Henri Tomasi
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Henri Frédien Tomasi (pronounced . He was noted for compositions such as In Praise of Folly, Nuclear Era and The Silence of the Sea.
Early years
Henri Tomasi was born in a working-class neighborhood of Marseille, France, on 17 August 1901. His father Xavier Tomasi and mother Josephine Vincensi were originally from La Casinca, Corsica. When he was five, the family moved to Mazargues, France where Xavier Tomasi worked as a postal worker. There, he enrolled his son in music theory and piano lessons. At the age of seven, Tomasi entered the Conservatoire de Musique de Marseille. Pressured by his father, he played for upper-class families, where he felt "humiliated to be on show like a trained animal."
In 1913, the family moved back to Marseille. Tomasi had dreams of becoming a
The 1920s
In 1921, he commenced his studies at the
The 1930s
From 1930 to 1935 Tomasi served as the music director of the
The 1940s
In 1940 he was discharged and took up the baton at the Orchestre national de la Radiodiffusion française. As a composer, his orchestral music is important, but above all he was attracted to the theater. In the realm of instrumental music, he preferred composing for wind instruments. He composed
An hour-long documentary film about the composer produced by Jacques Sapiega was made in 2001.
Later life
In 1956 he composed the Concerto for Clarinet and the Concerto for Trombone. This same year brought the long-awaited world premiere of his opera Don Juan de Mañara based on a text by poet O. V. de L. Milosc. This opera, "L'Atlantide", and the comic opera "Le Testament du Père Gaucher" collectively established his reputation as an opera composer.
In May 1956 at Bordeaux, his opera Sampiero Corso was premiered, with the Australian tenor Kenneth Neate in the title role. It was repeated at the Holland Festival in June.[3]
In 1957, Tomasi stopped conducting because of physical problems, including advancing
Music
Tomasi's music is fundamentally lyrical.
Tomasi said: "Although I haven't shirked from using the most modern forms of expression, I've always been a melodist at heart. I can't stand systems and sectarianism. I write for the public at large. Music that doesn't come from the heart isn't music." (Tomasi assoc.)
His earliest influence stemmed from a performance his mother took him to of the
Nocturne was first published in 1954 by Pierre Noel. The copyright was later taken over by Gerard Billaudot in 1999. It is marked Lent and has a surreal quality. It is intensely lyrical and expressive. There are polychords present. There is constant eighth-note movement. The slow section evolves to a poco pui agitato interlude followed by a short cadenza marked a piacere (freely). The initial tempo returns and the song ends in calm repose with an unusual closing chord: the C minor seventh. Complainte du Jeune Indien was composed in 1949 and published the same year by Alphonse Leduc. It is cordially dedicated to Monsieur Beaucamp. The French word Complainte refers to a lament or plaint. Perhaps one can conjecture that the jeune (young) Indian is expressing nostalgia for his homeland. (Gordon) It is marked tristamente (sadly) in a slow Andante tempo. The harmonic motion is very slow with only a G minor chord until rehearsal #2. The chords move in parallel motion similar to Debussy. Before the brief cadenza at rehearsal #4, there is a "B" eleventh chord. This cadenza is optional; another optional cut is between rehearsal #8 to #11, which eliminates the second brief cadenza. These cuts will not be taken in this performance. The initial theme returns, and it closes even more slowly and sadly.
The Danse Nuptiale (Wedding Dance) was originally composed as a work for
Introduction et Danse was composed in 1949 and dedicated to the clarinetist Louis Cahuzac. It was published in 1949 by Alphonse Leduc. It can be performed with clarinet and piano or clarinet and orchestra. It is a stylish handling of different dance moods. The entire range of the clarinet with respect to pitch and dynamics is utilized. A polychord opens the Andantino introduction. This fantasia like beginning has a short clarinet cadenza with a descending arpeggiated figure that will later appear in the dance. This is followed by a section in serial form that is soft and brooding in mood. The dance starts with an ostinato in the piano and cascading arpeggios in the clarinet. The dance is a play with freedom and constraint. There are numerous markings indicating slight fluctuations in tempo. The wealth of tone color and motivic work are reminiscent of Ravel. Chords move in parallel motion as in Debussy's writing, but are more dissonant, The work concludes with assai lento marked con malinconia.
Sonatine Attique is for solo clarinet and is, reputedly, a "poetic recollection of a night spent by Henri Tomasi under the Greek sky near the
The Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra was also dedicated to Ulysse Delecluse and was published by Alphonse Leduc in 1953. Unfortunately, there is no commercial
There is other chamber music by Tomasi utilizing the clarinet. He composed two woodwind quintets (1925 and 1952) in addition to the 1963 reduction of the Cinq Danses Profanes et Sacrees. There are Trois Divertissements for four clarinets, a Corsican Song that may be performed on clarinet (the instrument is not specified), wind trios, and a piece for clarinet, flute and harp. The works for clarinet by Tomasi have been relegated to the background of this oeuvre but they deserve to be performed with more regularity.
Legacy
The biennial Concours International "Henri Tomasi" was launched in 2001. It is the only international competition held exclusively for wind quintets.[6]
Selected discography
- Tomasi : Complete Violin Works (Concerto "Périple d'Ulysse", Capriccio, Chant hébraïque, Poème, Tristesse d'Antar, Chant corse, Paghiella), Stéphanie Moraly (violin), Romain David (piano), Sébastien Billard (conductor), Orchestre de la Garde républicaine. Naxos 8.579091 (2022)
- Tomasi : Requiem pour la Paix / Fanfares liturgiques, Michel Piquemal (conductor), Marseille Philharmonic Orchestra. Naxos 8.554223 (1998)
Selected filmography
- Coral Reefs (1939)
- The Corsican Brothers (1939)
- The Island of Love (1944)
- Colomba (1948)
References
- ^ a b c "Henri Tomasi - Main Dates". Henri Tomasi. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ Ink, Hannah. "The French Three: A Comparison (Performed) of Recital Music by Darius Milhaud, Henri Tomasi, and Eugene Bozza". University of Maryland. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
- ^ Neate, Ken. "The Independent: Obituary –". The Independent – via findarticles.com.[dead link]
- ^ "Double Bass Concerto (Tomasi, Henri)". imslp.org. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
- ASIN B000001SPA. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
- ^ "I. F. I. V. ... - 7ème Concours International de Quintette à Vent "Henri Tomasi" - 10ème Biennale Internationale de Quintette à Vent - 2013". INSTITUT FRANCAIS DES INSTRUMENTS A VENT. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
External links
- ASSOCIATION HENRI TOMASI
- Henri Tomasi at IMDb
- Category:Tomasi, Henri at imslp.org