Koechlin, Charles (1867-1950)

[Lat-Literal]

"The artist needs an ivory tower, not as an escape from the world, but as a place where he can view the world and be himself.

This tower is for the artist like a lighthouse shining out across the world."

Mountaineer, swimmer, tennis player, astronomer, photographer, nature-mystic, pantheist who enjoyed medieval music, The Jungle Book, JS Bach, Ginger Rogers and socialism.

The Seven Stars' Symphony - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YW-1uigZ-14

[Serial_Apologist]

As a follow-up to Lat's exemplary initiation of this thread, and as a prelude to my forthcoming new thread on neglected French C20 composers, I'd like to draw attention to Koechlin's truly wonderful Second Symphony of 1943-44, Op 196. My thanks are due to whoever managed to find this recording, which is from a BBC broadcast series from 1967 celebrating the centenary of Koechlin's birth, and which I had on a reel-to-reel.

In many ways the symphony epitomises the composer's broad-ranging eclecticism: a four movement structure starting with an extended fugue which could have been a tribute to his Schola Cantorum forbears, followed by a sumptuously scored polytonal scherzo, this in turn leading to a pensive slow movement consisting of three archaic-sounding melodies and an anguished passage harmonically indebted to his teacher Fauré, and thence to a rousingly life-affirming fugal finale, opening on a sweeping modal theme, foregrounding ondes martenot against sustained chords.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj2yktTsspU

(Didn't he look like Fernando Rey!!)

[Richard Barrett]

Koechlin's truly wonderful Second Symphony of 1943-44, Op 196.

Thanks S_A, I'll be sure to check that out. I think Koechlin was one of the most original and skilled orchestrators of all time, and I like all the orchestral music of his I've heard, although his chamber music seems to tend towards the colourless, strangely.

[Mandryka]

On a Koechlin binge at the moment -- small scale music. So far discoveries include

1. Piano quintet
2. Henck's Les Heures Persanes
3. 2nd string quartet
4. Nicola Woodward's Chants de Nectaire.

Any suggestions for further exploration appreciated.

[Roger Webb]

On a Koechlin binge at the moment -- small scale music. So far discoveries include

1. Piano quartet
2. Henck's Les Heures Persanes
3. 2nd string quartet
4. Nicola Woodward's Chants de Nectaire.

Any suggestions for further exploration appreciated.

After trying for many years I finally had Koechlin played on EC, his 'Lilian Harvey' from 'Seven Stars Symphony'last week...good old Skellers!

That Chant de Nectaire is a wonderful recording, have you listened to all 96 pieces in the three volumes? They were recorded in the Catholic Cathedral in Clifton, Bristol...a concert venue I know well - most magically when the Tallis Scholars sung there....and I sold the discs in the interval!

Love Koechlin's 'Paysage et Marines' op.63. comes in versions for piano and on Timpani label for small ensemble.

The biggest discovery in recent years are his songs. There's an absolutely brilliant collection of songs with orch. on SWR CD 93.159 featuring Juliane Banse the wonderful soloist...try the amazing early (most of Koechlin songs are 'early' works) songs Op.7 - why are these not played as often as Duparc or Fauré?

[gurnemanz]

I didn't pay any attention to this thread from Lat when it appeared and probably hadn't even heard of Koechlin. Only quite recently have I acquired two recordings - both of mélodies. Neither is new and I have enjoyed them both very much:

Claudette Leblanc on Hyperion

and

Michèle Command on French Maguelone label, which I acquired as a Presto download, based on a MusicWeb recommendation.

[Roger Webb]

I didn't pay any attention to this thread from Lat when it appeared and probably hadn't even heard of Koechlin. Only quite recently have I acquired two recordings - both of mélodies. Neither is new and I have enjoyed them both very much:

Claudette Leblanc on Hyperion

and

Michèle Command on French Maguelone label, which I acquired as a Presto download, based on a MusicWeb recommendation.

