Carl Maria von WEBER (1786-1826)
Violin Sonata No. 1 in F major, Op. 10 No. 1, J99 [8:04]
Violin Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 10 No. 3, J101 [4:20]
Violin Sonata No. 5 in A major, Op. 10 No. 5, J103 [10:53]
Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Violin Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 75 [21:16]*
Gabriel PIERNÉ (1863-1937)
Violin Sonata, Op. 36 [20:57]*
Brigitte Huyghues de Beaufond (violin)
Hélène Boschi (piano)
Varda Nishry (piano)*
rec. 1959-60, live radio recordings (Weber); 1957 live radio concert broadcasts
(Saint-Saëns, Pierné)
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR1055 [65:33]
Jules Boucherit, French violinist and renowned violin
pedagogue, nurtured the talents of a roster of fine violinists including Ginette
Neveu, Devy Erlih, Henri Temianka, Michèle Auclair and Lola Bobesco. We can
add to this list Brigitte Huyghues de Beaufond (1922-2008), also a Boucherit
student at the Paris Conservatoire. Later, Jacques Thibaud mentored her. Yet,
unlike the above, despite her illustrious pedigree, her name has faded into
obscurity. In fact, this is the first time I’ve ever come across her.
Could the absence of any commercial recordings by her be a factor? I have
scoured the internet, and can find nothing whatever about her apart from what
I gleaned from the accompanying booklet notes, in French only, by Alexis Galpérine.
She apparently travelled extensively, and worked with some big names including
Munch, Cluytens and Henri Rabaud.
Huyghues de Beaufond was in her thirties when these live radio concert broadcasts
were taped and, on this evidence, at the height of her powers. It’s
encouraging to encounter a programme consisting of off-the-beaten-track repertoire,
rather than revisiting the old, familiar, well-worn war-horses. The Pierné,
for instance, is a delightful work, full of Gallic charm.
Weber’s Six Sonatas Op. 10 for violin and fortepiano were commissioned
as a “collection of short pieces of moderate difficulty for the
domestic music-making of the upper middle classes”. When finally published
in two instalments by Simrock, they bore the title “Progressive sonatas
for fortepiano with obbligato violin, composed for and dedicated to amateur
musicians”. Huyghues de Beaufond and Hélène Boschi play nos. 1, 3 and
5 of the set. They are short works, and the title ‘sonatina’ would
have been more apposite. Not technically demanding, they are, nevertheless,
full of melody, and humour – the product of an imaginative mind. Whilst
this affable nature is suitably conveyed in the performances here, these sonatas
fare less well from the violinist’s point of view than the other works.
I notice occasionally a dull, dry note, sticking out like a sore thumb, particularly
evident in the second movement Romanze of the Sonata No. 1. At other times,
the ends of the occasional phrase lack climactic vibrancy. Strangely this
problem seems to confine itself to the Weber works, and I couldn’t detect
it elsewhere. I also found Hélène Boschi’s rather pedestrian contributions
not as satisfying as those of Varda Nishry.
The Violin Sonata No. 1 in D minor by Saint-Saëns calls for both eloquence
in the lyrical sections and virtuosity. In the opening movement the players
capture the underlying tension and drama. In the final movement, which is
almost a moto perpetuo, the violinist certainly shows her mettle.
The crisp and incisive spiccato is an impressive feature of her gleaming virtuosity,
and her traversal easily stands comparison with the two Heifetz recordings.
It was for Jacques Thibaud that Pierné composed his Violin Sonata in 1900.
The work provides something of a contrast to the preceding work in that it
is less daring and dramatic. This performance is idiomatic and convincing,
and its success can be attributed in part to the involved and sympathetic
contribution of Varda Nishry, especially in the raptly intense finale. Huyghues
de Beaufond’s variegated tonal palette adds subtle colour to this hauntingly
evocative score.
There’s certainly some compelling music-making here, and I’m thrilled
to make the acquaintance of Brigitte Huyghues de Beaufond. The broadcasts
are in fine, warm and intimate sound, and I couldn’t detect the presence
of any audience. I wonder if there are any more examples of this violinist’s
playing out there.
Stephen Greenbank
Previous review: Jonathan
Woolf
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