Adolphe Biarent (1871-1916)

[Peter1953]

Thanks all for your posts. But indeed, back to Biarent. Peter Senior, I think you made a point. Maybe 'genius' is too much of an honour, but... at least excellent. More than excellent. The fact is that we only know so few of what Biarent has created, but I think the works available on disc are his most impressive compositions. To my ears and IMHO not one of these works is a bit disappointing. They all show his great skills how to create changes of moods, different atmospheres, passion, tenderness. His music really speaks. It's a language, which is more than just fine music to listen to.
At this very moment I'm listening to his Symphonic Poem Trenmor. If there was a thread like 'My favourite Symphonic Poem' Biarent's Trenmor could very well be my choice. Simply a fantastic piece of music, with the constant flow of overwhelming melodies a Symphonic Poem can give us. Hardly possible to forget the main theme of this almost 16 minutes lasting masterpiece.
I love the music of Belgian composers such as Benoit, DeBoeck, Lekeu, Ryelandt and Tinel, but Biarent has surpassed these fine composers with his well-crafted music of exceptional quality... again, in my opinion. Yes, I'm very impressed.

[kyjo]

Thanks for getting back to Biarent, Peter. I find the late-romantic period in Belgium to be fascinating and Biarent (along with Meulemanans, Ryelandt, Van Hoof, Benoit, De Boeck, and Lekeu) was one its prime exponents.

[Alan Howe]

I find the late-romantic period in Belgium to be fascinating and Biarent...was one its prime exponents.

Perhaps you could expand on your statement and tell us why...

[kyjo]

Sorry if this isn't good enough, but the late-romantic period in Belgium is fascinating to me because there are so many composers, all unsung, which (as much as I have heard) wrote music that deserves to be played more often. Biarent was a prime exponent of this time and place because he wrote music of great substance and emotion, like Peter1953 points out.

[joachim]

For those who are interested, here are some of its catalog with regard to orchestral music and chamber music


Œuvres

Musique d'orchestre

Fingal, ouverture 1894
Impressions du soir 1897
Œdipe à Colone, cantate pour soli, chœurs et orchestre 1901
Trenmor, poème symphonique 1905
Symphonie en ré mineur 1908
Sonnet pour violon et orchestre : Le Réveil d'un Dieu (d'après José-Maria de Heredia) 1909
Sonnet pour violoncelle et orchestre : Floridum Mare, d'après José-Maria de Heredia 1910
La Légende de l'amour et de la mort 1910
Marche triomphale 1910
Trois mélodies pour chant et orchestre : Au long de la Sambre - Coin de terre - La Fête au bois 1911
Poème héroïque, d'après Hjalmar de Leconte de Lisle 1911
Contes d'Orient, suite symphonique 1911
Rhapsodie wallonne, pour piano et orchestre 1911


Musique de chambre

Sonnet, pour piano 1904
Sérénade, pour piano 1904
Esquisses, trois pièces pour piano
Nocturne, pour piano 1905
Feuille d'Album et Nocturne pour piano 1905
Nocturne, pour chant, harmonium, piano, harpe et cor 1905
Quintette, en ré mineur, pour piano et cordes 1912
Douze préludes Moyen-Age, pour piano 1913
Sonate, pour violoncelle et piano 1914
Huit mélodies, pour mezzo-soprano et piano

[Biarent]

As the member with the same name as the subject of this thread, perhaps I should weigh in with a comment.  To me, Biarent's music reminds me most of the music of Franck, Dukas, and most especially, d'Indy.  I would say that his d minor symphony is my favorite French symphony, except that he is Belgian, leaving d'Indy's second in Bb major as my favorite French symphony.  I personally like his cello sonata more than any other that I have heard (including Barber's and the two by Faure).

I don't think there is anything wrong with having a style that shows influence from the styles of other composers.  Few would argue against the opinion that Brahms is a genius.  Yet, Brahms owes his style to others as well, particularly to Schumann (who, incidentally, is indebted to Schubert as his inspiration for much of his Lieder output).

It is too bad to hear that the CD with his symphony is out of print.  I wish his music would be performed and recorded more often as it is certainly a delight to hear.  I obviously love it.

[DennisS]

I would like to say that I too am an admirer of Adolphe Biarent. I have had the CD of Contes D'Orient (coupled with Poème héroïque and Rapsodie wallonne) for quite some time and frequently listen to Contes D'Orient, which I really like - I have a particular liking for classical music works with an oriental(or exotic) flavour and this work certainly delivers in this respect. The work, a suite in 12 parts lasting some 37 minutes, is full of colourful ,rhythmic melodies of inspired invention and is a real joy. Members have already stated that Biarent was influenced by Franck, D'Indy, Wagner and Debussy amongst others, but it is interesting to note that he was also influenced by Berlioz and Richard Strauss. I also like the other main work on this CD, Rapsodie Wallonne, (a PC in all but name, as has already been stated on the forum) and draws its inspiration from a number of Walloon melodies and is structured along the lines of D'Indy's Symphonie sur un chant montagnard. A very impressive work it is too! I have since tried to obtain the CD of his symphony but sadly the single CD is no longer available - I do not want to buy the Liège Philharmonique box set of 50 CDs. Perhaps it will be re-issued? Could members of the forum who know this symphony give me some idea of what it is like. Thank you.

[Biarent]

Could members of the forum who know this symphony give me some idea of what it is like. Thank you.

Dennis,

The symphony is very well balanced and economical in a manner similar to Parry's fifth symphony.  The first movement is dark and foreboding, and the chorale theme is heard in the minor.  The middle two movements are very short, and the third movement is orchestrated particularly colorfully.  The finale is almost half the length of the whole symphony, and starts off with a menacing theme similar to Night on Bare Mountain.  During the course of the movement, the skies gradually clear.  After several episodes with the chorale theme, we are finally brought into D major and, but not before hearing a few Straussian flourishes, are rewarded with a very grand and handsome conclusion.

I hope you can get your hands on this as you will probably enjoy the piece.  It is one of my favorites.

Brian

[DennisS]

Many thanks Brian for your very informative description of the symphony. It has whetted my appetite! I am very pleased to say that I am getting a copy of the symphony and am eagerly awaiting its arrival.

[Tapiola]

Hi everyone!

I'm curious about both the symphony and Trenmor. Can someone share a copy in MP3 of those works?

Many thanks in advance!!!

[Mark Thomas]

Hi, and welcome to UC. I can't help but sound plonking in saying this, but we don't share commercial recordings here, even if they are long deleted. If there are non-commercial recordings of these works (radio broadcasts, say), then that's fine, but piracy is off the agenda.

[eschiss1]

Was wondering about the publication status: it seems his cello sonata was (first?) published in 1979, and other works on these recordings may still be in manuscript...
(That's a tangent. I've heard several of the recordings- or one several times?- going back to college days, iirc- not often though. Good memories.)

[Tapiola]

Hi, and welcome to UC. I can't help but sound plonking in saying this, but we don't share commercial recordings here, even if they are long deleted. If there are non-commercial recordings of these works (radio broadcasts, say), then that's fine, but piracy is off the agenda.

Not problem, I understand  . So, does anyone have broadcasts of these works that can be shared? Thanks again!