Born in Paris in 1817, French organist and composer Louis-Alfred Lef茅bure-W茅ly played a colossal role in the development of the French symphonic organ style. Being heralded a virtuoso performer of his time and a highly respected musician by his peers, including the eminent C茅sar Franck and Camille Saint-Sa毛ns, he was also closely associated with organ builder Aristide Cavaill茅-Coll, giving the inaugural performances of many of these fine instruments.
As the son of an excellent organist, the musically precocious Louis studied with his father during his early years, subsequently taking over from his father as the organist at the fashionable church of Saint-Roch in the 1st arrondissement, whilst simultaneously studying at the Paris Conservatoire at the age of just fourteen. He had an exemplary reputation for his wonderful improvisations, impressive technical skill, flamboyance and an ear for using 鈥榥ew tones and combinations to create music that was thrilling, renewing, impressive and at times heartrending鈥�.
Despite this reputation, and his having been awarded the Legion d鈥橦onneur for his services to music, his compositions were often deemed less substantial and lacking in musical substance than those of Franck and Saint-Sa毛ns, and his remaining output is comparatively small, which is possibly the reason his name remains relative unknown by comparison. He did however write a number of works for choir, the comic opera Les recruteurs and a large collection of works for both the organ and the harmonium, once such piece being his Bol茅ro de Concert.
Originally written in 1865 for the harmonium, also known as the pump or reed organ, Bol茅ro de Concert certainly does not lack in flamboyance or character, and compared to other music of its time is an extrovert display of musical colour. Written for the entertainment of, and dedicated to, his student Madame la Comtesse Bois de Mouzilly, this compact work brings popular Spanish dance into a fun concert piece featuring 2 contrasting sections; a gritty, low and passionate theme bookending a lighter almost funfair carousel section.
The version performed here is arranged for brass dectet by our very own Principal Trombonist Donal Bannister, and conducted by Ed Hodgson.
Programme note 漏 Amy Campbell
