Paul Lacombe (composer)
Paul Lacombe (11 July 1837 – 4 June 1927) was a Languedocien (French) composer and pianist.
Biography
[edit]Paul Lacombe was born in Carcassonne into a wealthy family of linen merchants. Initial music lessons were at the piano with his mother and he later studied voice, fugue, harmony and counterpoint with François Teysseyre[1] (1821–1887), an alumnus of the Conservatoire de Paris who opened the first music school in Carcassonne in 1851.[2][3][4]
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. A real friendship developed between the two as Bizet realized the enthusiasm of his student.[3] In 1871, Lacombe was a founding member of the Société Nationale de Musique. Bizet promoted Lacombe's music among his Parisian peers, and was responsible for a performance of Lacombe's Violin Sonata, Op. 8, by Pablo de Sarasate and Élie-Miriam Delaborde. Having shown excellent compositional control in a study for quartet, 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.[3] Lacombe went on to write Suite pastorale, Op. 31 (1878), a work praised by Édouard Lalo, and two Prix-de-la-société-des-compositeurs-winning symphonies: No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 30 (1879) and No. 3 in A, Op. 48 (1887). Due to efforts made by Bizet, his music was played regularly at the Concerts Colonne and Pasdeloup.[3]
Though Lacombe's music was well appreciated among fellow composers and musicians, it never gained a widespread popularity as he was not willing to leave his hometown of Carcassonne for Paris.[3] A prolific composer with more than 150 works, his only significant popular success came in 1890 with the Aubade printanière, Op. 37. Throughout he retained a sense of classical form and melody, but explored contemporary (i.e. Impressionistic) harmonies in his later works.[5] His compositional style presents, aside from its clean and solid craftsmanship, an amiable and appealing character, but with no particular originality.[4] In addition to symphonic works, Lacombe composed a large volume of piano music, concertante works, chamber music and some 120 songs, many of which remain in manuscript.[4] Recordings of his three piano trios, and the Méditation pour violon et piano, Op 124 of 1906, were released on the Dutton Epoch label in 2021.[6]
In 1901, Lacombe was appointed under the sponsorship of Camille Saint-Saëns to the Académie des Beaux-Arts, who awarded him the Prix Chartier for his chamber music in 1887. He was made a Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur in 1902.[3]
Lacombe died in Carcassonne in 1927. In 1929, the city erected a monument in his memory on the street that bears his name, and honored him in June 1984 through a major exhibition and concert.
Paul Lacombe has sometimes been confused with fellow composer Paul Lacôme d'Estalenx (1838–1920).[7] Some of Lacôme's scores, including in operettas La fille de l'air and Les quatre filles Aymon, were published as composed by "Paul Lacombe".
Selected works
[edit]- Orchestral
- Ouverture symphonique, Op. 22 (1876)
- Symphony No. 1 in B♭ minor, Op. 30 (1879); awarded Prix de la Société des compositeurs in 1879
- Suite pastorale, Op. 31 (1878)
- Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 34 (1882)
- Ouverture dramatique
- Aubade printanière, Op. 37 (1884)
- Sérénade catalane, Op. 39 (published 1890)
- Intermède-Gavotte, Op. 43 (1880)
