Quintet for Flute, Harp, and Strings
Andante tranquillo
Scherzo
Andante
Rondo
Jean Françaix died only three years ago at the age of 85 and, like Saint-Saëns, made a splash early in his career. As a 20-year old Conservatoire student, he represented France at the 1932 ISCM festival in Vienna. His Piano Concertino of the same year created an unexpected stir at the Baden-Baden chamber music festival, where, amidst a milieu of the Schoenbergian avant-garde, it "was like fresh water, rushing from a spring with the gracious spontaneity of all that is natural". The same qualities characterise all of Françaix’ music, and may be found in abundance in this Quintet, dating from 1932. The composer’s skill as a virtuoso pianist did not prevent him from having a remarkable ear for instrumental colour, and his skill in blending the distinctive tones of the harp and flute with the more homogenous string ensemble is very much in the tradition of his illustrious predecessor Ravel.
R.G.Bratby, 2000
Copyright Classical Notes.co.uk 2000
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