The Chamber Music of Camille Saint-Saëns. With Renaud Capuçon and Bertrand Chamayou

The sonata for violin and piano No.1 in D minor Op 75 of Camille Saint-Saëns has long been a favourite of mine (as it was a favourite of Jascha Heifetz). The sonata is beautifully written, passionate and melodic, and it is difficult to understand its comparative neglect by violinists who usually trot out yet more performances of the Franck, Debussy and Ravel sonatas. I have been listening to the sonata on a recent CD by the French violinist Renaud Capuçon, ably partnered by Bertrand Chamayou; a truly excellent performance of a work that benefits greatly from the sophisticated playing of violinists from the Franco-Belgian school of playing. (Heifetz, of course, was a chameleon who could expertly adapt his playing to the French repertoire. He recorded this sonata twice in his career, both recordings excellent, and those are the versions I grew up with).

It is difficult to understand the comparative neglect of the music of Saint-Saëns. His “Organ Symphony” is trotted out from time to time, as is his Carnival of the Animals. He wrote a great deal of music during his long life (1835-1921) and much of it, like this sonata, is truly first class. But one does not come across it often. The CD continues with the better known substantial trio for violin, cello and piano No.2 in E minor Op 92. A lovely work in five movements where Capuçon and Chamayou are joined by the cellist, Edgar Moreau (what happened to Gautier Capuçon?) Also on the 75 minute CD is the sonata for cello and piano No.1 in C minor Op 32, a work I have never heard before in my entire life. I'll save it for later, not being especially partial to cello and piano sonatas.

Like Arthur Grumiaux in the previous century, Renaud Capuçon is a major violinist who really comes into his own in chamber music. This CD (Erato) is expertly recorded and balanced; balancing a violin, cello and piano is not easy. The CD is warmly recommended to lovers of chamber music, fine music, and the playing of three expert instrumentalists. Not a CD that I will file away; I'll keep it near at hand.

More Emile Sauret from Nazrin Rashidova

Emile Sauret is best known for his fiendish cadenza for the Paganini D major violin concerto. His 24 études-caprices Op.64 are little known: until Nazrin Rashidova came along and she has now recorded all 24 in four volumes. Four and a half hours of solo violin playing.

There is a lot of double-stopping in these études-caprices. Each lasts for around 12-15 minutes, and Sauret was obviously a stickler for intonation, and for varied and versatile bowing. Etude 21 lasts for 15 minutes and is double-stopped throughout. The works will fascinate aficionados of violin playing; in general, they are less overtly virtuosic and have less “circus tricks” than comparable pieces by Paganini or Heinrich Ernst. I can think of no criticism of Ms Rashidova's playing. For the current volume, she again plays a Stradivari of around 1685 that once belonged to Sauret.

Congratulations and thanks to Ms Rashidova, and also to courageous Naxos. Where would lovers of classical music be without companies such as Naxos, Hyperion, Harmonia Mundi, and others. Ms Rashidova wrote the excellent liner notes for this release, and also co-produced the (excellent) recording. Quite a talented young woman; she looks attractive (from the one photo Naxos features) so thank goodness she did not record for Warner or DG where 8-10 photos of her would be plastered throughout the booklet. Naxos's cover features a large picture of .... Emile Sauret.

Christmas 1948

Things would start around October when my mother would assemble the ingredients for The Christmas Pudding. We children were all invited to stir the mixture, into which were incorporated sixpenny pieces (unwashed). The puddings were then boiled overnight for eight hours, with the family on alert to ensure the puddings never boiled dry. On the 24^th December, two chickens were selected from the bottom of the garden to suffer the ultimate penalty. My father tried to kill the two by tying their necks in knots, but the chickens broke free and ran squawking around the room. Mr Pooley, the local butcher, was summoned and dispatched the two fowls with a blow to their necks. My mother then plucked them, decapitated them, and cleaned out their entrails, watched by her appalled children. On 25^th, the family settled down to a Christmas dinner (food, at last!) and devoured the chickens, the vegetables, and the “custard” with the Christmas pudding.

Fast forward to 2020 ......

Sigiswald Kuijken and the Bach Brandenburgs

Having much enjoyed listening to Sigiswald Kuijken and La Petite Bande during my traversal of Bach cantatas, I decided to invest in La Bande and Kuijken in the Brandenburgs (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, 1993-4). Bach's music needs expert players, and a well-balanced recording so that the many parts of Bach's polyphony can be heard and enjoyed. This Kuijken set conforms to those requirements. In particular, with Kuijken in charge, the frequent important solo violin input (for example, in the 4^th Brandenburg) can be enjoyed. Tempi in this set can be somewhat brisk (for example, in the final movement of the third Brandenburg), but I was never unduly disturbed.

One oddity of the set is that there is no trumpet in the second Brandenburg; a horn is used instead. I can't say I am unduly bothered nor, I suspect would Bach had been; he was always varying instrumentation and vocal parts according to what performers were available for the occasion. And, secretly, I prefer the sound of the horn (“Clarintrompette”) in chamber music, where a traditional trumpet is a bit strident and does not blend well with the other chamber instruments. For the “missing” second movement of the third Brandenburg, where Bach just left just two cadential chords, Kuijken offers a short solo violin flourish before the chords. Personally, I prefer Kati Debretzeni's improvisation in the Pinnock recording, but almost anything is better than just playing the two chords; better to omit them altogether and just go into the last movement unless one is going to insert something tasteful and appropriate. The first and third movements of no.5 dance along impressively and, for once, the harpsichord is well-balanced and not too dominant. The slow movement has some lovely duet playing, particularly the violin playing of Sigiswald himself. Sigiswald is ably aided throughout the set by his extraordinary brothers: Barthold (recorder and flute) and Wieland (cello). An all-star family.

Well, that is probably the end of my Brandenburg listening for a few months. They are, however, eternally enjoyable and I never grow tired of listening to them, particularly if the recording is well played, well-balanced and one can hear all the parts. Nearly 70 years ago when I first met them, the Brandenburgs were the province of large symphony orchestras. At least some things in music are done better nowadays.