Belgian clarinettist Annelien Van Wauwe revives the golden glow of a bygone age on her album titled ‘Belle époque’ together with the Orchestre National de Lille and its music director Alexandre Bloch.
The program is built around treasures of French turn-of-the century music such as Debussy’s Première Rhapsodie, Pierné’s Canzonetta and Widor’s Introduction et Rondo (the latter two in arrangements by Jelle Tassyns).
Belle époque also offers works that display a spiritual kinship to the age, such as Brahms’ first clarinet sonata, arranged by Luciano Berio, and a world-premiere recording of Paris-based contemporary composer Manfred Trojahn (Rhapsodie pour clarinette et orchestre).
Here is music from this recording:
