#chabrier

Everyone, with joy: Ah!

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While we often consider Debussy to be the beginning of Modernism in music, I was surprised to read the Mahler considered this orchestral rhapsody to be the true beginning. Similarly, the likes of Debussy, Ravel, Satie, and Poulenc point to Chabrier as being an invaluable source of inspiration. Listening to the music, it’s easy to hear why. Chabrier did not have formal music training, and so his writing often comes off as “unidiomatic”, slight variations from the expected norm, and so freedom to work with odd phrasings, orchestrations, development, and harmonies; various aspects of music that were being challenged in the upcoming era. España was meant to reflect the excitement that Chabrier felt while taking a vacation in Spain, and this short dance is full of fun and “magic”. Spanish flavored melodies play through fun orchestral combinations, sometimes murky textures, but overall is irresistible. The evocations of guitars, castanets, la jota, marches, bustling streets, the sun, oranges...these are images that come to mind when I listen to this work. Strange to see “oranges” make the list, but it’s part of the extra-musical associations that some works give me. 

‘Ô Petite Étoile’ from Chabrier’s ‘L’étoile’

Alexandre Tharaud, Pianist 

(the first instance of this tune in the opera, for example, is in this track at 0:38)

seriously this is just irresistible