Paris (1884-1959)

Description

After dedicating himself particularly to the Germanic romantic repertoire, Florian Billot chooses the new rise of French music that responds to it. With Paris (1884-1959), his first record recorded with Aparté, he offers us the soul of the city of which he is the pure musical fruit. (Florian Billot joined in 2002 the great institution common to almost all composers of the repertoire of this record, the Conservatoire de Paris). All "Parisians" in their art, Franck, Debussy, Dutilleux, Ravel, and Poulenc are part of the actors of musical avant-gardism, praising French refinement. From the romanticism of the Prélude, Choral & Fugue by César Franck, to the brightness and sensory appeal of L'Isle joyeuse by Claude Debussy - inspired by Watteau's painting "L'embarquement pour Cythère" - through the clarity of the writing of Henri Dutilleux's Sonata, Florian Billot leads us to a gem of French musical writing, clear and introspective: Pavane pour une infante défunte by Maurice Ravel, and then closes this record with Improvisation n°15 "Hommage à Edith Piaf" by Francis Poulenc, a warm tribute from one of the figures of the famous Groupe des six to his friend Piaf. Florian Billot offers us an interpretation with a subtle and enveloping musical palette, reflecting the colors of Parisian life at the beginning of the 20th century.