Joseph-Ermend Bonnal (1880-1944) – String Quartet No.1 (1927)
- Vif, 2. Assez vif, âpre et sarcastique, 3. Grave et expressif, 4. Très animé
Performed by: Debussy Quartet
CD: Arion
Jean Rivier (1896-1987) – String Quartet No.1 (1924)
- Andantino quasi allegretto, 2. Assez vif et très rythmé, 3. Andante espressivo, 4. Allegro molto e giocoso
Performed by: Mandelring Quartet
CD: audite
The organist Joseph-Ermend Bonnal studied in Paris with Fauré and as an organist with Guilmant and Tournemire, and in 1920 was appointed titular of St André and director of the Bayonne Conservatory in south-western France. It was there, in 1927, that he wrote his glowing first string quartet. In this piece, we can detect that same French lilting and dancing tone with hints of folk music that we also know from Ravel.
Jean Rivier achieved his first public success with the First String Quartet of 1924. Its tone is no less Ravellian than that of Bonnal’s first quartet, but at times it is also reminiscent of the quartet of that other French master, Claude Debussy.
