New album highlights Clémence de Grandval

A new album has brought renewed attention to Clémence de Grandval, a 19th-century French composer whose music was largely forgotten until recently. The album includes four CDs and a detailed booklet with a biography and analysis by Constance Luzzati, a harpist and co-director of the project with her sister Hélène Luzzati, a cellist. It presents both Grandval's lyrical works and her extensive chamber music repertoire.

Background of Clémence de Grandval

Clémence de Grandval, born Clémence de Reiset in 1828, came from an aristocratic family. Her father, Baron Edouard de Reiset, was from a military family, while her mother, Adèle du Temple de Mézières, was a writer under the pen name Adèle de Ravenstein. The family home at the Château de la Cour du Bois in the Sarthe was a hub for artists and musicians, including Marceline Desbordes-Valmore, Auguste Franchomme, and Friedrich von Flotow.

Personal life and career

In 1851, she married the Viscount Charles de Grandval, a captain in the general staff, and became the mother of two daughters, Thérèse and Isabelle. Despite her aristocratic status and family life, she continued to compose extensively, producing chamber music, symphonies, concertos, and several operas and lyrical works. Her operas include Le Sou de Lise (1860), Les Fiancés de Rosa (1863), La Comtesse Eva (1864), and Piccolino (1869). She signed her work with the pseudonym "Clémence Valgrand," but critics often noted her aristocratic background rather than her musical talent.

Album contents and musical style

The album features 22 or so songs and includes the Stabat Mater, a work that has been recorded previously by Michel Piquemal and the choir Vittoria. Grandval's chamber music includes pieces for winds, such as the Invocation for clarinet and piano and Air slave, as well as the Four Pieces for English Horn and Piano (1885), which alternate between a thoughtful Lamento and a playful Final staccato and voluble. Her Suite for flute and piano (1876) is noted for its lyrical and faun-like qualities.

Contributions by young musicians

Several young French musicians have contributed to the rediscovery of Grandval's work, including Camille Chopin, Fiona Mc Gown, and Coline Dutilleul. Camille Chopin's performance of the Menuet is highlighted for its crystalline timbre and the lyrical Pensée d'Amour, while Fiona Mc Gown's interpretation of Villanelle is noted for its operatic leanings. Coline Dutilleul is praised for her successful renditions of Sacrifice, La Délaissée, and Chanson laponne, showcasing her versatility and emotional depth.

Significance of the Stabat Mater

The Stabat Mater (1870), the fourth CD of the album, is a significant work that fits into the Marian current of the 19th century. It is compared to Rossini's Petite Messe solennelle in its instrumentation (piano and harmonium) and is aligned with the revival of sacred music by composers such as Saint-Saëns and Fauré. The piece includes a severe Introduction, nine numbers that blend sincere religiosity with elements of operetta, and a Juxta crucem that is particularly appreciated for its contralto air.

Legacy and challenges faced

Clémence de Grandval's legacy is also discussed in the context of her personal life and the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated field. She once remarked, "having committed only the crime of being a woman," and expressed her belief that she would "never achieve anything other than having wiped the plasters for other women." The article on Clémence de Grandval, titled "Au cœur du romantisme français," appeared first on Forum Opéra.