Jean Françaix - Information required.

[Stanfordian]

I am interested in reading more about the French composer Jean Françaix. I have done a fair bit searching on Françaix but I am struggling to find a book or substantial article in English. Please can anyone assist?

[makropulos]

I am interested in reading more about the French composer Jean Françaix. I have done a fair bit searching on Françaix but I am struggling to find a book or substantial article in English. Please can anyone assist?

A useful place to start would be here:

http://www.jeanfrancaix.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=5&Itemid=29

That page contains a link to a useful and substantial biographical sketch, with the option of an English translation.

[Stanfordian]

A useful place to start would be here:

http://www.jeanfrancaix.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=5&Itemid=29

That page contains a link to a useful and substantial biographical sketch, with the option of an English translation.

Hiya makropulos,

Thanks very much indeed. I've seen the site but I can't see any English translation.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

makropulos ... Thanks very much indeed.

I've seen the site

but I can't see any English translation.

(I'm glad you said this! )

[makropulos]

Hiya makropulos,

Thanks very much indeed. I've seen the site but I can't see any English translation.

It's there, I promise :)
Scroll down to the bit headed "Biographie de Jean Françaix par Muriel Bellier"
There are two links there: the first is to the French version. The second is to " Biographie par Muriel Bellier, traduction anglaise par Beryl Sedivka" which is the one you want.

[umslopogaas]

I have three CDs of Francaix's music:

Nimbus NI 5880/2. a two disc set of the music for piano, played by Martin Jones and others.
Collins Classics 14382. chamber music played by the Marwood Ensemble and others.

Both have booklets which give rather brief biographical notes.

He's not in The Rough Guide to Classical Music, unfortunately.

[Roehre]

there is a little introduction here .

As far as Francaix's orchestral works are concerned, I am very fond of this CD, i.a. with the Symphony

[Bryn]

Of course, as has been discussed here and elsewhere in the past, the truly big question re. Jean Françaix is the pronunciation of his name. Even the French get it wrong, at least as far as the pronunciation he used, i.e it's sort of Frahn-sex, not Fron-say.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's there, I promise :)
Scroll down to the bit headed "Biographie de Jean Françaix par Muriel Bellier"
There are two links there: the first is to the French version. The second is to " Biographie par Muriel Bellier, traduction anglaise par Beryl Sedivka" which is the one you want.

It is, indeed!

A slight caveat - this isn't an online "link"; instead, the PDF is downloaded to your computer, and you then have to access it to see it. Hardly surprising, though - it's a substantial (26 pages) document.

[vinteuil]

Of course, as has been discussed here and elsewhere in the past, the truly big question re. Jean Françaix is the pronunciation of his name. Even the French get it wrong, at least as far as the pronunciation he used, i.e it's sort of Frahn-sex, not Fron-say.

... I thought the last discussion on this held here established that he himself changed the pronunciation of his name at various periods of his life.

[Bryn]

... I thought the last discussion on this held here established that he himself changed the pronunciation of his name at various periods of his life.

"established"? Hardly. I take it you refer to http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...3742#post13742 , which included the highly equivocal (in the context of a response from teh BBC's PU) "In his response that same year, we understand that he indicated that the pronunciation should be given as fraa(ng)-SAY." [My emboldening]. Either he did or did not give such an indication, surely? Where does the "we understand that" come from?

[Stanfordian]

It's there, I promise :)
Scroll down to the bit headed "Biographie de Jean Françaix par Muriel Bellier"
There are two links there: the first is to the French version. The second is to " Biographie par Muriel Bellier, traduction anglaise par Beryl Sedivka" which is the one you want.

Hiya makropulos,

Many thanks indeed. I really appreciate it. I've found the 26 page pdf document by Muriel Bellier and saved it.

[Stanfordian]

there is a little introduction here .

As far as Francaix's orchestral works are concerned, I am very fond of this CD, i.a. with the Symphony

Hiya Roehre,

Yes, it' s a beautiful work as are most of his works. I love that choral work on the videoclip. I shall try to establish what it is called.

[ahinton]

It seems rather a pity - as well as being somewhat odd - that Bellier's piece omits all reference to relations between Françaix and Messiaen, given the references to Messiaen with her article.

[Stanfordian]

I have three CDs of Francaix's music:

Nimbus NI 5880/2. a two disc set of the music for piano, played by Martin Jones and others.
Collins Classics 14382. chamber music played by the Marwood Ensemble and others.

Both have booklets which give rather brief biographical notes.

He's not in The Rough Guide to Classical Music, unfortunately.

Hiya umslopogaas,

Thanks. I already have those recordings.