Betsy Jolas, 95 today
NewsThe doyenne of French composers has reached a landmark birthday.
She made her London debut just three years ago.
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Brava, Maestra! We wish you many years more of music.
If you want to discover her music, start with her second quartet (1964), a work for violin, alto, cello and (wordless) coloratura soprano solo!
Just beautiful.
Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7u5jf5S0zk
That’s how you feel when you wander through La Défense, the modernist, dehumanized quarter of Paris.
PS:
For the down voters who have no idea where they are downvoting about:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:La_Defense_Paris_(128078875).jpeg
A wonderful, poetic, visionary piece I’ve loved for years. I also have fond memories of “Tales of a Summer Sea,” which Murry Sidlin conducted at Aspen in about 1990. 95 roses for Mme. Jolas.
I only know her “Lassus Ricercar” which I heard over 40 years ago and left a lasting impression. It’s a shame she is so under-represented in recordings and on concert programs.
Three years ago was certainly not the first time Betsy Jolas’s music was heard in London. I attended 2 concerts at the QEH in the 1960’s with her music:
20 October 1969 The Domaine Musical played a concert including ‘Tranche’
23 February 1970 The London Sinfonietta included ‘J.D.E.’.
These were both labelled as UK premieres.
Also, she was a featured composer at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival in 1996.