Trois Pièces pour violoncelle et piano
- Instrumentation
- Cello, Piano
- Composed
- 1882
- Duration
- 12'30''
- Publisher
- Public Domain
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About this piece
Clémence de Grandval's Trois Pièces for cello and piano date from 1882 and are dedicated to the Belgian cellist Richard Loÿs (1841–1901). According to the Palazzetto Bru Zane, Loÿs gave the premiere at the Société nationale de musique in the Salle Pleyel on 8 April 1882, with the composer at the piano. Le Ménestrel reported on 23 April 1882 that 'M. Loys a fait entendre trois nouvelles pièces pour violoncelle de Mme de Grandval' at the Société's last concert. The set (Andante con moto, Sérénade, Chant serbe) draws on popular idioms. Bru Zane describes a cello part written in the manner of an improviser, with ornamental flourishes and unaccompanied virtuoso passages, and notes that each piece has a darker central section before its opening theme returns. Richault of Paris published the set in 1883 (plates 16980–82 R). The Bibliothèque nationale de France has digitised that edition on Gallica, and it is in the public domain. Recordings include Ursula Erhart-Schwertmann and Elisabeth Aigner-Monarth on the album Lost & Found (Gramola, 2025) and Duo Picello (Pauline Lambert, cello; Pierre Brunello, piano).
Technical overview
Three pieces totalling about 12 minutes: I. Andante con moto (with irregular alternation of two- and three-beat bars), II. Sérénade, III. Chant serbe. Each is in ABA form. The demands are a singing Romantic tone, free rhapsodic phrasing, ornamental flourishes, and short unaccompanied cadenza-like passages.