Bretagne[s] Ensemble Gustave

• Joseph Guy Ropartz (1864 - 1955): 3ème sonate pour violon et Piano en la Majeur:
• 1 3ème sonate pour violon et Piano en la Majeur: I. Moderato 06:50
• 2 3ème sonate pour violon et Piano en la Majeur: II. Vivace 05:47
• 3 3ème sonate pour violon et Piano en la Majeur: III. Molto Lento 03:05
• 4 3ème sonate pour violon et Piano en la Majeur: IV. Allegro Giocoso 04:04
• Jean Cras (1879 - 1932): Trio pour violon, alto et Violoncelle:
• 5 Trio pour violon, alto et Violoncelle: I. 1er mouvement 07:27
• 6 Trio pour violon, alto et Violoncelle: II. Lent 06:32
• 7 Trio pour violon, alto et Violoncelle: III. Animé 04:29
• 8 Trio pour violon, alto et Violoncelle: IV. Très animé 05:50
• Benoît Menut (b. 1977): Stèles:
• 9 Stèles: I. Pierre Musicale 03:33
• 10 Stèles: II. Mon amante a les vertus de l'eau 04:32
• 11 Stèles: III. On me dit... 04:58
• 12 Stèles: IV. Conseils au bon voyageur 07:35
• Joseph Guy Ropartz:
• 13 La Mer, Lent et calme 03:47
• Total Runtime 01:08:29

Info for Bretagne[s]

The Bretagne[s] project is born out of a twenty-year friendship with violinist Sullimann Altmayer, whom I met at the Conservatoire in Paris. At the time, I was already fascinated with the works and personality of composer Joseph-Guy Ropartz, a fascination that elicited ironic smiles from my classmates. They were quick to dismiss my passion as a chauvinistic attachment to my native Britany. It is true that my attraction towards Ropartz knew no bond: I was determined to know, cherish and popularize each and every one of his works. As a true devotee, I often stirred the conversation towards “the old bearded man”, as I had affectionately nicknamed Ropartz. I didn’t know then that I would end up writing his biography and editing his complete works, together with Mathieu Ferey, for the publisher Papillon.

How could I blame my classmates? Hardly any of them knew Ropartz’s music, which was never played during courses and hardly ever programmed. Hence my surprise when Sullimann called me to discuss a project about the spirit of Britany, to be produced with the Ensemble Gustave. All the memories from my student life resurfaced. Thanks to the faith of these musicians, I had the great delight of conceiving the program of this record. It is conceived as a journey, a reflection of my deeper tastes, and a tribute to the artists of my region: musicians, poets – bards in a manner of speech. It is also born out of my desire to compose. ...

Ensemble Gustave:
Sullimann Altmayer, violin
Mayeul Girard, alto
Tristan Cornut, cello
Antoine de Grolée, piano

Ensemble Gustave
The members of Ensemble Gustave, Sullimann Altmayer, Mayeul Girard, Tristan Cornut and Antoine de Grolée, are prize winners of thirty-odd international competitions between them, including the Long Thibaud competition, the Joseph Haydn competition in Vienna, as well as the Geneva, Firenze and ARD Munich competitions. They also benefitted from the advices of such musicians as Alfred Brendel, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, as well as members of the Artemis, Berg and Ysaÿe quartets. The name of the ensemble is a homage to the many great artists and thinkers whose forename was Gustave (Mahler, Flaubert, Eiffel, Moreau, Caillebotte, Courbet, Doré, Klimt...). This multiple patronage befits an ensemble of varying dimensions, and also expresses the ensemble’s will to establish links between music and other forms of art. Correspondingly, the ensemble endeavours to offer concert programs grounded in a tight thematic logic while making the most of its varied talents by performing solo pieces as well as larger works. When required by the repertoire, the ensemble invites other musicians to perform alongside it.

Ensemble Gustave performed at Radio France, Moments musicaux du Tarn, Académie musicale de Villecroze, Printemps des Alizés in Essaouira, Rencontres musicales de Noyers-sur-Serein, Musicales du monastère de Bonlieu, Concerts de la Visitation in Le Mans, as well as in the chapelle du Méjan in Arles and the abbaye de Silvacane in La Roque d’Anthéron.

Booklet for Bretagne[s]