Avant l'orage: French String Trios, 1926–1939 Black Oak Ensemble

• Henri Tomasi (1901 - 1971): Trio à cordes en forme de divertissement:
• 1 Tomasi: Trio à cordes en forme de divertissement: I. Prélude 02:13
• 2 Tomasi: Trio à cordes en forme de divertissement: II. Nocturne 04:43
• 3 Tomasi: Trio à cordes en forme de divertissement: III. Scherzo 05:51
• 4 Tomasi: Trio à cordes en forme de divertissement: IV. Final 05:05
• Jean Cras (1879 - 1932): Trio for Violin, Viola & Cello:
• 5 Cras: Trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: I. — 07:33
• 6 Cras: Trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: II. Lent 06:51
• 7 Cras: Trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: III. Animé 04:20
• 8 Cras: Trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: IV. Très animé 05:06
• Émile Goué (1904 - 1946): Trio for Violin, Viola & Cello:
• 9 Goué: Trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: I. Presto 03:25
• 10 Goué: Trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: II. Adagio 06:27
• 11 Goué: Trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: III. Final en forme de tarantelle 04:32
• Jean Françaix (1912 - 1997): Trio à cordes:
• 12 Françaix: Trio à cordes: I. Allegretto vivo 01:56
• 13 Françaix: Trio à cordes: II. Scherzo 03:13
• 14 Françaix: Trio à cordes: III. Andante 03:42
• 15 Françaix: Trio à cordes: IV. Rondo 03:39
• Robert Casadesus (1899 - 1972): Trio à cordes:
• 16 Casadesus: Trio à cordes: I. Allegro con brio 04:31
• 17 Casadesus: Trio à cordes: II. Légende 06:44
• 18 Casadesus: Trio à cordes: III. Allegro aperto 04:23
• Gustave Samazeuilh (1877 - 1967): Suite en trio for Violin, Viola & Cello:
• 19 Samazeuilh: Suite en trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: I. Prélude 03:37
• 20 Samazeuilh: Suite en trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: II. Française 03:57
• 21 Samazeuilh: Suite en trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: III. Sarabande 04:47
• 22 Samazeuilh: Suite en trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: IV. Divertissement 02:32
• 23 Samazeuilh: Suite en trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: V. Musette 02:21
• 24 Samazeuilh: Suite en trio for Violin, Viola & Cello: VI. Forlane 03:27
• Gabriel Pierné (1863 - 1937): 3 Pièces en trio:
• 25 Pierné: 3 Pièces en trio: No. 1, Modéré, sans lenteur 09:03
• 26 Pierné: 3 Pièces en trio: No. 2, Chanson 06:26
• 27 Pierné: 3 Pièces en trio: No. 3, Les trois clercqs de Sainct-Nicholas 05:26
• Total Runtime 02:05:50

Info for Avant l'orage: French String Trios, 1926–1939

Black Oak Ensemble, the Chicago-based string trio with an international following, treats listeners to a double-album of stylish and often witty French treasures written between the World Wars.

The ensemble offers seven rarely heard delicacies from the 1920s and 30s, including world premiere recordings of trios by Henri Tomasi, Robert Casadesus, and Gustave Samazeuilh along with works by Jean Cras, Emile Goué, Jean Françaix, and Gabriel Pierné. Most were written for and dedicated to the virtuosic Trio Pasquier, which ranked among the era’s chamber music superstars.

Tomasi’s Mediterranean roots are heard in the Provençal folk melody referenced in his Trio à cordes en forme de divertissement, noted for its colorful, kaleidoscopic finale. Casadesus’s Trio à cordes combines fine craftsmanship and poetic sincerity. Samazeuilh, a disciple of Claude Debussy, wrote his Suite en trio in the form of a Baroque dance suite.

Celtic-infused folk music of his native Brittany emerges in Cras’s Trio pour violon, alto et violoncelle, as does an homage to Beethoven’s Op. 132 string quartet. Goué wrote his Trio pour violon, alto et violoncelle, energized with folk-dance elements, on the eve of his World War II army deployment. Françaix’s Trio displays his trademark textural clarity, agility, and sense of humor. Pierné’s Trois pièces en trio has even more fun with the listener with its satirical finale conjuring intoxicated, stumbling “fat cats” (actually an ironic reference to clerics/priests) out on the town.

Black Oak Ensemble

Black Oak Ensemble
Praised by the Chicago Tribune for its "flamboyant vitality" and "expert performances,” the Black Oak Ensemble is establishing itself as one of the premier chamber ensembles in the United States.

The Black Oak Ensemble comprises GRAMMY - nominated violinist Desirée Ruhstrat and cellist David Cunliffe of the acclaimed Lincoln Trio and violist Aurélien Fort Pederzoli, a founding member of the ground-breaking Grammy-nominated Spektral Quartet.

The Black Oak Ensemble has performed throughout the United States and Europe, including appearances at the Ravinia Festival, Chicago Cultural Center, Art Institute of Chicago, Latino Music Festival, Mayne Stage, WFMT, Grand Rapids Museum of Art, Communauté Juive de Nancy, and Le Festival du film Juif de Paris, and has held residencies at Eau Claire University, St. John's School for the Arts (USVI), Arizona State University, New Music Ensemble and Safford Arizona.

The project-based Black Oak Ensemble presents exciting programs from Bach to the music of today and has collaborated with musicians such as bandoneon player, Evan Orman, guitarists Goran Ivanovic and Jose Ferreira, harpsichordist Jory Vinikour, members of Eighth BlackBird and the Cavatina Duo.

A passionate advocate of undiscovered and new works it has commissioned and premiered new string trios from renowned composers such as Michael Nyman, David Ludwig, and Conrad Tao.

This season, the ensemble’s debut album, SILENCED VOICES―a deeply personal program dedicated to mid-20th Century Jewish composers, most of whom lost their lives during the Holocaust―will be released on Cedille Records. The ensemble will perform its Silenced Voices program throughout Europe, including appearances in Athens, Geneva, Grenoble, Lyon, Paris, Prague, Vittel, and Yverdon, and give a special performance at the Everlasting Hope International Music Festival in Terezin in August 2019.

Dedicated educators, the members of the ensemble have put down roots in the south of France, creating Musique Dans Le Gers, a music festival that provides an opportunity to work with young artists and share their experiences and music with the community.

The Black Oak Ensemble currently serves as Ensemble-in-Residence at the New Music School in Chicago.

The ensemble is named for the black oak, a beautiful tree native to its home state of Illinois (one stands in the front yard of Desirée Ruhstrat and David Cunliffe’s house)

This album contains no booklet.