- Ronde languedocienne for chamber orchestra, Op. 44 (1884); also for piano
- Sérénade d'automne for string orchestra, Op. 47 (1887)
- Symphony No. 3 in A, Op. 48 (1887); awarded Prix de la Société des compositeurs in 1887
- Scène au camp, Op. 49 (1886)
- Marche élégiaque, Op. 50 (1892)
- Parade hongroise, Op. 53 (1892); also for piano
- Promenade sous bois, Op. 54 (1892); also for piano
- Aubade aux mariés, Op. 56 (1892)
- Chanson gasconne, Op. 60 (1893); also for piano
- Sous le balcon (Beneath the Balcony), Sérénade for chamber orchestra, Op. 62 (1893)
- Printemps joyeux, Op. 67; also for piano
- Ballade: Impressions d'avril (1895)
- Intermède for string orchestra, Op. 74 (1895)
- Sous les étoiles, Marche-Nocturne for chamber orchestra, Op. 78 (1896); also for piano
- Rapsodie sur des airs du pays d'Oc in E major, Op. 128 (1906)
- Dernière aubade, Op. 137 (1910); also for piano
- Marche dernière, Op. 150 (1918)
- Dialogue sentimental, Op. 151 (1917); also for piano
- Cortège religieux in E major
- Concertante
- Divertissement for piano and orchestra, Op. 40 (1885); awarded Prix de la Société des compositeurs in 1885
- Sérénade d'automne for flute, oboe, string orchestra and horn (ad libitum), Op. 47 (1891)
- Rapsodie for violin and orchestra, Op. 51 (1891); also for violin and piano
- Suite for piano and orchestra, Op. 52 (1896)
- L'amour for cello and chamber orchestra, Op. 77
- Concerto en ré for piano and orchestra
- Concerto No. 2 for piano and orchestra
- Chamber music
- Sonata No. 1 in A minor for violin and piano, Op. 8 (1868)
- 3 Morceaux de fantaisie for cello and piano, Op. 10
- Piano Trio No. 1 in G major, Op. 12 (1870)
- 4 Morceaux for violin and piano, Op. 14
- Sonata No. 2 in F minor for violin and piano, Op. 17 (c.1873)
- 3 Airs de ballet for violin or cello and piano
- Rapsodie for violin and piano (or orchestra), Op. 51 (1891)
- Berceuse for violin and piano, Op. 77 (1895)
- Suite No. 2, 4 Morceaux for violin and piano, Op. 88 (1897)
- Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 90 (1898)
- Sérénade humoristique, Trio for violin, cello and piano, Op. 93 (1898)
- Sonata No. 3 for violin and piano, Op. 98
- Sonata for cello and piano, Op. 100 (1902)
- Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 101 (1904)
- 6 Pièces for violin and piano, Op. 107
- Méditation for violin and piano, Op. 124 (1906)
- Aubade à Ninon for violin and piano, Op. 125
- Morceau de fantaisie in D major for viola and piano, Op. 133 (1909)
- Piano Trio No. 3 in A minor, Op. 134 (1909)
- Chanson d'Espagne for cello and piano, Op. 142
- Piano
- Remembrance, Op. 3
- Absence et retour, 2 Romances sans paroles, Op. 5
- 5 Morceaux caractéristiques, Op. 7 (1966)
- 4 Pièces for piano 4-hands, Op. 9 (1869)
- 2 Idylles: Caprice chromatique et gavotte, Op. 11 (1869)
- Nocturne et Impromptu, Op. 13
- Suite No. 1 in A minor, Op. 15
- Arabesques, Op. 16
- Études en forme de variations, Op. 18 (1875)
- Caprice-Polka in E♭ major, Op. 21 (1876)
- 5 Feuilles d'album, Op. 23 (1876)
- Ballade, Op. 24
- 2 Impromptus, Op. 26
- Aquarelles, 4 Pièces faciles, Op. 27
- Esquisses et souvenirs, Fantaisies en forme de valses, Op. 28 (1878)
- Élégies, Op. 32
- 6 Études, Op. 33 (1880)
- 3 Airs de ballet, Op. 35
- Nocturne et valse lent, Op. 36
- Aubade printanière, Op. 37 (1884); also orchestrated
- Intermède de concert, Op. 38 (1887)
- Valse, Op. 41
- Ronde languedocienne, Op. 44 (1884); also orchestrated
- Impromptu No. 4, Op. 46
