le Mans

Jean Françaix declared motto of always having aimed to create "musique pour faire plaisir" partially conceals the great variability and frequent inscrutability of the music created by this composer, born in Le Mans in 1912. Françaix succeeded in finding and consolidating his own style at an early stage and became known almost overnight in 1932: According to the critic Heinrich Strobel, this work communicated the impression of "fresh water gushing forth from the source with the elegant originality of all natural elements and at the same time appears as the creation of an artist with a clarity and awareness seldom observed in our time." He retained his mastery of composition which effervesced with ingenious ideas and musical humour and his ability to combine musical grace and irony up to an advanced age. 2012 sees the 100th birthday of Jean Françaix. In an anniversary box, WERGO has compiled selected works from original recordings (CDs and LP from our program), showing the wide range of music by the French composer and pianist.

Les Blaireaux sont un groupe de chanson française originaire de Lille. Leurs spectacles oscillent entre humour et émotion, avec une mise en scène très poussée. On les compare souvent aux Frères Jacques, à Brel ou à Renaud.
Le groupe a cessé ses activités depuis 2013 mais certains de ses membres sont apparus sur scène pour quelques rares représentations depuis.

Born in Geneva, Pierre Wissmer (1915-1992) studied music at the Conservatory of his native city, before leaving for Paris in 1935 where he first worked with Roger-Ducasse, then Daniel-Lesur with whom he perfected his skills. Parallel to his creative career, the musician carried out substantial pedagogical activity which led him to teach musical writing, orchestration and composition at the Schola Cantorum (Paris), the Le Mans Conservatory where he became the director, and the Geneva Conservatory of Music. Similar to Aloÿs Fornerod or Jean Dupérier, he is one of the French-speaking Swiss musicians resolutely committed to France, and in his own way, profoundly influenced by Fauré, Debussy, Ravel or Roussel.

Considered one of the most charismatic and passionate violinists of the current music scene, Ara Malikin has just turned 50 years. “El Viaje de un violin” (A Violin’s Journey) is a thrilling voyage through his best recordings of the early years, between 2002 and 2007.