Customer Reviews

Casadesus: Toccata Op.40, Violin Sonata No.2, Wind Sextet Op.58, etc.

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Nice family reunion: husband, wife and son Robert, Gaby and Jean Casadesus gather to play the compositions of papa, joined by good friends (Zino Francescati in the Violin & Piano Sonata, Pierre Dervaux conducting the Orchestre des Concerts Colonne in the Concerto for 3 pianos, a team of French "souffleurs" in the Wind Sextet). Recordings made between 1949 (Sonata, dry sonics but acceptable) and 1966 (Concerto - fine stereo separation between the pianos). The 1950 recording of the Mediterranean Dances for 2 pianos affords good, clear sound, better than the 1954 Toccata which is a bit distant. But there is nothing that hampers enjoyment of the music.

The music ? Entertaining, but not very distinctive nor substantial. Very "esprit français", neo-classical (souvenirs of Rameau), colorful and boisterous (try the Spanish finale, "presto Spaguolo", of the Concerto), mostly light-hearted and bouncy with slow movements of wistful dreaminess. Poulenc (but without the unique colors and melodic inflexions), Chabrier, Debussy's Suite Bergmasque come to mind.

The interpretations can be nothing less than authoritative.

The music of Robert Casadesus does have a decent representation in the catalogue, and I suppose it does deserve it - nothing here is even remotely a masterpiece, but it is generally well-crafted and well worth a listen. The style is a rather playful but slightly abrasively dissonant neo-classicism, containing several interesting ideas always spelled out with enough color to sustain interest, at least for a listen or two. No one is going to make any great claims for the Toccata or the Three Mediterranean Dances, although the latter are enjoyable enough (performances are pretty good, sound quality is flat and distant in the 1954 recording of the Toccata, fine and clear mono in the 1950 dances), but the second sonata for violin and piano gives us more substantial fare - this is, in fact, an inventive and skillfully written work well worth getting to know, and Francescatti and Casadesus are probably ideal interpreters. The sextet is playful and entertaining but rather shallow, but again the interpretations are probably authorative. The Concerto is modestly exciting with enough twists and turns and colors to sustain interest, and again the performances are spirited and lively, although the 1966 recording isn't the best - nicely balanced but with little depth. All in all, this is a quite worthwhile disc and probably an ideal sampler for the music of an interesting but hardly great composer.