Paul Émile Ladmirault (8 December 1877 – 30 October 1944)[1] was a Frenchcomposer and music critic whose music expressed his devotion to Brittany. Claude Debussy wrote that his work possessed a "fine dreamy musicality", commenting on its characteristically hesitant character by suggesting that it sounded as if it was "afraid of expressing itself too much".[2]Florent Schmitt said of him: "Of all the musicians of his generation, he was perhaps the most talented, most original, but also the most modest". Peter Warlock dedicated his Capriol Suite to him and Swan Hennessy his Trio, Op. 54.
Ladmirault was born in Nantes. A child prodigy, he learned piano, organ and violin from an early age. At the age of eight, he composed a sonata for violin and piano. At the age of fifteen, when still a student of the Nantes High School, he wrote a three-act operaGilles de Retz. It was first performed on 18 May 1893.
He was admitted to the Paris Conservatoire to study under Gabriel Fauré, learning harmony under Antoine Taudou and counterpoint from André Gedalge. He orchestrated a few works by Fauré. Like his fellow students – Maurice Ravel, Florent Schmitt, Louis Aubert, Jean Roger-Ducasse, Georges Enesco – he had become well known before he left the Conservatory. In 1903, he wrote a Breton Suite in three movements and then the Brocéliande de matin. These two works were orchestral extracts from his second opera Myrdhin (Merlin), an epic work which he worked on from 1902 to 1909, and continued to revise until 1921, but which has never been performed.
He also wrote Young Cervantes for small orchestra, Valse triste and Épousailles for piano and orchestra. The balletLa Prêtesse de Korydwenn (The Priestess of Ceridwen) was first performed at the Paris Opéra Garnier on 17 December 1926.
In the field of religious music, he wrote a brief mass for organ and choir and a Tantum ergo for voice, organ and orchestra.
He also wrote articles on music in various periodicals. Appointed professor of harmony and counterpoint at the Nantes conservatoire, Ladmirault rarely left the Nantes region, calling himself a "homebody" who disliked to travel.[2]
He died in Kerbili en Kamoel, St. Nagoire, France.[1]
Breton Celticism
A plaque commemorating Ladmirault at his home in Nantes. It states, "he studied music in Nantes then at Paris under Gabriel Fauré, where he achieved the highest distinction. His music was inspired by classical literature and ancient Celtic legend (Merlin, Brocéliande, Tristan)."
All Ladmirault's music is imbued with his attachment to Brittany. It is found throughout his Gaelic Rhapsody, Briere, Forest and a symphony (1909). He was also closely associated with Breton nationalism. He advocated cultural autonomy for Brittany in the face of the centralisation of French culture in Paris and became a subscriber of the Breton fascist paper Breiz da Zont, an offshoot of the Breton Autonomist Party. He also joined the artistic group Seiz Breur. He was initiated into the Celtic esotericist movement led by François Jaffrenou. In 1908, the Gorsedd of Brittany nominated him as a Druid, and he took up the bardic name 'Oriav'.[3] In 1912, Ladmirault was one of the founding members of the short-lived Association des Compositeurs Breton. He composed music on Celtic themes, such as the ballet La Prêtesse de Korydwenn and the symphonic poem he wrote as musical accompaniment for the film La Brière. He worked on translations of ancient Gallic texts.
In 1928, Ladmirault published a manifesto of Breton music in the first issue of the Celticist journal Kornog. He argued that Breton composers should follow the example of the Mighty Handful, the Russian nationalist musical group, by rejecting German and Italian musical models and relying on folk traditions and pentatonic scales.[3] Nevertheless, he took the view that Breton folk music was cruder than its "civilised" Irish and Scottish counterparts. He justified his use of only Irish musical sources in his Celtic ballet La Prêtesse de Korydwenn, writing "several themes, jigs, war dances are Irish. You would find no borrowings from Breton folk music".[2]
In 1929, he helped to found the Nantes Celtic Circle.
