Louis Cahuzac

Louis Cahuzac, complete name: (Jean) Louis (Baptiste) Cahuzac. (Quarante, July 12 1880 - Luchon August 9 1960) [Pamela Weston, "Clarinet Virtuosi of the Past", Emerson] was a French clarinetist and composer. Cyrille Rose was Louis Cahuzac's teacher.

He was an outstanding performer and one of the few clarinetists who made a career as a soloist in the first part of the 20^th century.

Cahuzac made the first recording of Carl Nielsen's Clarinet Concerto, a piece originally written for the Danish clarinetist Aage Oxenvad.

Cahuzac was active throughout his whole life; on November 22 1958 he recorded the Hindemith clarinet concerto in A major for the EMI music label under the composer’s baton at the age of 78 [EMI Classics "Composers in Person", CDS 5 55032 2] .

Cahuzac died in a motorcycle accident in 1960.

Compositions

His compositions were mainly for the clarinet and all are inspired by his native region in Southern France [Liner notes of the CD "Louis Cahuzac: L'Œuvre pour Clarinette", Caliope CAL 9338, © 2004, (p) 2003 by Guy Dangain] :
* In the "Fantaisie sur un vieil air champêtre" the theme is introduced by the piano, followed by a dazzling cadenza. This is followed by four variations exploring the full resources of the clarinet.
* "Arlequin" for solo clarinet evokes Harlequin, one of the characters in the Italian "commedia del arte."
* The "Pastorale cévenole" as well as "Cantilène" radiate with the Mediterranean light of his beloved southern France and echo-type effects suggest open, mountainous spaces.
* His "Variations sur un air du pays d'Oc" (Variations on a tune from the South of France) is a set of four variations on "Se Canto", a song from the valley of the Garonne.

Discography

Recordings by Cahuzac

* Luigi Bassi. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Fantaisie Brilliante sue Rigoletto (G. Verdi)", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Louis Cahuzac. "The French Clarinet School Revisited", "Cantilène", Grenadilla RGP-10008CD
* Louis Cahuzac. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Variations sur un air du pays d'Oc", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Marc Delmas. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Fantaisie Italienne op.110", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Paul Hindemith. "Clarinet Concerto in A-major", "Composers in Person", EMI Classics , CDS 5 55032 2
* Artur Honegger. "The French Clarinet School Revisited", "Sonatine", Grenadilla RGP-10008CD
* Paul Jeanjean. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Clair Matin", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Paul Jeanjean. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Arabesques", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Paul Jeanjean. "The French Clarinet School Revisited", "Arabesques", Grenadilla RGP-10008CD
* Paul Lacôme. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Rigaudon", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Aurélio Magnani. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Mazurka-caprice", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Aurélio Magnani. "Historical Recordings, Volume II", "Mazurka-caprice", Clarinet Classics CC0010 © 1994, (p) 1994
* Georges Migot. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Quatuor pour Flûte, Violon, Clarinette et Harpe", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Henri Paradis. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Introduction et variations sur l'air de Marlborough", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Henri Paradis. "The French Clarinet School Revisited", "Introduction et variations sur l'air de Marlborough", Grenadilla RGP-10008CD
* Gabriel Pierné. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Canzonetta", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Gabriel Pierné. "The French Clarinet School Revisited", "Canzonetta", Grenadilla RGP-10008CD
* Carl Maria von Weber. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Concertino", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998

Recordings of his compositions

* Hans Petter Bonden. "Mozart, Schubert, Cahuzac", "Cantilène" Simax PSC 1018, © 1988, (p) 1984
* Hans Petter Bonden. "Mozart, Schubert, Cahuzac", "Variations sur un air du pays d'Oc" Simax PSC 1018, © 1988, (p) 1984
* Hans Petter Bonden. "Mozart, Schubert, Cahuzac", "Arlequin" Simax PSC 1018, © 1988, (p) 1984
* Hans Petter Bonden. "Mozart, Schubert, Cahuzac", "Pastorale cévenole" Simax PSC 1018, © 1988, (p) 1984
* Louis Cahuzac. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Variations sur un air du pays d'Oc", Dante Productions LYS 366 (p) 1998
* Louis Cahuzac. "The French Clarinet School Revisited", "Cantilène", Grenadilla RGP-10008CD
* Guy Dangain. "Louis Cahuzac: L'Œuvre pour Clarinette", "Fantaisie sur un vieil air champêtre" Caliope CAL 9338, © 2004, (p) 2003
* Guy Dangain. "Louis Cahuzac: L'Œuvre pour Clarinette", "Pastorale cévenole" Caliope CAL 9338, © 2004, (p) 2003
* Guy Dangain. "Louis Cahuzac: L'Œuvre pour Clarinette", "Cantilène" Caliope CAL 9338, © 2004, (p) 2003
* Guy Dangain. "Louis Cahuzac: L'Œuvre pour Clarinette", "Variations sur un air du pays d'Oc" Caliope CAL 9338, © 2004, (p) 2003
* Ricardo Morales. "French Portraits", "Cantilène" Boston Records BR1064CD, © 2004, (p) 2004
* David Webber. "A portrait of David Webber", "Arlequin", Clarinet Classics CC0041, © 2002, (p) 2002
* David Webber. "Les grands maîtres da la Clarinette", "Arlequin", Dante Productions LYS 500, (p) 1978

ources

* [http://www.northbranchrecords.com/LinerNotes.htm Liner Notes, Northbranch Records]
*Notes by Michael Weber (2001) accompanying "A Portrait of David Weber: 'A Grand Master of the Clarinet' (Clarinet Classics CD CC0041)

References