André Modest Grétry

[Jos Wylin]

Hi Guys,

A.M. Grétry is a Belgian composer, contemporary of Mozart. He manly wrote opera buffa. Here is a suite of ballet dances from "La Rosière Républicaine", followed by the overture of the entire opera (same title). The overture has never been recorded before, so this is the very first official version, be it with sampled VSL instruments (chamber strings, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoons, cors, timpani, all VSL).

Please, feel free to comment!

Max

La Rosière Répbublicaine (A. M. Grétry)

[fahl5]

Hi Max,

This is "jolie". I like it to use samples for music, other do not for care for enough.

Gretry was definitly in mind befor for being at least politically a "revolutionary" composer, but it is pleasant to hear a bit more how his music was like. Thank you very much!

best

Steffen

[Jos Wylin]

Thanks Steffen for listening. It was a most amusing project both for testing the VSL chamber orchestra and for reconstructing the rather unknown music. Grétry wasn't indeed a 'revolutionary' composer, but he dared to enter new elements into his works (e.g. in the harmony) and with a wink, he let slip political ideas in his 'funny' operas as some kind of joke, but nonetheless, he presented them to a larger public. He was not so innocent as he seemed...

Max

[Philippe BAYLAC]

Hi Max,

very nice rendition of this piece of A.M. Grétry, another forgotten composer of the 18th/19th , like Beauvarlet-Charpentier and others ...It's nice to hear the "Carmagnole" in this orchestration  :-). 

Thanks for posting !

Best.

Philippe

[William]

I really like it also.  Though I want it to be more inaccurate, less perfect, with more noticeable legato in the violins also a slightly darker tone with them.  Though that is my own personal approach maybe to a fault.  Anyway it is great to hear this less known composer.  

[Jos Wylin]

Hi William,

As for many things, this is a matter of taste. I prefer the brilliant sound of gut-strings on baroque instruments (no vibrato, straight technique, short bows, pithy movement...).

Thanks for listening,

Max

[Jos Wylin]

Hi Philippe,

I guess there are so many interpretations of baroque and classical music, bevause of the dense or compact way of notating (originally). That's why I love that period so much.

And yes, a great lot of lesser known (but first class) composers is yet to be discovered. To mention one more: Gossec (Belgian composer as well from Liège, professor of composition in Paris, same period - certainly known by you). He wrote a Requiem very similar to Mozart's version. Some even pretend that Mozart 'borrowed' a lot of ideas and musical phrases from that requiem.

I do appreciate your listening (and your music even more!)

Max

[MWE]

Hi Max,

These compositions remind me in a way of those of William Herschel. (The composer/astronomer remembered for his then unrivaled telescopes and observations.)

I know it is a matter of taste, but I think there could be a litte more distance between the listener and stage. Specifically a number of woodwinds (flutes) and timpani may benefit from some more depth. 

Anyway, a very nice achievement.

Martijn

[Jos Wylin]

Thanks for listening, Martijn.

The spacial ambience was set with the Vienna Suite (convolution and equalising). I'm stil looking for the ideal settings, it remains a delicate matter and requires a lot of experience and experimenting. I could have done it the easy way with MIR pro, but I prefer being able to adjust things manually and according to my taste and opinion. But I agree, it is subject for improvement (filtering as well...).

And yes, Grétry's music has of course some resemblances with Herschel's compositions, they are contemporarians.

Max