Uploaded September 2022 | Updated September 2026, 4 days ago
Francis Duroy, violin
Thierry Rosbach, piano
This recording cuts off very slightly at the end, but I greatly prefer it to the commercial alternative - in my view, the extensive use of rubato speaks more to the composer's intention.
Charles Koechlin (1867-1950) was a French composer and one of the most fascinating musical personalities of the 20th century. Koechlin's works are noted for their eclecticism and stylistic diversity, often visible within movements of the same piece. His numerous extra-musical influences, including film stars, socialism, amateur astronomy and mountaineering, also found their way into his compositions. Though not performed as much as his contemporaries during his lifetime, Koechlin was a widely respected figure in French music, and his works have begun to gain prominence in recent decades. He is perhaps best known for his textbook on orchestration, which remains commonly used in French-speaking countries to this day.
Completed in 1916, Koechlin's only violin sonata, dedicated to his teacher and friend Gabriel Fauré, is typical of his style - dreamy and luxurious at some times, playful at others, but always engaging. This charming yet substantial work surely deserves more performances in concert halls around the world!
The score is available at Koechlin's IMSLP page (imslp.org/wiki/Category:Koechlin,_Charles) under "Violin Sonata, Op.64", along with the violin part. The original source for the recording can be found here: youtube.com/watch?v=RjNzlnFYa5U
Francis Duroy, violin
Thierry Rosbach, piano
This recording cuts off very slightly at the end, but I greatly prefer it to the commercial alternative - in my view, the extensive use of rubato speaks more to the composer's intention.
Charles Koechlin (1867-1950) was a French composer and one of the most fascinating musical personalities of the 20th century. Koechlin's works are noted for their eclecticism and stylistic diversity, often visible within movements of the same piece. His numerous extra-musical influences, including film stars, socialism, amateur astronomy and mountaineering, also found their way into his compositions. Though not performed as much as his contemporaries during his lifetime, Koechlin was a widely respected figure in French music, and his works have begun to gain prominence in recent decades. He is perhaps best known for his textbook on orchestration, which remains commonly used in French-speaking countries to this day.
Completed in 1916, Koechlin's only violin sonata, dedicated to his teacher and friend Gabriel Fauré, is typical of his style - dreamy and luxurious at some times, playful at others, but always engaging. This charming yet substantial work surely deserves more performances in concert halls around the world!
The score is available at Koechlin's IMSLP page (imslp.org/wiki/Category:Koechlin,_Charles) under "Violin Sonata, Op.64", along with the violin part. The original source for the recording can be found here: youtube.com/watch?v=RjNzlnFYa5U
