Listen & tracks
2 works · 53:57
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Les nuits d’été, Op. 7Hector Berlioz 6 movements29:13
- 1 i. Villanelle 2:26
- 2 ii. Le spectre de la rose 6:23
- 3 iii. Sur les lagunes 6:21
- 4 iv. Absence 5:04
- 5 v. Au cimetière 5:24
- 6 vi. L’île inconnue 3:35
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Sonate pour cor et piano, Op. 43Adolphe Blanc 4 movements24:44
- 7 i. Allegro 10:27
- 8 ii. Scherzo 3:34
- 9 iii. Romance 4:58
- 10 iv. Finale 5:45
Whilst much of Europe had adopted the valved horn by the middle of the nineteenth century, Parisian players kept the valveless natural horn in use until the century’s end. The natural horn remained on the Paris Conservatoire syllabus until 1902. French composers therefore wrote for both instruments, and orchestras commonly fielded two natural horns with two valved horns.
Papworth plays Berlioz’s song cycle Les nuits d’été in his own transcription for French piston-valve horn, and Blanc’s Sonata Op. 43 on a natural horn—the two instruments that defined French horn practice through the nineteenth century.
Reviews
For his latest excursion into the byways of horn performance and composition, Mark Papworth is again allying himself with pianist Rosa Scaffidi, following the success of their 2020 Siegfried’s Story disc with tuba Per Forsberg. This time, the horn-piano duet presents two works only: a bona fide sonata for natural horn by Adolphe Blanc, a versatile 19th century chamber music composer whose life-span overlapped with that of Hector Berlioz, whose six-part song-cycle Nuits d’ete has been arranged for this recorded performance by Papworth. Admittedly, this latter popular sequence of chansons has been arranged over the years since its first publication. Originally set for mezzo or tenor and piano, later versions by Berlioz accommodated baritone, soprano and contralto. But then, he directed that specific songs be addressed by particular voice types; ah, what a character. That detail is ignored these days where – in concerts, recitals and on CDs – one singer is enough to cope with the series. Nevertheless, as far as I can see, the composer didn’t arrange any of the set for a solo instrument; certainly not by the time he got around to finishing his orchestration of them all in 1856.
Artists
Mark Papworth
natural and valved horns
Mark Papworth is a Melbourne tram driver and highly accomplished horn player. At home on baroque, natural and modern instruments, he studied in Melbourne, Perth and the United States.
Rosa Scaffidi
piano
Rosa Scaffidi began her life-long love affair with the piano and its mighty repertoire at the age of 2. She is an extremely versatile musician, and is highly skilled in the interpretation of many musical styles as well as being a proficient improviser.
Hector Berlioz
composer
Hector Berlioz (1803–1869) was a French Romantic composer whose orchestral, choral and dramatic works reshaped the scale and colour of nineteenth-century music. His output includes the Symphonie fantastique, the Te Deum and the song cycle Les nuits d’été.
Adolphe Blanc
composer
Adolphe Blanc (1828–1885) was a French composer of chamber music in the Romantic tradition of private hausmusik. Largely overlooked in a Paris dominated by opera, he left a substantial body of trios, quartets, quintets and related works.
Digital booklet
Digital booklet Notes, texts and credits — read online or download the PDF Download the PDFPerformers
- Mark Papworth · natural and valved horns
- Rosa Scaffidi · piano
Technical credit
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Producer
Martin Wright
Details
- List price
- $25.00 AUD
- Total playing time
- 53 minutes 57 seconds
- Release date
- 15 Nov 2023
- Category
- Classical
- Musical work copyright
- © 2023 Move Records
- Sound recording copyright
- ℗ 2023 Move Records
- Catalogue
- MCD 640
- EAN
- 9314574064025
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