Émile Bernard

[FBerwald]

Just came across this name on the net - Jean Émile Auguste Bernard. He seems to have composed a G minor Violin Concerto premired by Sarasate... Anyone familiar with this composer. Wiki lists a few interesting works including a Concertstück for Piano and Orchestra.

[eschiss1]

IMSLP has a few chamber-ish works that looked interesting to me (and a violin/piano reduction of the violin concerto, also a recording of his Divertissement people have uploaded). See IMSLP category.

[Gareth Vaughan]

FLP has the Divertissement for winds, score and parts of the Violin Concerto, a Fantaisie for piano & orchestra Op. 31 and the Dramatic Overture "Dante and Beatrice". LOC would seem to have a full score of the violin concerto and the orchestral parts for the Nocturne for piano & orchestra, Op. 51.
I wonder what the BNF has.

[eschiss1]

Well, according to http://catalogue.bnf.fr and restricting to Émile Bernard (1843-1902) (rather than Émile Bernard (1868-1941)), there's 166 catalogue entries- published scores, manuscripts, letters, etc. etc. etc. - corresponding to (or mentioning) this fellow. At http://gallica.bnf.fr one sees that a fair number of them have already been digitized/uploaded.

[Alan Howe]

Jean Émile Auguste Bernard (1843-1902) is the composer in question here. Toskey has his VC in G minor, Op.29 (1885) - evidently a short-ish, melodious work with 'many original features and ... filled with interest'.

[thalbergmad]

I have played through the concertstuck albeit it was yonks ago and i can only vaguely recall it was Saintsaensian. Could be wrong though so I will dig it out over the weekend and have a fresh look.

I do not recall the Lord Hyperion jumping up and down with excitement.

Thal

[Gareth Vaughan]

Haven't been able to locate an orchestral score for the Concertstuck anywhere yet. It's not the same as the Fantaisie.

[dmitterd]

Hi Gareth,
I've been doing a little research on Bernard today, as it happens (dedicatee of Widor's Variations sur un thème original, Op. 29, for piano). The BnF have a copy of the full score of the Concertstück Op. 40, for piano and orchestra - https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb42847832g

I can't really justify stumping up the funds to get it digitised at present (too much else going on publishing-wise), but if that changes, I'll post here.

cheers,
Daniel

[Gareth Vaughan]

Thanks, Daniel. That's interesting. I will try to explore his music further, but it can't be until next year. Too busy right now, alas.

[eschiss1]

also, I gather Bernard was the dedicatee of the original version,  Op.1, of the Widor variations, not the revised Op.29 of the same piece? Not sure? (Maybe both? The IMSLP scan of Op.29 lacks a title page, of course   Nor can I find info anywhere else as to its gewidmetism...)


(Though ... hrm... IMSLP claims Op.1 was dedicated to Alfred Jaëll. Confusing. Ah, ok! Modern edition of Opp.1&29 has dedications of _both_ works, and yes, you're quite right, Bernard for op.29. My bad...

[Martin Eastick]

I think Bernard is a composer whose music is well worth exploring! I have original scores of both the violin and cello sonatas, the piano quartet, as well as most of his piano music. Of particular note is the chamber music IMHO, which has much in common with both Saint-Saens and Widor. I am rather surprised that his cause has not as yet been taken up by any of the French labels (eg Timpani, Ligia etc.), who seem to promote similar repertoire so well with consistently excellent recordings! Not to mention, of course, the likes of Hyperion.........

[eschiss1]

well, between Blanc (whose septet has been recorded several times), Boisdeffre (I believe his violin music has been mentioned here?), Bertini (rather good chamber music, not just violin virtuosic works; some of his sonatas and sextets can be heard in MIDI renditions @ IMSLP, and at least one sextet has been commercially recorded) and Bernard, the other three (no Bs in my bonnet?) are doing somewhat better in discography, it's true (with a little chamber music by each getting recorded lately.)

I could - if only because of my semi-obsessive skimming of IMSLP - name a few French contemporaries of theirs whose chamber music looks interesting who are - ...inevitably - doing even more poorly in the recordings sweepstakes , but again... inevitably.
I agree that Bernard - based on the music (especially the chamber works) that have come my way - looks like someone to hear.

Only a few works by Emile Passard (1843-1917) (whose output includes songs, operas, orchestral music, opera, concertante works, and chamber music) have, so far, been recorded. Perhaps none of the chamber music of Scipion Rousselot (1804-ca.1880) has. (Some works by both available @ IMSLP...) To mention only two and to stop right there.

[dmitterd]

Yes, the question of dedicatee is an interesting one; as co-editor of the modern edition you mention, I'm happy to share this extract from the preface:

It is interesting to note the change in dedicatee; Austrian pianist Alfred Jaëll (1832-1882), dedicatee of the original work died ten years before the revised work was issued. Replacing Jaëll was Émile Bernard (1843-1902), organist of Notre-Dame-des-Champs. There is a possibility that this dedication was made after the plates were already set for the print run, as there is no dedication above the title on the first page of music, which for the time and the publisher is very unusual.

kind regards,
Daniel