Luigini, Alexandre (1850-1906)

[Reverie]

Luigini (of Italian descent) was born in Lyon. After studying at the Conservatoire in Paris where he won a second prize for violin, Luigini returned to Lyon and from 1872 played as a violinist in the theater orchestra, which he went on to lead, becoming conductor in 1877.

As resident conductor he was also expected to meet the compositional demands of the theatre, leading to a number of ballets, operas and orchestral suites. In 1879 he was appointed professor of harmony and composition at the Conservatory of Lyon.

In 1897 he left Lyon to take up the conductorship of the Opéra-Comique in Paris, and led a busy life until his sudden death there in 1906.

His compositions reflect his stage-orchestra background, being mostly music for ballet and opera. A love of melody and an assured grasp of bright and sparkling orchestration, often put me in mind of Moszkowski.

Ballet russe, Op.23  (1885)

5 movements:

I.   Czardas
II.  Valse lente
III. Scène
IV.  Mazurka
V.   Marche russe

LINK:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhjlgCzKCFc

[eschiss1]

Thanks!
Wrote several string quartets too, iirc. I'd be interested in hearing one of those

[Alan Howe]

Absolutely gorgeous stuff - thanks, Martin. A great tonic on a gloomy November day! It'd make a really enjoyable CD, perhaps with some further material by the composer.

[Reverie]

Thanks. It's vibrant music isn't it - full of a Franco-Italian energy

[Elgar4Ever]

We must be made aware of "Ballet égyptien" by Luigini which features themes and motifs that evoke an exotic, oriental atmosphere, characteristic of the 19th-century European fascination with Egypt. The suite comprises eight movements, each with distinct musical characteristics:
   •   Allegro non troppo and Allegretto: These movements feature lively rhythms and melodies that suggest dance and celebration.
   •   Andante sostenuto and Andantino: Slower tempos in these sections create a more contemplative and mysterious mood.
   •   Allegro con fuoco: This movement is marked by energetic and fiery passages.
   •   Finale (Andante espressivo - Allegro non troppo): Combines expressive melodies with a brisk conclusion, encapsulating the suite's structure.

Anatole Fistoulari recorded this lovely music for EMI in the 1950's. It is now coupled with music by Albert Ketelbey on a Classics For Pleasure CD, which may be out of print.

[Adrian Harrison]

Those interested in historical recordings may wish to be aware that Luigini's Ballet russe op. 23 was recorded over two session in December 1929 and April 1930 by Sir John Barbirolli and the LSO. This recording is available as part of the 109-CD set "Sir John Barbirolli The Complete Warner Recordings".

[terry martyn]

I have, and still play, the Fistoulari. It is coupled with some exquisitely-played works by Glinka.

[Gareth Vaughan]

I have the Classics for Pleasure CD and play it often.

[terry martyn]

Luigini's music is currently being played at Horseguards Parade, at the welcoming of Qatar's Emir

[pcc]

Both the Ballet russe and Luigini's later symphonic poem Carnaval turc (op. 51, dedicated to Saint-Saëns) have been recently recorded but are only on YouTube, along with an interview with enthusiastic conductor Stefano Zinetti, who leads the rather unlikely Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Università di Parma. (I didn't know any Italian universities had orchestras, especially one as ancient as Parma.) They seem to be very decent performances, but they're recorded in an astoundingly reverberant room - rather like hanging a single microphone from the top of the Albert Hall.

Ballet russe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBRUvM-iXrs
Carnaval turc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQN5Nvj6Qsg
Interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hwlk4YuInsU

Zinetti's assertion that "this music has never been recorded before" (referring to the Ballet russe) is of course untrue, as Mr. Harrison points out at once with the Barbirolli recording. (It was in the HMV catalogue for only a very short time, and I'm lucky to have the original 2-disc set.) The "Valse lente" and "Marche russe" had been recorded acoustically by Alick Maclean and the New Queen's Hall Light Orchestra for HMV in 1920, and the entire suite by Percy Fletcher and the Vocalion Company's house "Regent Symphony Orchestra" in 1924. The "Marche russe" remained popular with military bands for decades, and was recorded as early as 1908 by the Grenadier Guards band under Albert Williams for Odeon and the "National Military Band" under E. W. Seymour for Edison in 1910.

Here are the Maclean sides (he puts in a couple of repeats to flesh out the movements, as they're rather short - especially at his tempos), plus a cracking performance of the "Marche russe" by the Band of the Life Guards under Lt. W. J. Gibson, recorded for Broadcast (Vocalion) in 1929 using the at-best-functional Marconi electrical process.

"Valse lente" (Maclean) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guCtSXKGSj0
"Marche russe" (Maclean) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGKAHrfFtb4&t=52s
"Marche russe" (Gibson) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbvEWs9DeX4