Albéric Magnard (1865-1914) was born in Paris to wealthy parents. His father François Magnard was a bestselling author and editor of the Paris newspaper Le Figaro. After military service and graduating from law school, he entered the Paris Conservatoire, where he studied counterpoint with Théodore Dubois, Jules Massenet and Vincent d'Indy. Magnard's musical output numbered only 22 works with opus numbers. Larger compositions such as symphonies were his main area of interest, however, he did write a piano trio, this string quartet and some instrumental sonatas. Magnard's musical style is typical of French composers contemporaneous to him, but occasionally, there are passages that foreshadow the music of Gustav Mahler. Magnard's use of cyclical form was influenced by César Franck
His Quintet for Piano and Winds dates from 1894. It is a big work painted a broad canvas. The first movement, Sombre, shows the influence of Debussy as well as some of the lush tonalities of the late Romantics. Beginning almost in mid-phrase, it is anything but somber. Rather it is light and impassioned. There is considerable tension, including a fugal section in the middle before the movement calmly concludes. The second movement Tendre, on the other hand is somber, beginning with a long meditative duo between the clarinet and the piano. The Leger, which follows, fulfills the function of a scherzo and trio, sounding as if written by a latter day French Mendelssohn, beginning at first in a spooky mood before brightening. The finale, Joyeux, begins resolutely and sound almost like battle music, making a boisterous and triumphant conclusion to the work.
Virtually impossible to obtain for many years, we are pleased to make this first class quartet available once more. It should certainly be on the list of repertoire of works for winds and piano.