If you like Koechlin's vocal music you really must try to hear the Juliane Banse on SWR I mention above. I too have the Claudette Leblanc on Hyperion - some of the songs on this disc appear as versions in their orch. garb on the Banse. This double CD has a couple of purely orch. works as fill-ups and is well worth seeking out.....it's no longer available as a CD but I managed to get a s/h one fron Germany, but it is on Qobuz, if you have that.

[oliver sudden]

Unfortunately whenever the topic of Koechlin comes up I need to share the family-approved pronunciation of his surname with a clip of this distant relative… who happens to be a Bollywood actress.

https://youtu.be/z2hCIR55XJ0?feature=shared

[smittims]

'Family-approved' maybe, but I think 'Kikla' is a corruption, a 21st-century over-simplification. English pronunciation has changed a lot recently, and I suspect French has too. Of course, she has a perfect right to pronounce it 'Tom Thumb' if she wants to, but I don'tt think Charles would approve. .

[Roger Webb]

'Family-approved' maybe, but I think 'Kikla' is a corruption, a 21st-century over-simplification. English pronunciation has changed a lot recently, and I suspect French has too. Of course, she has a perfect right to pronounce it 'Tom Thumb' if she wants to, but I don'tt think Charles would approve. .

Ginastera's daughter insisted that her family name should be pronounced as in Gin and Tonic, as her father had wished, too....but it doesn't happen - I think radio presenters are scared of 'getting letters' if they don't give it the 'correct' Spanish 'Hin'......Ginastera was of Catalan heritage..... definitely not Spanish!

[smittims]

I remember when Michael de-la-Noy tried to get up a movement to pronounce 'Elgar' as 'Elger' instead of 'Elgahr' , insisting that was the 'correct' pronunciation. It didn't catch on.

[oliver sudden]

'Family-approved' maybe, but I think 'Kikla' is a corruption, a 21st-century over-simplification. English pronunciation has changed a lot recently, and I suspect French has too. Of course, she has a perfect right to pronounce it 'Tom Thumb' if she wants to, but I don'tt think Charles would approve. .

The thing is that he was from a part of the world where the border has wandered back and forth over the centuries, with the result that a Germanic name is pronounced with French rules. The rationale is: oe not as in oeuvre (where a vowel follows it) but as in for example oenologie (where it’s followed by a consonant and pronounced basically like an é). Ch not as in Charles (again before a vowel) but as in chronomètre. So in modern French spelling you end up with “Kéklin”… I don’t know when exactly from when that pronunciation dates, but it’s the one given on the Koechlin Wikipedia page for example.

[Serial_Apologist]

The thing is that he was from a part of the world where the border has wandered back and forth over the centuries, with the result that a Germanic name is pronounced with French rules. The rationale is: oe not as in oeuvre (where a vowel follows it) but as in for example oenologie (where it’s followed by a consonant and pronounced basically like an é). Ch not as in Charles (again before a vowel) but as in chronomètre. So in modern French spelling you end up with “Kéklin”… I don’t know when exactly from when that pronunciation dates, but it’s the one given on the Koechlin Wikipedia page for example.

I'd always understood Koechlin to be Jewish.

[smittims]

I think the best antidote to pronunciation-snobs is a line from Black Books, where someone was criticising Bernard's knowledge of computer games :

'He's probably never heard of Pokemon'.

'Well, I have, and actually it's pronounced 'Pac-Man' '.

[gurnemanz]

If you like Koechlin's vocal music you really must try to hear the Juliane Banse on SWR I mention above. I too have the Claudette Leblanc on Hyperion - some of the songs on this disc appear as versions in their orch. garb on the Banse. This double CD has a couple of purely orch. works as fill-ups and is well worth seeking out.....it's no longer available as a CD but I managed to get a s/h one fron Germany, but it is on Qobuz, if you have that.

Thanks for tip - I listened on Spotify. I like Juliane Banse and have quite a few recordings - Schubert, Schumann, Strauss, Brahms ... Othmar Schoeck. Also Wolf orchestra songs with Nagano. Very tempted. Presto have a download but no booklet.