Paul Lacombe was born in Carcassonne, a hilltop town in southern France's Languedoc area. His family were wealthy linen merchants and consequently he was given the best tuition available in the area.
Lacombe was an admirer of the music of Georges Bizet, particularly the opera The Pearl Fishers. In 1866 he began a correspondence with Bizet and asked him to help with his composition. Bizet accepted, and for two years, from 1866 to 1868, compositional advice and corrections were exchanged via post. Bizet wrote to Lacombe in 1867 encouraging him to write a symphonic work. Lacombe produced the Ouverture symphonique, Op. 22, which was premiered in 1876, a performance Bizet never heard due to his untimely death the previous year.
Though Lacombe's music was well appreciated among fellow composers and musicians, it never gained a widespread popularity - this was largely a result of his unwillingness to leave his hometown of Carcassonne for Paris. He was a prolific composer with more than 150 works, a large volume of piano music, concertante works, chamber music and some 120 songs, many of which still remain in manuscript.
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 34 (1882)
The opening horn melody serves as an Idee Fixe throughout the whole symphony.
(https://i.postimg.cc/mZwj9Yhr/Theme.jpg)
The work is in four movements. 1.Allegro 2.Adagio 3.Allegro Vivo (Scherzo) 4.Allegro Con Moto
LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GIrlboXS0w
This looks intriguing. I'm greatly looking forward to listening to it.
I had to check whether it was him or Louis Lacombe, but yes, it's Paul Lacombe whose chamber music is beginning to be recorded lately, judging from mentions on the Rec&Broadcasts forum. I'd been wondering about his symphonies, so thanks.
...now available from Dutton: https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7413
Rapsodie sur des airs du Pays d'Oc, Op. 128 (1906)
Suite for piano and orchestra, Op. 52 (1890)
Concerto for horn and orchestra (ca. 1875)
(edited by Martin Yates - 2021)
Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 34 (1878–1881)
(World Premiere Recordings)
Victor Sangiorgio (piano)
Peter Francomb French (horn)
BBC Concert Orchestra
conducted by
Martin Yates
Lacombe's Symphony No.2 in D major (1878-1881) is a very beautiful work of no mean power, just under half an hour in length and, on first hearing, would seem to be a major addition to the French symphonic tradition - certainly on a par with, say, Lalo's much more well-known essay in the form. The booklet notes tell us that the work hints at cyclical form and that César Franck was enthusiastic about it.
I'd be suprised if this doesn't turn out to be one of my discoveries of 2024. Do buy this recording - it's superbly done! Kudos to Martin Yates!
Very pleased to see the Suite here, which I suggested to Mike Spring alongside a couple more concertante works by Lacombe some years ago.
I'd heard good things about Lacombe, and have listened to some of his shorter works, so this is a good opportunity to try some more major works out for myself. I suspect I will be well rewarded for doing so!
Dutton won't sell directly to Spain, and I am having to wait until Presto or jpc list it. Other Amazon offerings are pricy.
As far as I can see Dutton do ship to Europe. Why not send them an email if you are having problems? - info@duttonvocalion.co.uk
Thanks,Alan. I have sent them an email, on the offchance that they might ship to me. If they tell me that they certainly don't ship to Spain, then I will report back.
This is the link to their shipping page: https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/shipping.php
Simon from Dutton has confirmed that I could,in theory,buy it, but I would be liable to VAT in Spain. He advises against a direct purchase, and suggests that I get someone to courier it over from the UK. I have also read the shipping notes, which hint of considerable delays on arrival in Spain. All this accords with experiences I had in trying to obtain Dutton CDs during lockdown. I do not intend to repeat them,and will just have to wait for Presto or jpc,or,eventually, to bite the bullet of a more expensive Amazon purchase with the certainty of delivery.
Amazon are now listing it:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lacombe-Concerto-Symphony-Hybrid-Multi-Channel/dp/B0CX6DKTD7/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1O9GC25P4CT6B&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.K8v1Nc1cAH8c4jJZVryjA0fGDmR1VNBZbo7XH77IWdTBcEGviUHbsU6KeCtxHyjGDl0EtbUXogSAblaHuFY0lIt2yfciAKZrQfZs974ZTIY.DrUWGEAwEeq9T7qbN323DfSYF87eweqNkeob3mV7USU&dib_tag=se&keywords=lacombe&qid=1711480089&s=music&sprefix=lacombe%2Cclassical%2C227&sr=1-1
Amazon.de/.nl/.fr/.es however, are not. Personally, I'd wait until JPC gets it.
Oops! I see that Amazon.de does list the CD.
Trouble is, you end up checking websites every day...
The Lacombe eventually found its way to me, together with volume 6 of Dario Salvi's Auber series. I am finding it difficult to get to grips with the Lacombe and will have to play it a few more times. It does remind me of Franck's later work,rather thsn the Lalo. Nothing is sticking in my mind yet.
By way of contrast,the Auber,recently reviewed,I believe,on Musicweb, is highly attractive and,in my view,the best of the series so far. I admire the way he has used various well-known pieces by Mozart in the Don Juan Divertissement (I have to say that the String Quartet No 15 was new to me) to "catch the moment" in the opera,composed only a dozen or so years before the Lacombe. The disc is nearly an hour and a half in length and shows Auber's approachability and lightness of touch. Plenty of melodies are finding their mark already.
Listening to Lacombe's symphony, I was continually reminded of Rabaud's later E minor symphony (1900) in terms of atmosphere, although I consider that a more ambitious and stronger work. The main theme from the first movement, which returns at the end, is perhaps a bit banale, but it is used well. I find it a charming, far from earth-shattering work that certainly has its moments and thrills. Something similar can be said of both the piano suite and the horn concerto. Perhaps the most striking work on this CD is the unashamedly exhilarating Rhapsody on themes from the Pays d'Oc.
From the evidence here, Lacombe shows himself to be an accomplished provincial composer; audibly remote from the musical center, not given to grand statements, but also with talent and charm.
There's also some other recordings of his music, including one of his 3 piano trios. Anyhow, thanks for the review :)
There's always room for composers like Lacombe. They may not hit the heights, but they always give pleasure.
I agree entirely. This exists in the same realm as, for instance, the Gouvy symphonies. No pompous and grandiose claims to be universe-encompassing, but really good fun.
Actually, I think Gouvy's a more important figure, but I agree, yes.
On the page of Martin Walsh's recreation of the Lacombe symphony, someone berated Martin for taking the trouble to do so and not restricting himself to lengthy Germanic stuff. I am aware that I am praying to the converted here, but that comment exuded exactly the kind of superior mentality that this forum, to me at least, exists to rail against. I really admire the scope of Martin's efforts (and those of Thomas Palojärvi and many others) to unveil the richness of the romantic musical world to us.
I agree 100%.