Selected works
Opera and ballet
Gilles de Retz, opera, performed at Nantes, 18 May 1893
Myrdhin, opera, completed 1921 (never performed)
La Prêtesse de Korydwenn, ballet performed by l'Opéra-Comique, 17 December 1926
Glycères, operetta (Paris, 1928)
Orchestral music
Symphony, four movements (1909)
En Forêt, symphonic poem, performed Paris, 31 January 1932
Suite bretonne (1903)
Tristan et Iseult, incidental music (Nantes, 1929)
Valse triste, for piano and orchestra, performed at Paris, 4 March 1934
Brocéliande au matin, symphonic poem, Concerts Colonne, 28 November 1909
De l'ombre à la clarté, for violin and piano (1935)
Chorale et variations, for wind quintet and piano (1936)
Sonata for violoncello and piano (1939)
Sonata for clarinet and piano (1942)
Piano music
Quatre Pièces (1900). Contains: Impromptu; Regrets; Plaisanterie; Valse fantastique.
Rhapsodie gaélique, for piano duet (1903)
Variations sur des airs de biniou trécorois (tirés du Recueil de Quellien), for piano duet (1907)
Suite bretonne, for piano duet (1908) (arranged from opera Myrdhin)
Musiques rustiques, for piano duet (1908)
Quatre Esquisses (1909). Contains: Chemin creux; Valse mélancolique; Vers l'église dans le soir; Minuit dans les clairières
Mémoires d'un âne (1930)
Deux Danses bretonnes (1957)
Songs (voice and piano)
J'ai peur de t'aimer (1900)
Madrigal (1900)
Spleen (1900)
Lied (1901)
Quelques chansons de Bretagne et de Vendée, 2 vols (1906)
Quelques vieux cantiques bretons (1906)
Noëlz anciens composés en l'honneur de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ (1908)
Mélodieux automne (1912)
Gnomes (1912)
Six cantiques bretons du XVIIe siècle (1926)
Chansons écossaises (1927), also a version for choir
Triolets à Catherine (1928)
Chansons de marins (1931)
Other vocal music
Old Melodies, for tenor, string quartet and piano (1897)
Messe brève, for choir and organ
Tantum ergo, for voice, organ and orchestra
References
^ abDon Michael Randel (1999). The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Harvard University Press. p. 362. ISBN978-0-674-00084-1.
^ abcquoted, Xavier Deletang, Ladmirault, Quatuors, Trios, Fantasie, Les Amis de Paul Ladmirault, 2002.
^ abBempéchat, Paul-André: 'Allons enfants de "quelle" patrie? Breton nationalism and the Impressionist aesthetic' (Cambridge, Mass., Harvard University, Center for European Studies Working Paper No. 106, 2012) pdf 2008-10-11 at the Wayback Machine
Bibliography
Claude Debussy: "Paul Émile Ladmirault", in: Gil Blas (9 March 1903).
Octave Séré: Musiciens français d'aujourd'hui (Paris: Mercure de France, 1921).
Paul Landormy: La Musique française après Debussy (Paris: Gallimard, 1943).
Robert Marot: Les Compositeurs bretons. Les Sources de leur inspiration (Nantes: CID Éditions, 1988); ISBN2-904633-12-X.
Mikael Bodlore-Penlaez, Aldo Ripoche: Musique classique bretonne (Spézet: Coop Breizh, 2012); ISBN978-2-84346-563-5.
