Jardin des Paons by Isabelle Perrin & Baltazar Juárez
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| Artist Profile and index of recordings and sheet music - Isabelle Perrin |
Track Listing
1. Jardin des Paons - Bernard Andres (2 harps)
2. Absidioles - Bernard Andres (Isabelle Perrin)
3. Narthex - Bernard Andres (Isabelle Perrin - harp & Julieta Cedillo -
Flute)
4. Parvis - Bernard Andres (2 harps)
5. El Viento - Bernard Andres (2 harps)
6. Matinal - Bernard Andres (2 harps)
7. Variations sur un theme dans le style ancien - Carlos Salzedo (Baltazar
Juárez)
8. Trois Danses Erzulie's - Bernard Andres (2 harps)
Sleeve Notes
Within its cultural affairs, the French Embassy in Mexico develops a musical program whose priority is to promote internationally recognized French artists and support young talented artists.
In this perspective of music promotion we find the most important institutions of the country, like the National Autonomous University of Mexico (General Direction of Music, National School of Music, and the UNAM Philharmonic Orchestral, the National Institute of Fine Arts (Music and Opera Coordination Office, Superior School of Music, Fine Arts Chamber Orchestra, Union of Artistic Groups), the Lerdo de Tejada Liheary, the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra, the Rosas Conservatory Orchestra, the Philharmonic Orchestra of the State of Jalisco, among others. With them and under the sponsorship of CCC-IFAL, the French Alliances network and the support of Cultures France, outstanding French artists have performed, like Jean-Paul Penin, Jean-Francois Heisser, Philippe Berrod Nico las Dautricourt, Marc Coppey, Hughes Leclere, Sodi Braide, Pierre Hantai, Maud Gratton, Francois Guetrier, Benjamin Allard, Frede nc Waysse-Knirter, Andre Dos Santos, Elisabeth Joye, Maude Laforest, Sylvain Gasacon, Pascal Devoyon, Rikako Murata, Bruno Procopio, Emmannuelle Guigues as well as famous groups like Diabolos in Musica, Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien, Cuarteto Diotima, L’Ensemble Intercontemporain and Ensemble Zellig, among others.
The year 2007 saw the First French-Mexican Harp Congress, a collaboration of The Paris Ecole Normale de Musique and CCC-IFAL, where maestros Isabelle Perrin and Baltazar Juarez attended and presided meetings, concerts, conferences, master classes and workshops. The idea for this CD comes from that event. I am pleased to salute this beautiful work that translates the richness of the French-Mexican cooperation in the field of music, and thank the institutions and persons that have made it possible.
Isabelle Perrin
How did
your “musical adventure” with Mexico begin?
A few years back, the interim harp professor position at Bloomington
University gave me the opportunity of meeting Baltazar, who was studying
there at the time. An enormous complicity united us from the beginning
and when Baltazar returned to his country, when being appointed
soloist of Mexico’s National Symphonic Orchestra and UNAM professor,
he invited me to give a series of master classes, as well as to perform
a few concerts where we played together. Our professor-student complicity
transformed into one of two professionals and friends. That’s where
the idea for this CD came from.
Why does
this country seduce you?
Mexico is rich in colors and rhythms, both essential elements in music,
and that’s what made me feel greatly attracted to this country
from the beginning. The harp is an integral part of Mexican culture and
folklore, so my harpist soul was seduced by the charm of this country.
Not forgetting the joy of living that I have been able to see in its
people.
What makes
this record stand-out?
The main idea was to conceive a sort of cross-over between French and
Mexican music, both at times using accents from each culture. That is
how we can find in Bernard Andres’ work different rhythms of Latin
American dances, as well as the colors and flexibility of French music
in Mexican pieces, demonstrating that the language of music is universal.
For Baltazar and I, it was an enormous pleasure conceiving and making
this work and our greatest wish is that the public can perceive this
happiness and complicity.
Baltazar Juarez
For you,
what does it mean having recorded your first CD along side one of the
best artists nowadays?
It is an honor to have had the opportunity of working with such an important
personality, for the obvious artistic result, but also because I learn
a lot performing these works specifically. Isabelle has a very close
relationship with Bernard Andres and knows exactly what the composer
wants. Isabelle possesses a very French sound on the harp, and personally
I think it is how the instrument should sound.
Was
it in fact a pleasurable experience for both?
Yes, rehearsals came about very easily, that is the wonderful side of
this encounter, when you feel a kind of complicity from the beginning.
It isn’t something that you build, it exists or not.
The CD is being presented in Mexico
and France. I imagine it will allow you to he more known among the
audience. Any plans around that?
Yes. I will keep recording, a recital of works from various periods.
Also, I have a new project with Isabelle. It is a recording of concerts
for two harps and orchestra.
Bernard Andrès
What an overwhelmingly happy moment when I learned
ahout this new recording of three of my works for two harps! Isabelle
PERRIN and Baltazar JUÁREZ have been able to magnificently recreate
the atmosphere of each composition, displaying a full array of nuances
and colors in finding the best tempo. Their way of offering us a rare
moment of illusion. I have to add the perfect technical and sound balance
of the two soloists that reveal themselves as excellent performers. For
this I would like to congratulate them warmly and sincerely for this
outstanding work. I wish to all that listen to them as much pleasure
as I experienced myself.
| Instruments: | Harp / Harp Duo |
| Genre: | Contemporary Classical |
| Format: | Audio CD |
| Our Ref: | A0272 |
| MCPS: | QP194 |
| Label: | Quindecim Recordings |
| Year: | 2008 |
| Origin: | EU |
She performed the World Premier of Concerto francais pour Harpe et Orchestre by Pierick Houdy with the Bretagne Orchestra. Bernard Andres, well-known composer, dedicated his Danses d’Ezulie for harp, string orchestra and percussion to her. She has several CD: works by Bernard Andres, F.A. Boieldieu, Pierick Houdy and works for harp, flute and viola by Arnold Bax with the Turner Trio, of which she is founding member. She is professor at the Paris Ecole Normale de Musique and gives master classes in United States, Europe, Japan, Korea, China and Australia. Perrin was invited as guest professor for two months at the Indiana University in Bloomington (US), and named Visiting Professor at London’s Royal Academy of Music. She organized the 6th European Harp Symposium in Lyon, France, in 2004. Isabelle Perrin has been knighted Chevalier Des Arts et Lettres.
Baltazar Juárez won numerous prizes in major competitions including fourth prize in the 1998 USA International Harp Competition in Bloomington, Indiana and second prize at the 1999 American Harp Society Competition in Los Angeles. In 2000 he was invited as a “Guest Artist” to the Univeesity of Illinois in Urbana Champaign to play in its concerts season and in 2006 for the 60th Anniversary of the Orquesta Filarmonica de Buenos Aires in the Teatro Colon, in a Homage to Mauricio Kagel, to perform his “Das Koncert” for Flute, Harp and Percussion and the Debussy Dances. He has appeared as soloist with several orchestras including the Young Israel Philharmonic, the Orqaesta Filarmonica de jalisco in the Teatro Degollado, the Orquesta Sinfonica de Aguascalienres, Orquesta Filarmonica de Buenos Aires in the Teatro Colon and the Orquesta Sinfonica Nacional de Mexico in the Palacin de Bellas Artes. He is Founder and Artistic Director of the National Harp Contest of Mexico which fist edition was in March 2006. He was appointed Graduate Assistant to Professor Susann McDonald at Indiana University from 1998 to 2001. He is First harpist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Mexico and harp Professor of Mexico’s National Conservator. |
Isabelle
Perrin