Two new works for violin and piano by Jacques Leguerney

Musik Fabrik has just published two new works for violin and piano by the French composer Jacques Leguerney: the Ballade for violin and piano and the First Sonata for piano and violin. Both publications are critical editions prepared by noted Leguerney scholar Mary Dibbern.

The Ballade pour violon et piano was composed in 1925, with the first performance on February 3 of that year in a concert given by Madame M. Chabrol and Monsieur Pierre Lacroix. Lacroix and Chabrol also played in the first performance of Leguerney’s Premier Trio pour piano, harpe et violon in 1924. The Ballade was played again in 1929 with Lily Lacroix at the piano and Pierre Lacroix, violin.
This concert was private and at the home of Leguerney’s aunt, Suzanne Duros. The dedication reads : "To Pierre Lacroix and Lily Lacroix as an expression of my very sincere affection and of my thanks."

Jacques Leguerney began the composition of his First Sonata for Piano and Violin in 1926, shortly after beginning composition studies with Nadia Boulanger. She was reportedly quite enthusiastic about the natural talent of her new student, and offered to give him private lessons to supplement her analysis classes. Leguerney was already reticent about studying composition. In an interview in 1989, he remembered his feeling at that time, saying that "I found that this was useless work. If one is gifted for music, one is capable of writing harmonies."

Instead, Leguerney showed his Sonata to the French composer Albert Roussel, who was renting an apartment on Avenue Wagram in a building next to that of the Leguerney family. Leguerney remembered Roussel's apartment with its dark blue walls and gilded Indian statues! Roussel encouraged his efforts and said of the second theme of the first movement: "I would have liked to have written that."

The first performance of the Sonata was given by the pianist Thérèse Cahen (1897-1944) and the violinist Hortense de Sampigny (? – 1970) in a private concert. The violinist was already a well-known concert artist. De Sampigny finished her studies at the Paris Conservatory in 1915, where she was in the class of Jules Boucherit. In 1918 she married the French author Auguste Bailly (1878-1967). From 1921, she was a member of the Trio Trillat, founded by the pianist Ennemond Trillat with the collaboration of cellist Jean Witkowski. The Trio was active in concerts and recordings in France and abroad for about thirty years. De Sampigny later taught at the Conservatory as assistant to René Benedetti. Thérèse Cahen had studied piano, harmony and counterpoint at the Schola Cantorum, where she obtained a Second Prize. She was a faithful friend and muse for Leguerney, and recruited many musicians for first performances of his vocal and chamber works. She was deported to Auschwitz on July 31, 1944, a few weeks before the Liberation of Paris.

This edition of the Sonata was performed at a private concert in Vernon (France) in July 2011 by French violinist Marion Larigaudrie and pianist Mary Dibbern. It is based upon the autograph manuscript OL 23, on deposit at the Music Department of the Bibliothèque national in Paris.

Both works are available in our catalog of music for the violin.