《Interlude, Op.19, No.2》

Ernest Chausson (1855-1899)

Chausson was a composer of the Romantic period who bridged the French Romantic style represented by Massenet and Franck and the Impressionistic style led by Debussy. This Interlude is one of the pieces from Poème de l’amour et de la mer. The song cycle consists of two parts, with the lyrics taken from the poems La fleur des eaux and La mort de l’amour by Chausson's friend Maurice Bouchor. This interlude separates the two parts. The annotation at the beginning of the piece "Lent et triste" reveals the mood of the piece, slow and sad. Even though this is an arrangement for cello and piano, it still retains the musical tension and rich sonic layers of the original orchestral version. The cello used in this recording was made by French luthier Jacques Boquary (1680-1730) in 1719. The distinct sound of the cello conveys clarity and expressiveness, while the upbeats played by the piano throughout the piece strengthen the pensive quality and transitionary function of the interlude.