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Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Violin Concertos
Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, Helmut Müller-Brühl, Cologne Chamber Orchestra
Chevalier de Saint-Georges: Violin Concertos
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (9) - Disc #1


     
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CD Reviews

Delightful music by a little known contemporary of Mozart
05/27/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a delightful disc of music by a little known composer of the late 18th century. Joseph Boulogne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, was, by all accounts, a remarkable individual. His father was a wealthy, upper class French plantation owner and parliamentarian, and his mother a black slave from Guadeloupe of Senegalese descent. In a remarkable age, St.-Georges was one if its most remarkable individuals, as he was an athlete, swordsman, huntsman, military commander, violinist and conductor, as well as a composer. He premiered the six "Paris" symphonies of Haydn, and was known in his day as the "black Mozart". It is amazing that in an era not known for its racial tolerance, St.-Georges advanced as far as he did, although he did have to face racism along the way, and always saw himself as an outsider.The three violin concertos on this disc were, like all his works in the genre, written for himself to play. While in many ways typical of French music of the time, they are nonetheless very beautiful works, particularly the slow movements, which have a grace and lyricism that are quite astonishing. Takako Nishizaki gives very fine peformances of these works, ably supported by the Cologne Chamber Orchestra under Helmut Mueller-Bruhl.I would very highly recommend this disc to anyone interested in music of the classical period. It is often very rewarding to explore the "footnotes" of music history, as the foonotes can sometimes be as enjoyable as the "main" text."
Found a gem!
penguin | Seattle, WA USA | 07/12/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"One day I heard his Concerto in G major, Op.8 played by Nishizaki on the car radio and immediately fell in love. I had never heard of this composer... Well, you see, I'm not one of those who can indulge themselves with thousands of CDs/vinyl records in their own shelves... I have only a hundred or two. I feel like I found a gem!"
Chevalier de Saint-Georges
scarlatti11 | Killeen, TX United States | 07/25/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Composer, violinst, swordsman, and military expert;
Joseph Boulogne Chevalier de Saint-Georges(1739-1799)
has a unique place in music history,as the first and
only composer in classical music to be born a slave.
There were other colored composers in the 18th and 19th
centuries such as Meude-Monpas, but none of them actual
born slaves. Chevalier de Saint-George was born in the
island of Guadaloupe in the caribbean, to a former Metz
Parlement Councillor and a colored slave woman. Later Chevalier de Saint-George went to France and
settled in Paris, he later conducted the premiere of
Haydn's Paris symphonies. He had a faily good military
career too, though later he was sent to prison for eighteen
months for military reasons, he was released and banned
from living anywhere near his leggionaires. His small output
is testimony of his great gifts as a composer and violinist.
Chevalier de Saint-Georges is one of my favorite composers."