André Jolivet: Three Eclogues for viola solo
Gaspar Cassado: Préludio-Fantasia
Gaspar Cassado: Suite (Sardana, Intermezzo et Danza Finale)
Ludwig van Beethoven: Serenade in D Major for Violin, Viola and Cello (String Trio No. 2), Op. 8
Raphaël Chrétien: Cello
Christophe Giovaninetti: Violin
Pierre-Henri Xuereb: Viola
After a couple of very busy weeks mostly dedicated to nursing my mom’s ailing cat back to health—a challenging trial as none of us is used to being stuck at home for long periods of time, especially not our increasingly frustrated freedom-loving furry roommate—the annual Journées Européennes du Patrimoine (European Heritage Days) and their endless array of free cultural events were upon us even before we even got a chance to catch our breath, but then again, who were we to complain?
Our attention naturally turned to the Pradel Association’s offer of two concerts featuring works by French composer André Jolivet in a 19th-century former textile mill that is now Dieulefitois painter Jean Soubeyran’s light-filled and music-friendly studio. Additional bonus: It is also easily accessible by foot for us. So we figured that a healthy mix of ground-breaking music in a local landmark would be the perfect way to celebrate French cultural heritage on that beautiful Saturday evening, at the totally civilized time of 6:00 PM.
The abundance of cultural richness available all over the region and beyond may have unfortunately prevented the large space from filling up, but I gotta admit that it was very nice seeing all the familiar faces we encountered and enjoying a salon-like gathering. The festive mood was quickly heightened by Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu’s rustic Duo No. 2 for Violin and Viola, which was cheerfully carried out by violinist Christophe Giovaninetti and violist Pierre-Henri Xuereb. Things were off to a good start, even if a toddler occasionally expressed her displeasure by contributing unwanted add-ons to the score before being thankfully escorted out.
André Jolivet may be better known and appreciated abroad than in his native country, but the two concerts planned for the weekend would hopefully help change that regrettable state of affairs. Although his music is not the most accessible for musicians or audiences, it can be quite enjoyable when done right, which is exactly what happened on Saturday evening with Pierre-Henri Xuereb, who fearlessly worked his way through Three Eglogues pour viola solo, namely Cantante I, Rusticamente, and Cantante II.
This bravura solo performance was followed by an equally impressive tour de force by cellist Raphaël Chrétien with his totally fired-up interpretation of Spanish composer and cellist Gaspar Cassado’s spirited Préludio-Fantasia and Suite. As Chrétien pointed out, Cassado was unfortunately overshadowed by Pablo Casals pretty much all his life, and it was really a shame for everybody since he was clearly just about as talented.
Since the program created for the French Heritage Days weekend included pieces by Czech and Spanish composers, why not add a German one like, say, Beethoven? And sure enough, there he was with his Serenade in D Major for Violin, Viola and Cello, AKA String Trio No. 2, which provided the perfect opportunity to hear all three musicians together. Giovaninetti had succinctly but adequately described the work as “fresh”, and it turned out to be quite a fun little piece indeed—except for a couple of fleeting moments of melancholy—that began and ended with a lively march and offered plenty of reasons to be remembered fondly. And it will be.
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