Soirée…French Masterpieces

“Last November while playing Ravel “Jeu d’Eau” at an Ashram in Northern California, the idea came to me to do a French music album. Then a series of unexpected events happened…a concert at the Trianon Theatre in San Jose, the night of the Paris attacks and a private concert for John Chambers, who spoke to President Holland that day and filmed us playing a dedication to the French people. All this inspired me to do this album.”
Katya Grineva

“When I was a child I used to listen every day to Maurice Gendron’s recording of the Saint-Saëns Cello Concerto. I was in awe of his talent. Later while playing with the San Jose Symphony, I met Pierre Fournier and developed a relationship with him. Over time my love of the French cellists has grown, especially Fournier. More than any cellist, his sensibilities resonate with me. So when Katya told me her idea to do a French album, I was intrigued.”
Byron Duckwall

about the music…
Debussy and Ravel, two French musical giants, shared the influences of Wagner, Rimsky-Korsakov and Javanese Gamelan music. Although they are often lumped together as “Impressionists,” their styles and personalities differed greatly. Ravel was fastidious in his attention to form and the development of his craft. He was a painstaking worker who developed a style of great clarity which includes elements of the baroque and neoclassicism.

Debussy, a prodigy said, “I am trying to make something new – realities, as it were: what imbeciles call Impressionism.” Ravel said of Debussy, “(his) genius was obviously one of great individuality, creating its own laws, constantly in evolution, expressing itself freely, yet always faithful to French tradition.” Debussy’s music is noted for its sensory content and frequent usage of nontraditional tonalities.

Fauré was more traditional but very influential and represents the link between German Romanticism and Impressionism. Satie, the brilliant eccentric was inspired by Gregorian chant in his popular Gymmnopédies and Gnossiennes.

To Adi Da we wish to thank for His extraordinary spiritual influence.