Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

A Composer in the Making

Donald Macleod and Anastasia Belina consider how Augusta Holmès and Henri Duparc’s musical trajectories led them to study with César Franck. Includes Duparc's rescued Cello Sonata.

Donald Macleod and Anastasia Belina consider how Augusta Holmès and Henri Duparc’s contrasting musical trajectories led them to study with César Franck, including the story behind Duparc’s rescued cello sonata.

Imagine creating a grand spectacle that demands 1,200 performers, along with the most lavish sets and costumes. You might think that the figure behind such an extraordinary achievement would have staked a claim on immortality, yet despite achieving considerable fame in her own lifetime, this is not the fate that befell Augusta Holmès. Over the passage of time her name has disappeared into obscurity, whilst that of her direct contemporary, Henri Duparc has grown and prospered. These days he’s regarded as one of the leading figures of French song, yet it’s still the case that relatively little is known about his life.
In Duparc’s case his is a reputation built on the slenderest of musical means, some seventeen mélodies. By contrast, Holmès’ l’Ode Triomphale, which was written to mark the centenary of France’s 1789 revolution, is the largest of a generous collection of large-scale orchestral works, to which you can add four operas, the last of which was mounted at the Paris Opera in 1895, as well as considerable catalogue of songs.

To shed light on Holmès' music, several of her works, including one of her symphonies, have been specially recorded by the 鶹Լ Performing Groups, as part of the Forgotten Women Composers project, which was developed by the 鶹Լ in association with the Arts and Humanities Research Council.
Helping Donald Macleod uncover more about the little-known Augusta Holmès and Henri Duparc, is Anastasia Belina, a researcher with a particular interest in nineteenth century music and women composers.

Duparc was a perfectionist, who was often driven to destroy his compositions. Today, a chance to hear his only surviving chamber work, a cello sonata.

Holmès: Molto lento
Luigi Magistrelli, clarinet
Claudia Bracco, piano

Duparc: ééԲ
Le manoir de Rosemonde
Soupir
Wolfgang Holzmair, baritone
Gérard Wyss, piano

Holmès: À Trianon
Katherine Eberle, mezzo soprano
Robin Guy, piano
Holmès: La chanson du chamelier
Eva Csapó, soprano
Alicja Masan, piano
Holmès: Reverie Tsigane (piano solo)
Anthony Goldstone, piano

Duparc: Sonata in A minor for cello and piano
Alain Meunier, cello
Anne le Bozec, piano

Holmès: Ouverture pour une comèdie
Rheinland-Pfalz Philharmonic
Samuel Friedman, conductor

59 minutes

Music Played

  • Augusta Holmès

    Molto Lento for clarinet and piano

    Performer: Luigi Magistrelli. Performer: Claudia Bracco.
    • GALLO CD 1355.
    • GALLO.
    • 12.
  • Henri Duparc

    ééԲ

    Performer: Gérard Wyss. Singer: Wolfgang Holzmair.
    • Philips 446 686-2.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 21.
  • Henri Duparc

    Le manoir de Rosemonde

    Performer: Gérard Wyss. Singer: Wolfgang Holzmair.
    • Philips 446 686-2.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 23.
  • Henri Duparc

    Soupir

    Performer: Gérard Wyss. Singer: Wolfgang Holzmair.
    • Philips 446 686-2.
    • PHILIPS.
    • 24.
  • Augusta Holmès

    A Trianon for voice and piano

    Performer: Guy Robin. Singer: Katherine Eberle.
    • VIENNA MODERN MASTERS : VMM-2005.
    • VIENNA MODERN MASTERS.
    • 6.
  • Augusta Holmès

    La chanson du chamelier for voice and piano

    Performer: Alicja Masan. Singer: Eva Csapó.
    • Accord 201252.
    • Accord.
    • 5.
  • Augusta Holmès

    Reverie Tzigane (piano solo)

    Performer: Anthony Goldstone.
    • DIVINE ART : 250-33.
    • DIVINE ART.
    • 9.
  • Henri Duparc

    Cello Sonata in A minor

    Performer: Alain Meunier. Performer: Anne Le Bozec.
    • Maguelone MAG111177.
    • MAGUELONE.
    • 1.
  • Augusta Holmès

    Ouverture pour une comèdie

    Orchestra: Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland‐Pfalz. Conductor: Samuel Friedmann.
    • Marco Polo 8223449.
    • Marco Polo.
    • 3.

Broadcasts

  • Tue 7 Jul 2020 12:00
  • Tue 7 Jun 2022 12:00

Vaughan Williams Today

Vaughan Williams Today

Programmes, concerts and features celebrating Vaughan Williams's 150th anniversary.

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

Beethoven Unleashed – the box set

The complete set of Radio 3 Beethoven Unleashed podcasts, with Donald Macleod.

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

What was really wrong with Beethoven?

Georgia Mann and neurosurgeon Henry Marsh examine the composer's numerous health problems

Composers A to Z

Composers A to Z

Visit the extensive audio archive of Radio 3 programmes about Composers and their works.

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

Who knew? Five eye-opening stories from Composer of the Week

The production team reflects on 5 of Donald Macleod’s best stories from the last 20 years

Five reasons why we love Parry's Jerusalem

What is the strange power of Jerusalem which makes strong men weep?

A man out of time – why Parry's music and ideas were at odds with his image...

The composer of Jerusalem was very far from the conservative figure his image suggests.

Composer Help Page

Find resources and contacts for composers from within the classical music industry.