of the Week, soprano Ruby Hughes, a former Radio 3 New Generation Artist and pianist Anna Tilbrook have recorded four of Farrenc's songs. The 成人快手 Singers, under conductor David Hill have recorded the only two choral settings known to exist. There's an opportunity to hear these vocal rarities spread across the week.
In the second part of his survey, Donald Macleod considers the significance of Louise Farrenc's education and family on her professional ambitions. Overcoming many obstacles, she manages to get her first symphony performed and there's a chance to hear one of only two choral settings made by Farrenc, recorded specially for Composer of the Week.
Last on
Music Played
-
![]()
Jeanne Louise Dumont Farrenc
30 Studies In Every Key Op 26 - No.10 Adagio in F sharp minor
Performer: Konstanze Eickhorst.- CPO:999 879-2.
- CPO.
- 6.
-
![]()
Jeanne Louise Dumont Farrenc
O Salutaris Hostia
Choir: 成人快手 Singers. Conductor: David Hill. -
![]()
Jeanne Louise Dumont Farrenc
Air Russe Varie Op 17
Performer: Konstanze Eickhorst.- LOUISE FARRENC - Valse brilliante op.48.
- CPO.
- 1.
-
![]()
Jeanne Louise Dumont Farrenc
Trio In E Minor Op 45
Ensemble: Cantabile Trio.- Thorofon: CTH 2079.
- Thorofon.
- 6.
-
![]()
Jeanne Louise Dumont Farrenc
Symphony No. 1 In C Minor Op 32 - IV Allegro assai
Conductor: Johannes Goritzki.- CPO : 999-603-2.
- CPO.
- 1.
Broadcasts
- Tue 3 Nov 2015 12:00成人快手 Radio 3
- Tue 3 Nov 2015 18:30成人快手 Radio 3
Beethoven Unleashed 鈥� the box set
The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.
What was really wrong with Beethoven?
Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems
Composers A to Z
Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.
Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week
The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod鈥檚 best stories from the last 20 years
Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem
What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?
A man out of time 鈥� why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...
The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.
Composer Help Page
Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.