Under the motto 'Bruisend Brussel' (Bubbling Brussels), a much-appreciated house concert on Sunday offered the opportunity to discover little-known works from the early 20th century. The starting point of this exploration was an initiative by cellist Roel Dieltiens. To financially support artists during the Covid period, he had organised an auction of everything related to the cello. Among the items were many scores from the early 1990s, more specifically manuscripts, with all the joys and sorrows that come with them.
Hostess and cellist Frederika Mareels bought them and made them playable for the Lise Cristiani Quartet, which she founded and in which she plays alongside Wytske Holtrop, Joyce Kuipers and Elke Wynants, all members of major orchestras such as the Symfonieorkest van Vlaanderen and the Nationaal Orkest van België.
For their 'maiden trip' they chose works by four early 20th-century composers, which were introduced concisely and expertly.
From Jean Absil (1893-1974) came the 'Fantaisie Rhapsodique opus 24', with a melodious opening Allegro, a faster movement that at times leaned towards dodecaphony, and a concluding unison full of surprising accents. Also by Absil were 'Trois Poèmes de Tristan Klingsor', a musically inspired pseudonym for Léon Leclère. He was a kindred spirit of Maurice Ravel, for whom he wrote the texts of the song cycle 'Shéhérazade'.
No exoticism here. Rather a disarming naivety about a "chat noir, chat blanc, chat gris - in other words tous les chats du vieux Paris", about 'Ma Mère l'Oye' and around the question 'Où le coq a-t-il la plume?' The work was written for voice and accompaniment. Much later arranged for four cellos, it entered the repertoire of the Quatuor de Violoncelles de Bruxelles.
Brussels remains central in the case of Raymond Chevreuille (1901-1976). He studied there briefly at the Conservatory but, as a self-taught musician, preferred to leave his mark on the musical life of the city. As a technician, and later as director of the French-language radio, then still based at Flagey, he succeeded remarkably well in doing so. He wrote a considerable oeuvre in a variety of styles. His 'quatuor opus 24' ranged from expressive to spectacular passages.
The least known name was that of Robert Darcy (1910-1967). He was a cellist in the Nationaal Orkest and drew inspiration from various styles. The first of his three Cello Quartets is neo-classical, dynamic and full of playful effects. It is so infectious that the first movement provoked premature applause. And then the best was yet to come: a glorious modéré that went straight to the bone. Graceful pizzicati introduced the theme that ran through the entire final movement, 'animé'.
Traditionally, there is also something to see alongside the music: cellist Frederika Mareels and pianist Alessandro Cervino. This time it was accompanied by attractive graphic work by Kristien Hubrechts.
All in all, this concert was a worthy tribute to the first professional female cellist of the 19th century, Lise Cristiani, who made her debut at the age of 20 in the Salle Henri Herz in Paris, won the sympathy of Felix Mendelssohn in Leipzig, and toured throughout Europe as far as Russia, where she died of cholera at barely 25 years old. Her musicality, willpower and daring inspired the ladies of the Lise Cristiani Cello Quartet.