External links
Association Les Amis de Paul Ladmirault (Pieces of Ladmirault's music can be heard here by clicking "discography")
December 27, 2022
paul, ladmirault, confused, with, general, paul, ladmirault, paul, Émile, ladmirault, december, 1877, october, 1944, french, composer, music, critic, whose, music, expressed, devotion, brittany, claude, debussy, wrote, that, work, possessed, fine, dreamy, musi. Not to be confused with the general Paul de Ladmirault Paul Emile Ladmirault 8 December 1877 30 October 1944 1 was a French composer and music critic whose music expressed his devotion to Brittany Claude Debussy wrote that his work possessed a fine dreamy musicality commenting on its characteristically hesitant character by suggesting that it sounded as if it was afraid of expressing itself too much 2 Florent Schmitt said of him Of all the musicians of his generation he was perhaps the most talented most original but also the most modest Peter Warlock dedicated his Capriol Suite to him and Swan Hennessy his Trio Op 54 Paul Emile LadmiraultBorn 1877 12 08 8 December 1877Nantes FranceDied30 October 1944 1944 10 30 aged 66 Camoel FranceAlma materConservatoire de ParisOccupation s Composer criticMovementBreton nationalism Contents 1 Life 2 Breton Celticism 3 Selected works 3 1 Opera and ballet 3 2 Orchestral music 3 3 Chamber music 3 4 Piano music 3 5 Songs voice and piano 3 6 Other vocal music 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksLife EditLadmirault was born in Nantes A child prodigy he learned piano organ and violin from an early age At the age of eight he composed a sonata for violin and piano At the age of fifteen when still a student of the Nantes High School he wrote a three act opera Gilles de Retz It was first performed on 18 May 1893 He was admitted to the Paris Conservatoire to study under Gabriel Faure learning harmony under Antoine Taudou and counterpoint from Andre Gedalge He orchestrated a few works by Faure Like his fellow students Maurice Ravel Florent Schmitt Louis Aubert Jean Roger Ducasse Georges Enesco he had become well known before he left the Conservatory In 1903 he wrote a Breton Suite in three movements and then the Broceliande de matin These two works were orchestral extracts from his second opera Myrdhin Merlin an epic work which he worked on from 1902 to 1909 and continued to revise until 1921 but which has never been performed He also wrote Young Cervantes for small orchestra Valse triste and Epousailles for piano and orchestra The ballet La Pretesse de Korydwenn The Priestess of Ceridwen was first performed at the Paris Opera Garnier on 17 December 1926 In the field of religious music he wrote a brief mass for organ and choir and a Tantum ergo for voice organ and orchestra He also wrote articles on music in various periodicals Appointed professor of harmony and counterpoint at the Nantes conservatoire Ladmirault rarely left the Nantes region calling himself a homebody who disliked to travel 2 He died in Kerbili en Kamoel St Nagoire France 1 Breton Celticism Edit A plaque commemorating Ladmirault at his home in Nantes It states he studied music in Nantes then at Paris under Gabriel Faure where he achieved the highest distinction His music was inspired by classical literature and ancient Celtic legend Merlin Broceliande Tristan All Ladmirault s music is imbued with his attachment to Brittany It is found throughout his Gaelic Rhapsody Briere Forest and a symphony 1909 He was also closely associated with Breton nationalism He advocated cultural autonomy for Brittany in the face of the centralisation of French culture in Paris and became a subscriber of the Breton fascist paper Breiz da Zont an offshoot of the Breton Autonomist Party He also joined the artistic group Seiz Breur He was initiated into the Celtic esotericist movement led by Francois Jaffrenou In 1908 the Gorsedd of Brittany nominated him as a Druid and he took up the bardic name Oriav 3 In 1912 Ladmirault was one of the founding members of the short lived Association des Compositeurs Breton He composed music on Celtic themes such as the ballet La Pretesse de Korydwenn and the symphonic poem he wrote as musical accompaniment for the film La Briere He worked on translations of ancient