Chevalier de Saint Georges

One of the more flamboyant characters in Paris in the latter half of the 19th century, Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de St. George (1739?-1799) was known as a championship fencer and a brilliant violinist. It is not a surprise then that his violin concertos exhibit a swaggering solo part. What you won't find is much motivic development. What you will discover are gorgeous melodies, lots of them. Although they populate all his work, they especially saturate his lyrical middle movements, one of which appears to be the basis for the haunting oboe theme from the popular BBC series, "Foyle's War".

A brilliant swordsman, athlete, violin virtuoso and composer, Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges might well lay claim to being the most talented figure in an age of remarkable individuals. The string quartet was still in its infancy in France in the 1770s, but while these pieces are small in scale they are exceptionally rewarding. Saint-Georges appreciated the intimate nature of this genre, avoiding overt soloistic virtuosity and exploring chamber music timbres, amply demonstrating his rich lyrical gifts and a natural ability to delight performers and audiences alike.

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, possessed a panoply of talents – leading swordsman, athlete, virtuoso violinist, composer and musical director – so it is not surprising that by the standards of his age he was not especially prolific. Nevertheless, Saint-Georges’ violin concertos demonstrate a gift for writing attractive and engaging music as well as a virtuoso technique with which to dazzle audiences, not least in his own performances. Published in pairs, the concertos recorded here show his originality of expression, his command of structure and a bravura exploitation of the violin’s higher register.