Progetto Martha Argerich

italiano

Works

Paul Dukas

Villanelle for horn and piano

 

Paul Dukas, who lived from 1865 to 1935, may well have been a unique case within the vast panorama of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century French music, inasmuch as he was exceptionally parsimonious in his creative output. In fact, the catalogue of his works consists of barely a dozen titles, only one of which – the symphonic scherzo The Sorcerer’s Apprentice – can truly be called popular today. This highly cautious and ferociously self-critical artist liked to work slowly, almost maniacally, at perfecting his compositions, and this explains why he played a fundamental part in his country’s musical history despite the sparseness of his legacy. The delightful Villanelle for horn and piano, composed in 1906, was immediately greeted favourably and helped to enrich a repertoire that does not abound in compositions of real value.

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Performance