Behind Closed Doors
Donald Macleod continues his 'Tour de France' in a week exploring, revolutionary French composer H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult. Today, the twists and turns of her private life.
Donald Macleod continues the second leg of his 鈥淭our de France"; three weeks focused on French composers from different eras, running alongside the famous French cycle race. This week, Donald introduces us to the remarkable life story and unsung musical innovations of H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult.
There aren鈥檛 many composers who can claim that music saved their life 鈥� at least, in the literal sense. But for H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult, it was her astounding powers of improvisation that got her out of the stickiest situation imaginable, hauled in front of the guillotine during the French Revolution. This week, we鈥檒l follow her rollercoaster tale and hear how she had her own revolutionary impact on the piano literature. Described as a precursor of Romanticism, anticipating the language of Schubert and Mendelssohn, audiences said her playing 鈥渕ade the keys speak鈥�. She broke ground as the first female professor at the Paris Conservatoire and left behind 600 pages of music, including a complete course for piano which elevated the technical study into a miniature lyrical art form. As Donald pieces together her tantalising story, he鈥檚 joined by pianist Clare Hammond, who has spent recent years getting to know Montgeroult and recording an album of her 茅tudes.
Today, Donald explores the twist and turns of H茅l猫ne鈥檚 private life, from her illegitimate son, who was possibly conceived in prison, to her three marriages and her not-so-secret affair with the Baron of Tremont. Plus, Donald and Clare talk about how intimacy was central to her music-making, which mainly took place in private spheres.
Etude No 26 in G major
Ian Buckle, piano
Etude No 73 in D major
Luca Chiantore, piano
Fugue No 1 in F minor
Edna Stern, piano
Fugue No 3 in G minor
Bruno Robilliard, piano
Etudes No 110 in A major and 112b in A flat major
Nicolas Stavy, piano
Sonata in A minor, Op 2 No 3
Nicolas Horvath, piano
Etude No 106 in B major
Clare Hammond, piano
Produced by Amelia Parker for 蜜芽传媒 Audio Cardiff
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Music Played
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H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult
Etude No 26 in G major
Performer: Ian Buckle.- RUBICON : DRC1084.
- RUBICON.
- 2.
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H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult
Etude No 73 in D major
Performer: Luca Chiantore. -
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H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult
Fugue No 1 in F minor
Performer: Edna Stern.- Orchid Classics : ORC 100063.
- Orchid Classics.
- 4.
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H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult
Fugue No 3 in G minor
Performer: Bruno Robilliard.- HORTUS : HOR048.
- HORTUS.
- 6.
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H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult
Etude No 110
Performer: Nicolas Stavy.- HORTUS : HOR058.
- HORTUS.
- 5.
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H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult
Etude No 112 (2nd mvt)
Performer: Nicolas Stavy.- HORTUS : HOR058.
- HORTUS.
- 3.
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H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult
Sonata in A minor, Op 2 No 3
Performer: Nicolas Horvath.- GRAND PIANO : GP885-86.
- GRAND PIANO.
- 12.
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H茅l猫ne de Montgeroult
Etude No 106 in B major
Performer: Clare Hammond.- BIS : 2603.
- BIS.
- 25.
Broadcast
- Thu 14 Jul 2022 12:00蜜芽传媒 Radio 3
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