# Louise Farrenc



## jhar26

Lately I've been really enjoying the music of Louise Farrenc. So I thought it would be a good idea to give the old gal a thread of her own. 

















So far I've bought (and listened to) three cd's from the cpo label.....



















I like both these discs of Farrenc's symphonic music, but the one that you really should hear is No.2.....

....Even better is some of her chamber music. This one with two piano trios and a (as far as I'm concerned) masterpiece sextet for piano, flute, oboe, clarinet, horn and bassoon really rocked my world. Anyone who likes 19th century chamber music is unlikely to be disappointed I think.










I've just ordered another cpo disc - this one with the piano quintets. I can't wait to hear it.


----------



## starry

I like one of her symphonies.


----------



## ScipioAfricanus

thanks for the recommendations. I have her music on my amazon wishlist but I haven't had the guts to pull the trigger.


----------



## JSK

Excellent composer who's not too well known. Her piano quintets are her best works. The best recording is the one on ASV with the Schubert Ensemble of London, but the CPO disc is also acceptable.


----------



## jhar26

JSK said:


> Excellent composer who's not too well known. Her piano quintets are her best works. The best recording is the one on ASV with the Schubert Ensemble of London, but the CPO disc is also acceptable.


I considered buying the ASV disc but it costs an insane amount of money (150$), so I decided in favor of the cpo disc instead.


----------



## starry

The sextet is indeed good, I'm sure Mozart would have had a smile on his face had he heard it.


----------



## jhar26

starry said:


> The sextet is indeed good, I'm sure Mozart would have had a smile on his face had he heard it.


Which in my opinion is just about the biggest compliment one could give her.


----------



## Guest

I like Farrenc and have the Linos Ensemble album on CPO above. I also have the Nonet and Variations Concertante from Naive. I'll be on the lookout for the piano quintets.

One more gem from Farrenc which I quite like:


----------



## TresPicos

She definitely deserves a bigger audience. 

It is kind of refreshing that her husband actually supported her career instead of thwarting it.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Resurrecting thread because Farrenc is awesome.


----------



## ComposerOfAvantGarde

Now TALK, people!!!!!!!


----------



## Vaneyes

COAG, Service thinks she's awsome, too...listing her 3rd Symphony as one of his favorites.

http://www.theguardian.com/music/to...ide-louise-farrenc-third-symphony-tom-service


----------



## leroy

Her Third symphony is really quite nice


----------



## Vasks

ComposerOfAvantGarde said:


> Resurrecting thread because Farrenc is awesome.


Almost awesome for me


----------



## Steve Wright

Vaneyes said:


> COAG, Service thinks she's awsome, too...listing her 3rd Symphony as one of his favorites.
> 
> http://www.theguardian.com/music/to...ide-louise-farrenc-third-symphony-tom-service


I've come to Farrenc's 3rd symphony via that Tom Service essay (what a brilliant series that 50 Greatest Symphonies is... I have learned so much, both in terms of brand new works and deeper layers of works I already 'knew').
But yes, this 3rd symphony, which I am listening to now, is lovely. Wonderful melodies and pace that grip you from first hearing. I can hear, as TS says, Schumann, Mendelssohn, sunnier Beethoven, perhaps Brahms 2 and 3 in places.
What a fascinating character too - and unlucky, hampered both by her gender and her genre (French audiences at the time mostly wanting opera).
Great new discovery.


----------



## Weston

I recently listened to her Piano quintet No 2 in E Major, Op 31 and found it seems to look back toward Mozart and other classic era composers. Nothing wrong with that. I enjoy it in fact and Bach looked back too. I'm just betting she doesn't get more attention partially because of it. I would rate her about on the level with Spohr or Lachner and easier on the ears than much of Mendelssohn's frenetic output.


----------



## Weird Heather

I was considering creating a thread for this rather obscure composer, but one had already been started.

Over the years, I have acquired a variety of recordings of symphonies (and other types of works, for that matter) of lesser known Romantic composers. It is interesting to explore the repertoire beyond the most famous music and composers. Often, I find that these works are well constructed and pleasant enough, but they lack that extra spark or inventiveness that separates merely good music from the masterpieces. However, every now and then, something surprises me.

Her First Symphony captured my attention immediately. Sturm und Drang ran its initial course in the 1760s/1770s, but it had a habit of reemerging every now and then, and I hear its influence in this symphony. This is a particularly aggressive and hard-hitting example. The style is rather conservative for its time, but that does not prevent it from having a powerful impact on a modern listener who appreciates music from all time periods and doesn't get too hung up on the date of composition. Her other two symphonies are equally strong, and from what I have heard so far, her chamber music is promising.


----------



## SixFootScowl

I heard of Louise Farrenc in the thread on female composers and before I had even listened to an entire symphony I purchased all three symphonies on CD. They are coming next week.


----------



## Meyerbeer Smith

I haven't heard any of her music, but she was the aunt of Ernest Reyer (Berlioz's artistic heir / chosen successor, and composer of Sigurd and Salammbo). He learned from her when he moved to Paris from Algiers in his 20s.


----------



## Joachim Raff

One of the best female composers of her time. New release of her music. Its rather good.


----------



## AeolianStrains

I might have to track this down for the Variations. I have her symphonies/overtures with Goritzki, which are good, but I lament the paltry amount of her piano work that has been released. Eickhorst has a decent collection (with the lovely Air russe variations), but more is needed!


----------



## Joachim Raff

AeolianStrains said:


> I might have to track this down for the Variations. I have her symphonies/overtures with Goritzki, which are good, but I lament the paltry amount of her piano work that has been released. Eickhorst has a decent collection (with the lovely Air russe variations), but more is needed!


Funny enough, the variations is my favourite of the release. I manage to get this as a download but not available on cd yet


----------



## Shosty

I've recently started listening to Farrenc's works. Loved the first symphony (Goritzky, NDR) and looking forward to listening to her chamber music and the other two symphonies. Absolute shame none of her works are performed (pretty sure they've never been performed) where I live.


----------

