 Les compositrices du XIXème siècle étaient souvent cantonnées à la musique de salon dans un monde dominé par les hommes. Si cela est bien dommage, nous avons gardé dans les bibliothèques de nombreuses pépites que nous redécouvrons de nos jours. C’est l’objet du disque de la soprano Cristina Bay?n et du guitariste andalous Jesús Pineda qui mettent à l’honneur l’âme ibérique des sœurs Garcia - Maria Malibran et Pauline Viardot – et de la diva Isabella Colbran - première épouse de Rossini. Nous y trouvons aussi la moins connue strasbourgeoise Pauline Duchambge et les célèbres Fanny Mendelssohn et Clara Schumann. Un univers tinté de romances qui sied à ravir à la guitare et décore ce voyage musical avec légèreté, la main sur le cœur, comme un dialogue amoureusement subtil avec une chanteuse minaudant de tendresse. Si on peut regretter un français parfois approximatif, saluons la justesse des lieder de Fanny et Clara, chantés sur un fil, et qui prennent une couleur insoupçonnée et chatoyante de cordes pincées. Cela reste dans les malagueñas, pièces d’inspiration espagnole, de Pauline Viardot que la soprano Cristina Bay?n déploie tout son charme et nous convainc avec bonheur que la romance de l’époque romantique est un genre majeur où les compositrices ont pu exprimer tout leur talent. (Florestan de Marucaverde) The 19th century salon was a major vehicle for the spread of culture and the transmission of new artistic and literary trends in Europe, as well as being a space overtly dominated by women. Aiming to recreate the musical atmosphere of a 19th-century salon, this recording revolves around two fundamental objectives. The first, to perform music by women who, as composers, performers and hostesses, were absolute cornerstones of these spaces. Second, to perform the songs, originally accompanied by piano, with newly made guitar arrangements. The arrangements on this album have been made following a scrupulous transcription from the piano parts, retaining the harmonic essence whilst capturing the full polyphonic interplay. Several guitar effects have also been incorporated (tambora, harmonics, strumming, etc.), bringing a fresh twist to the original versions. All this contributes not only to expanding the guitar repertoire, but to the discovery of unfamiliar works. Pauline Viardot (1821–1910) was born in Paris to a highly musical Spanish family and enjoyed an illustrious career as a singer. Returning to Paris in 1870, she established one of the most important musical salons of the time. Viardot’s songs have palpable Spanish roots, and her later pieces, like ‘Caña española’, were likely influenced by her father’s compositions. María Malibrán (1808–1836), Viardot’s elder sister, is most famous as an illustrious Spanish opera diva. Isabel Colbrán (1784/5–1845) was a Spanish opera singer and the first wife of composer Gioachino Rossini. In the early years of her career, she composed 24 short Italian arias which bear a certain Rossinian stamp. That said, as those arias were written before she met Rossini, it must be queried who influenced whom. Pauline Duchambge (1778–1858) is perhaps the least known of these composers, and this album showcases a number of her songs that have never previously been recorded. A pianist, singer and guitarist, Duchambge studied composition with Cherubini and Auber, mainly composing romances on idealised romantic or historical themes (for example, ‘Celle qui voudrait m’aimer’). Fanny Hensel (1805–1847) was the elder sister of Felix Mendelssohn. Although she received a thorough musical education, Fanny’s father barred her from publishing her compositions. Several of her songs were published under Felix’s name, including ‘Die Nonne’, but she later published the set containing ‘Schwanenlied’ under her married name. She hosted the so-called ‘Musical Sundays’, soirées attended by leading artists and intellectuals of the day, including Clara and Robert Schumann, Heine, Paganini and Gounod. The life of Clara Wieck (1819–1896) was demanding, given that she had to be the bread-winner for her eight children as a concert pianist, owing to her husband Robert Schumann’s mental illness. The two lieder on this album are from Clara and Robert’s jointly published Zwölf Lieder song cycle.
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