CELEBRATING 53,000 Classical CD reviews on-line (Sept 2016); 21,000 page views each day. Return to MusicWeb International
The music of Charlotte Sohy
Posted by John Quinn on February 11, 2023, 11:07 am
In September 2022, we published a review by my colleague Göran Forsling of a three-disc set of recordings of the music of the French composer Charlotte Sohy.https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2022/Sep/Sohy-epoque-BAP0103.htm
I confess that until then I had never heard of either this composer or her music. However, Göran's excellent review piqued my interest and I put the set on my 'to buy' list.
Recently I acquired the discs. So far I’ve only had the time to listen to the ‘Autour du Piano’ disc and to the First String Quartet on the ‘Autour du Quatuor’ disc - the 'Autour de l'Orchestre' disc awaits my attention - but already I’m very impressed. Here was a composer of significant worth who genuinely had something to say. Her music was far too good to languish in obscurity and the Boite ŕ Pépites label has done her a great service. So far as I can judge – bearing in mind that the music is new to me – the performances are excellent, and the label has really gone to town in the matter of presentation: the booklet is an object lesson in how to present releases of unfamiliar music.
A few weeks ago BBC Radio 3 broadcast a performance of Sohy’s symphony conducted by Debora Waldman, who conducts on the disc of orchestral music that forms part of this set. I hope that either the Boite ŕ Pépites label or some other label may be able to release that performance on CD in the future.
I fully endorse Göran's enthusiastic verdict on this set. I particularly commend it (or the individual discs, which are all available separately) to lovers of French music. Chapeaux to the Boite ŕ Pépites label.
Recently I submitted a review (not yet published) of a disc of music for soprano and piano quintet which included Sohy's "Chants Nostalgiques" in its chamber form - the orchestral version is in the 3 disc set too. This is what I wrote;
"Sandwiched between the two Chausson masterpieces is the work that originally piqued my interest when requesting the disc; the Trois Chants Nostalgiques Op.7 by Charlotte Sohy which give this disc its name. It is greatly to the credit of Sohy that her work sits so comfortably in the company of giants such as Fauré and Chausson."
To my mind Sohy is very good if not at the same level of genius that I think Lili Boulanger was - one of the 20th Century's great losses to music when she died so young. Certainly the symphony will be very interesting to hear. Göran's review pointed to a similarity to Chausson and from what I have heard I think that is fair.
Previous Message
In September 2022, we published a review by my colleague Göran Forsling of a three-disc set of recordings of the music of the French composer Charlotte Sohy.https://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2022/Sep/Sohy-epoque-BAP0103.htm
I confess that until then I had never heard of either this composer or her music. However, Göran's excellent review piqued my interest and I put the set on my 'to buy' list.
Recently I acquired the discs. So far I’ve only had the time to listen to the ‘Autour du Piano’ disc and to the First String Quartet on the ‘Autour du Quatuor’ disc - the 'Autour de l'Orchestre' disc awaits my attention - but already I’m very impressed. Here was a composer of significant worth who genuinely had something to say. Her music was far too good to languish in obscurity and the Boite ŕ Pépites label has done her a great service. So far as I can judge – bearing in mind that the music is new to me – the performances are excellent, and the label has really gone to town in the matter of presentation: the booklet is an object lesson in how to present releases of unfamiliar music.
A few weeks ago BBC Radio 3 broadcast a performance of Sohy’s symphony conducted by Debora Waldman, who conducts on the disc of orchestral music that forms part of this set. I hope that either the Boite ŕ Pépites label or some other label may be able to release that performance on CD in the future.
I fully endorse Göran's enthusiastic verdict on this set. I particularly commend it (or the individual discs, which are all available separately) to lovers of French music. Chapeaux to the Boite ŕ Pépites label.
Nick Barnard's message made me hasten to listen to the orchestral version of 'Trois Chants nostalgiques' in the orchestral version. I'd not ventured as far as the orchestral disc in this 3-CD set but when I listened to these three songs I shared Nick's admiration for them.
They are fine, expressive songs and Sohy's subtle, mainly autumnal orchestration is very effective indeed. I wonder if the piano quintet version came first? According to the booklet accompanying this set, at the time of making the recording (2021) the orchestral version had never been performed in public, though the chamber version was first performed in 1912 with the composer herself at the piano.