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Belle Époque: The Music of France 1870-1914
Description
‘La Belle Époque’ is a phrase used to describe the period of relative peace and prosperity between the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and the outbreak of World War 1 in 1914. It was of particular relevance to France, but is often applied to the whole of Europe of that time.
Using high quality CD and video performances, we shall explore works by the principal French composers of the day, including Camille Saint-Saëns, Gabriel Fauré, Maurice Ravel, Albéric Magnard, and of course Claude Debussy, whose superb early String Quartet is included in the Sunday afternoon concert by the Coulls. The course is suitable for all-comers – no specialist knowledge required.
Residential Fees From: £338. Non Residential: £226
Tutor information
Gwyn Parry-Jones has a richly experienced background, both as a performer and a conductor, and has held academic posts at the universities of Oxford, Gothenburg and Reading. At Reading he was, until 2007, the Director of Music in the Faculty of Education, and remains a visiting lecturer at Reading and Oxford Universities. As a professional musician Gwyn worked with the Hallé and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestras, and played under the batons of some of the world’s greatest conductors, including Sir John Barbirolli, Carlo-Maria Giulini and Sir Simon Rattle. Gwyn is also well known as an adjudicator, and has this year again been a Mentor at the National Festival of Music for Youth in Birmingham’s Symphony Hall. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, and an Honorary Fellow of the University of Reading. Gwyn has a number of published compositions and arrangements too, mostly for wind instruments or voices.
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