Sublime

Jean Françaix (1912-1997)

Françaix was a French neoclassical composer, pianist and orchestrator known for his prolific output and vibrant style. Françaix composed for various genres, and is particularly known for his chamber works for piano as well as winds.

About Francaix: 

“Françaix’s style is characterised by a certain lightness and gaiety. It always feels sophisticated, and the beautiful thing is that you can always tell it’s Françaix. Whether it’s in his homage to Schubert in his Octet (one of the best pieces of 20th century chamber music), his innovative textures in his Wind Quintets or his intimate, scurrying rhythms in his Scherzofor solo piano, he finds a way to put his stamp on what you hear.” Oliver Pashley

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
Schubert’s String Quintet in C major (the Cello Quintet’) was the final chamber work composed by Schubert- jut two months before his death. Although it is now considered among the greatest chamber works of all time, it was not performed until 1850 and was only published in 1853.

Georg Predota described it perfectly in Interlude: “The C-Major Quintet contains aspects of innocent beauty and sheer terror. It is essentially symphonic in character, simultaneously drawing on Schubert’s emotional turmoil and on universal yearnings”. 

In the words of the composer:
“My compositions spring from my sorrows. Those that give the world the greatest delight were born of my deepest griefs.”