Gallic texts In 1928 Ladmirault published a manifesto of Breton music in the first issue of the Celticist journal Kornog He argued that Breton composers should follow the example of the Mighty Handful the Russian nationalist musical group by rejecting German and Italian musical models and relying on folk traditions and pentatonic scales 3 Nevertheless he took the view that Breton folk music was cruder than its civilised Irish and Scottish counterparts He justified his use of only Irish musical sources in his Celtic ballet La Pretesse de Korydwenn writing several themes jigs war dances are Irish You would find no borrowings from Breton folk music 2 In 1929 he helped to found the Nantes Celtic Circle Selected works EditOpera and ballet Edit Gilles de Retz opera performed at Nantes 18 May 1893 Myrdhin opera completed 1921 never performed La Pretesse de Korydwenn ballet performed by l Opera Comique 17 December 1926 Glyceres operetta Paris 1928 Orchestral music Edit Symphony four movements 1909 En Foret symphonic poem performed Paris 31 January 1932 Suite bretonne 1903 Tristan et Iseult incidental music Nantes 1929 Valse triste for piano and orchestra performed at Paris 4 March 1934 Broceliande au matin symphonic poem Concerts Colonne 28 November 1909 Epousailles for piano and orchestra La Briere orchestral suite 1925 La Jeunesse de Cervantes for small orchestraChamber music Edit Fantaisie for violin and piano 1899 Chevauchee fantasia on Scottish reels for piano trio Romance for string quartet The River for piano trio Memoires d un ane after Sophie Rostopchine Comtesse de Segur Carillon 1929 Sonata for violin and piano 1931 String Quartet 1933 String Quintet 1933 De l ombre a la clarte for violin and piano 1935 Chorale et variations for wind quintet and piano 1936 Sonata for violoncello and piano 1939 Sonata for clarinet and piano 1942 Piano music Edit Quatre Pieces 1900 Contains Impromptu Regrets Plaisanterie Valse fantastique Rhapsodie gaelique for piano duet 1903 Variations sur des airs de biniou trecorois tires du Recueil de Quellien for piano duet 1907 Suite bretonne for piano duet 1908 arranged from opera Myrdhin Musiques rustiques for piano duet 1908 Quatre Esquisses 1909 Contains Chemin creux Valse melancolique Vers l eglise dans le soir Minuit dans les clairieres Memoires d un ane 1930 Deux Danses bretonnes 1957 Songs voice and piano Edit J ai peur de t aimer 1900 Madrigal 1900 Spleen 1900 Lied 1901 Quelques chansons de Bretagne et de Vendee 2 vols 1906 Quelques vieux cantiques bretons 1906 Noelz anciens composes en l honneur de Notre Seigneur Jesus Christ 1908 Melodieux automne 1912 Gnomes 1912 Six cantiques bretons du XVIIe siecle 1926 Chansons ecossaises 1927 also a version for choir Triolets a Catherine 1928 Chansons de marins 1931 Other vocal music Edit Old Melodies for tenor string quartet and piano 1897 Messe breve for choir and organ Tantum ergo for voice organ and orchestraReferences Edit a b Don Michael Randel 1999 The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians Harvard University Press p 362 ISBN 978 0 674 00084 1 a b c quoted Xavier Deletang Ladmirault Quatuors Trios Fantasie Les Amis de Paul Ladmirault 2002 a b Bempechat Paul Andre Allons enfants de quelle patrie Breton nationalism and the Impressionist aesthetic Cambridge Mass Harvard University Center for European Studies Working Paper No 106 2012 pdf Archived 2008 10 11 at the Wayback MachineBibliography EditClaude Debussy Paul Emile Ladmirault in Gil Blas 9 March 1903 Octave Sere Musiciens francais d aujourd hui Paris Mercure de France 1921 Paul Landormy La Musique francaise apres Debussy Paris Gallimard 1943 Gustave Samazeuilh Musiciens de mon temps Paris M Daubin 1947 Robert Marot Les Compositeurs bretons Les Sources de leur inspiration Nantes CID Editions 1988 ISBN 2 904633 12 X Mikael Bodlore Penlaez Aldo Ripoche Musique classique bretonne Spezet Coop Breizh 2012 ISBN 978 2 84346 563 5 External links EditAssociation Les Amis de Paul Ladmirault Pieces of Ladmirault s music can be heard here by clicking discography Paul Ladmirault at compositeursbretons com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Paul Ladmirault amp oldid 1109552433, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