- Marche élégiaque, Op. 50
- Parade hongroise, Op. 53 (1892); also orchestrated
- Promenade sous bois in F major, Op. 54 (1892); also orchestrated
- Laendler, Op. 55
- Intimités, Op. 57
- Chanson gasconne, Op. 60 (1893); also orchestrated
- 2 Valses, Op. 61
- Suite No. 2, Op. 64 (1894)
- Printemps joyeux, Op. 67; also orchestrated
- Impromptu No. 5, Op. 71
- Danse basque à cinq temps, Op. 72 (1895)
- 2 Pièces, Op. 74 (1895)
- Sous les étoiles, Marche-nocturne, Op. 78 (1896); also orchestrated
- Pages improvisées, Op. 79 (1896)
- Suite No. 3, Op. 80 (1896)
- Promenade matinale, Op. 81 (1896)
- Toccatina in A major, Op. 85 (1897)
- Adoration, Op. 86
- Valse, Op. 91
- Valse humoresque, Op. 95 (1898)
- Vieux airs (1899)
- Petite valse, Op. 102 (1900)
- Prélude et étude de concert, Op. 105 (1903)
- 4 Études à Francis Planté, Op. 109 (1903)
- Danse d'Aïnhara, Airs du pays basque, Op. 110
- Feuilles volantes, Pièces brèves, Op. 112 (1904)
- 6 Morceaux de danse en forme de mazurka, Op. 114 (1905)
- Impromptu No. 6, Op. 118
- Suite de valses, Op. 120 (1906)
- 2 Romances sans paroles, Op. 126
- Aria et sarabande, Op. 130
- Dernière aubade, Op. 137 (1910); also orchestrated
- Petits préludes, Op. 140 (1911)
- Marche dernière, Op. 150 (1917)
- Dialogue sentimental, Op. 151 (1917); also orchestrated
- Impromptu No. 7
- Petite suite (1921)
- Vocal
- Les crépuscules for voice and piano; words by Charles Fuster (1866–1929)
- Bruyère jolie for voice and piano (1894); words by J. Dejean
- Les ailes du rêve for voice and piano (1897); words by Charles Fuster
- La chanson des cigales, Petits poèmes chantés for 3 female voices; words by Marguerite de Baure
- Nuit d'été, Duo for soprano and mezzo-soprano (1902); words by Marguerite de Baure
- Aubade for voice and piano; words by Jean Lahor
- Aubade printanière for voice and piano
Sources
[edit]- Paul Lacombe website: Société des Amis de Paul Lacombe (in French)
- Fétis, François-Joseph (1880). Biographie universelle des musiciens et bibliographie générale de la musique, Supplément et Complément, Tome 2. Paris: Firmin-Didot et Cie. p. 58. (in French)
- Martial Andrieu (2013). Paul Lacombe, le testament musical d'un grand symphoniste français. Musique et patrimoine.
References
[edit]- ^ Martial, Andrieu (2013). Paul Lacombe, le testament musical d'un grand symphoniste français. Musique et patrimoine. ISBN 9782954328201.
- ^ Theodore Baker and Alfred Remy, ed. (1919). "Lacombe Paul". Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians (3rd ed.). p. 501.
- ^ a b c d e f Andrieu, Martial. Société des Amis de Paul Lacombe: Biographie Archived 2013-11-13 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 17 September 2012. (in French)
- ^ a b c Ferchault, Guy. "Lacombe, Paul". Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart, Barenreiter Kassel – Basel, 1960, pp. 39-40. (in German)
- ^ Mathews, William Smythe Babcock (1901). "Symphony Since Beethoven". Music: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Art, Science, Technic and Literature of Music, Volume 19, November 1900 to April 1901. Chicago: Music Magazine Publishing Company. pp. 98–99.
- ^ Dutton Epoch CDLX7388 (2021), reviewed at MusicWeb International
- ^ Fauser, Annegret; Everist, Mark, eds. (2009). Music, Theater, and Cultural Transfer: Paris, 1830-1914. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. p. 321. ISBN 9780226239286. Retrieved September 18, 2012.