Charles Koechlin - L'Ancienne Maison de campagne, Op. 124

Описание: Charles Koechlin (1867 - 1950) - L'Ancienne Maison de campagne, Op. 124 (1923 - 1933)

I. L'accueil de la maison [0:00]
II. D'un vieil album: 1 - Les Fiancés de 1830 [2:04]
II. D'un vieil album: 2 - Reliques de deuil [4:55]
III. Les collines, et la vie tranquille [7:04]
IV. La leçon de piano [8:51]
V. La terrasse [9:57]
VI. La vieille fontaine [10:54]
VII. Jeux [15:38]
VIII. En ramant sur le lac [16:45]
IX. Matin dans le bois [18:25]
X. La veille du départ [20:49]
XI. Promenade d'automne [25:15]
XII. La jeunesse vue du seuil de la vieillesse [28:06]

Michael Korstick, piano (2009)

Charles Koechlin's L'Ancienne Maison de campagne is a suite for solo piano typically lasting around 32 minutes. It was premiered in 1947 by Henriette Puig-Roget, though Koechlin performed parts of the suite in 1935.

Koechlin writes: "This Suite is a memory of the weeks spent in 1882 at my grandfather's property in Waedensweil, on the shore of Lake Zurich. It could be titled like the last piece: 'Youth seen from the threshold of old age'.

1. L'accueil de la maison (The reception of the house) - One of those vast houses of the past, without luxury, very simple, but comfortable, and benevolent to its guests. And it is also the evocation of the large family that it sheltered.

2. D'un vieil album (From an old album) - Rummaging in the back of the glass mahogany library, we found this album of old and fond memories.

3. Les collines, et la vie tranquille (The hills, and the quiet life) - Often, at the edge of the village, we walked along farms where we imagined the peaceful existence so much advocated by J.-J Rousseau.

4. La leçon de piano (The piano lesson) - In the shadow of the dining room, this future musician - still almost a child - works zealously on his 'mechanism' (so as not to hurt the excellent Mr. Natter, who has so much patience!) But outside, the sunbeams, it is nature, freedom, living music... And to dream then, through their arid themes, to a thousand other things than to these boring 'classical' sonatinas.

5. La terrasse (The terrace) - A century older than the family house, it was a remnant of the previous castle. A charming balcony of wrought iron let one see, through its Louis XV festoons, the lake and its fertile banks.

6. La vieille fontaine (The old fountain) - It was, up to the edge, full of deep, crystal clear and very cold water. So it made me recall, even if it was purely imaginary, the atmosphere of Pelléas et Mélisande.

7. Jeux (Games) - Barres, chat-perché, quatre coins, what else do I know? But it was so fun!

8. En ramant sur le lac (Rowing on the lake) - The little boat glided in a mirage of opal. May Fauré and Milhaud forgive me for the allusions to Les Berceaux and to Le Foir de Bordeaux.

9. Matin dans le bois (Morning in the woods) - It wasn't a big forest, but it was so thick that with the imagination of a young age, one thought he was lost in an impenetrable jungle.

10. La veille du départ (The day before the departure) - In the tender light of this end of August, lying on the grass, the too-brief hour passed by while looking up in the blue of the sky, in the distance, 'the clouds, the wonderful clouds'... And the anguish of the departure was mixed with the celestial serenity.

11. Promenade d'Automne (Autumn Stroll) - The same year, on an October afternoon, full of summer memories.

12. La jeunesse vue du seuil de la vieillesse (Youth seen from the threshold of old age) - This is the conclusion and summary of the whole suite."

(source: the score)