SKU: ST.C389

ISBN 9790570813896.

An Album of Twenty French Songs arranged for Bassoon and Piano by Martin Gatt

Fauréâ??s poignant love song Après un rêve exists in many different transcriptions for various instruments (the most famous version perhaps being the one for cello and piano that Pablo Casals made in 1910), and provides the initial inspiration for this album of French songs transcribed for bassoon and piano. The bassoon is capable of a broad range of timbres and expression, and it is the lyrical, vocal quality of the instrument that Martin Gatt has always been attracted to. In both his performance and teaching, his emphasis is on the importance of what he calls â??vocalisingâ?? through the bassoon, and for him, music for the voice â?? especially art songs of the 19th and 20th centuries â?? has been a rich source of material for exploring the expressive tonal colours of the bassoon.

The treasure trove of French art song from composers ranging from Claude Arrieu to Louis Vierne, not to mention the greats like Berlioz or Debussy or Ravel, has made the task of choosing which songs to include in this album a difficult one. In the end, Martin has settled on eight composers who have produced some of the most appealing music in the genre â?? Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), Georges Bizet (1838-1875), Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894), Jules Massenet (1842-1912), Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924), Henri Duparc (1848-1933), Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944), and Francis Poulenc (1899-1963). Rather than grouping by composer, the songs are set out in a way that contrasts different emotional worlds and sentiments, from the vibrant exuberance of Chabrierâ??s Lâ??île heureuse to the gentle melancholy of Poulencâ??s Mais mourir. These â??songs without wordsâ? for the bassoon, clearly demonstrate the instrumentâ??s cantabile qualities, varied nuances, and wide-ranging emotional possibilities.

SKU: HL.48181173

UPC: 888680861698. 9.0x12.0x0.058 inches.

To this day, Eugene Bozza (1905-1991) remains one of the most prolific composers for wind instruments, despite being a violinist himself. His Fantasy for bassoon and piano is no exception to the composer's success. During his studies at the Paris Conservatoire, Bozza won prizes for violin, conducting and composition, as well as the Grand Prix de Rome. He then conducted the orchestra of the Opera-Comique and became Head of the Conservatoire in Valenciennes, whilst remaining a prominent composer. Composed in 1945, Bozza's Fantasy for bassoon and piano is a virtuosic work, addressing advanced features including complex rhythms, chromaticism, a wide range and articulation. As music educationalist, Paul Griffiths has written of Bozza's compositions, his works reveal melodic fluency, elegance of structure and a consistently sensitive concern of instrumental capabilities..

SKU: HL.48181243

UPC: 888680868277. 9.0x12.0x0.06 inches.

“Born in Toulouse, Marcel Bitsch (1921-2011) went on to study at the Paris Conservatoire before becoming a professor of counterpoint at the institution. As an exceptionally versatile composer, Bitsch has composed orchestral works, chamber works and numerous pieces and studies for wind instruments. Concertino is a sublime addition to the Bassoon repertoire. Suited to advanced level bassoonists, Bitsch's Concertino contains a range of exciting musical aspects, including varied articulation, complex rhythms, irregular phrasing, exploited tonality and much variation in dynamics, tempo and performance directions. The diversity of musical elements included in this Marcel Bitsch Concertino for Bassoon and Piano is outstanding, creating a necessary addition to the advanced bassoonist's repertoire.”.