History of the Salon – Morceaux Caractristiques, 1823 – 1913

Contents Zarzycki: Mazurka in G, Op. 26

Paganini: Cantabile and Valse, Op. 19, MS 45

Ambrosio: Serenade in D Major, Op. 4 (Arr. for Violin & Piano)

Moszkowski: Melodie, Op. 18, No. 1 in F Major, Mélodie (Arr. F. Hermann for Violin & Piano)

Godard, B: Canzonetta (Concerto romantique for violin Op. 35) III. Canzonetta. Allegro moderato (Version for Violin & Piano)

Raff: Six Morceaux, Op. 85, No. 3, Cavatina

Drdla: Serenade No. 1

Braga, G: Angel’s Serenade (Légende valaque) [Arr. A. Pollitzer for Violin & Piano]

Schubert of Dresden Jr.: 12 Bagatelles, Op. 13 (Excerpts) No. 3, Allegretto gracioso No. 4, Allegretto agitato No. 8, Le désir No. 9, L’abeille No. 12, Barcarola

Sgambati: Pezzi (2) per pianoforte, No. 2, Serenata napoletana

Ambrosio: Aria in D Minor, Op. 22

Zarzycki: Mazurka in E major, Op. 39

Laub, F: Morceaux (4), Op. 12, No. 1 in B Minor, Canzonetta

Raff: Suite de morceaux pour les petites mains, Op. 75 No. 5, Après le coucher du soleil (Arr. F. Hermann for Violin & Piano)

Hollander, B: Mazurek in E Major, Op. 25

Spohr: Sechs Salonstücke, Op. 135, No. 1, Barcarole

Vecsey, F: Valse triste

Moszkowski: Piano Pieces (2), Op. 45 No. 2 in G Major, Guitarre (Arr. P. De Sarasate for Violin & Piano)

Granados: Danzas españolas, Op. 37 Nos. 1-12, No. 2 in C Minor, Oriental (Arr. V. Jones for Violin & Piano)

Although the word salon derives from a room in a domestic dwelling (In 1836, Robert Schumann referred to Salonmusik (a term he incidentally coined) as a ‘combination of sentiment and piano passage’), it also came to refer to private gatherings of composers and well-to-do members of society congregated in order to appreciate musical performances of a shorter and more varied nature, as distinct from those of longer chamber works. By the 1830s, the musical salon emerged as a vehicle for virtuoso performers who encapsulated the romantic ideals of enhanced emotional subjectivity and greater artistic individuality, with the piano at the center of it all. The charming, off-the-cuff pieces that so delighted audiences up until relatively recently seem to have faded away with the last performers of the romantic tradition. This album serves to illuminate the brilliant music that many of these underrated yet highly talented 19th century composers gave us. ‘… played with a purity, profundity and sense of dramatic architecture that truly stops you in your tracks. Really, bravo.’ (Gramophone, ‘Editor’s Choice’ – VILSMAYR Partitas [FHR38])