Violinist Wilma Smith Photo: Supplied
Although Jean René Désiré Françaix (1912-1997) has endured criticism for his distinctive, ‘one-dimensional’ style, others assert that the French composer and master of orchestration simply found his voice early and had no need to further develop his musical voice.
He was born to a musical father and his gifts were encouraged from an early age. Eventually he studied with the famous composition pedagogue Nadia Boulanger in Paris and took a lot of inspiration from fellow French composer Maurice Ravel.
Françaix’s writing is characterised by its clarity and what some might call a childlike lightness and energy.
Recorded in Nelson Centre of Musical Arts by RNZ
Sound engineer: Darryl Stack
