Wiki for a context: "Darius Milhaud wrote the Suite Francaise in 1944 on commission from the publisher, Leeds Music Corporation, as part of a contemplated series of original works for band by outstanding contemporary composers. His first extended work for winds, Suite Francaise was premiered by the Goldman Band in 1945. The composer provided the following notes about the Suite: The five parts of this suite are named after French provinces, the very ones in which the American and Allied armies fought together with the French underground for the liberation of my country - Normandy, Brittany, Ile-de-France (of which Paris is the center), Alsace-Lorraine, and Provence. I used some folk tunes of the provinces. I wanted the young Americans to hear the popular melodies of those parts of France where their fathers and brothers fought to defeat the German invaders who in less than seventy years have brought war, destruction, cruelty, torture, and murder, three times, to the peaceful and democratic people of France. --James Huff 23:15, March 28, 2007 (EDT) (from the program notes of The Claremont Winds, submitted with permission)" ... it may have been for WWII, but I always thought it was a long-delayed answer to Holst, Williams, et al. , and the challenge of writing good music for wind bands which the Brit composers took up a quarter century earlier than this...
First time hearing a a recording of this musical group. I enjoyed the recording & arrangement. Somewhat different in places, but good. All, in all a very well performed piece.
Lead alto player is a hot dog…..doesn’t care about balance in an ensemble….only about his own sound. The rest of the ensemble is spot on, and Reynish is an excellent conductor. I’ve played under his baton in the past.
I wouldn't be too inclined to blame the player. I agree the alto sax is way too prominent, but given that it's like that throughout, I'm more inclined to think that it's a deliberate choice (a bad one) by the producer not the player or conductor.
I played the fir US performance of this great piece on flute and piccolo with the NJ Allstate band,conducted by Frederick Fennell and the composer was in the audience, I have the original recording as well. Jean( Miller ) Antrim-www.howtobuyaflute.com
I. Normandie 0:00
II. Bretange 1:43
III. Ile de France 5:57
IV. Alsace-Lorraine 7:55
V. Provence 12:04
thanks
Not all heroes wear capes
Using these stamps for an assignment.
Figure 1. 0:00
Figure 2, 3, 4. 1:43
Figure 5, 6. 5:57
Figure 7. 7:55
Figure 8. 8:47
Figure 10. 12:04
Figure 11. 12:30
Figure 12. 13:10
As an alto saxophonist, gotta love Alsace-Lorraine (Mov't 4)
Oh boy, Alsace-Lorraine hits right in the feels. I feel like this piece could/should have ended there.
Wiki for a context:
"Darius Milhaud wrote the Suite Francaise in 1944 on commission from the publisher, Leeds Music Corporation, as part of a contemplated series of original works for band by outstanding contemporary composers. His first extended work for winds, Suite Francaise was premiered by the Goldman Band in 1945. The composer provided the following notes about the Suite:
The five parts of this suite are named after French provinces, the very ones in which the American and Allied armies fought together with the French underground for the liberation of my country - Normandy, Brittany, Ile-de-France (of which Paris is the center), Alsace-Lorraine, and Provence. I used some folk tunes of the provinces. I wanted the young Americans to hear the popular melodies of those parts of France where their fathers and brothers fought to defeat the German invaders who in less than seventy years have brought war, destruction, cruelty, torture, and murder, three times, to the peaceful and democratic people of France.
--James Huff 23:15, March 28, 2007 (EDT) (from the program notes of The Claremont Winds, submitted with permission)"
... it may have been for WWII, but I always thought it was a long-delayed answer to Holst, Williams, et al. , and the challenge of writing good music for wind bands which the Brit composers took up a quarter century earlier than this...
Suite francaise
Thank you for the education. I like to learn the back stories to help me connect to the piece
First time hearing a a recording of this musical group. I enjoyed the recording & arrangement. Somewhat different in places, but good. All, in all a very well performed piece.
Great piece of music this is. Performed mvts 1, 3 and 4 last night at with the school wind symphony, loved it!
I did the whole thing, similarly (long ago...) with the school band. Have the same 'great' feeling after all these years...
Maravillosa versión.
Me encanta , yo lo tengo en discos de 78 pre. Genial
Lead alto player is a hot dog…..doesn’t care about balance in an ensemble….only about his own sound. The rest of the ensemble is spot on, and Reynish is an excellent conductor. I’ve played under his baton in the past.
I wouldn't be too inclined to blame the player. I agree the alto sax is way too prominent, but given that it's like that throughout, I'm more inclined to think that it's a deliberate choice (a bad one) by the producer not the player or conductor.
1:08
I love this recording so much but that sax at the end of Alsace-Lorraine is just insufferable
E-flat clarinet is a toughie on this piece.
same with flute, movement 5 is killer
Good grief, that first alto sax player must have a microphone stuffed in his bell.
3:20
I played the fir US performance of this great piece on flute and piccolo with the NJ Allstate band,conducted by Frederick Fennell
and the composer was in the audience, I have the original recording as well.
Jean( Miller ) Antrim-www.howtobuyaflute.com