Description

LOUIS JOSEPH DIÉMER (PARIS, 14 FEBRUARY 1843 – PARIS, 21 DECEMBER 1919)

Diémer was born and died in Paris. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire, where his teachers included Ambroise Thomas for composition, Antoine Marmontel for piano, and François Benoist for organ. From the age of twelve, he won several first prizes (Premiers Prix) at the Conservatoire, in piano, harmony and accompaniment, counterpoint and fugue, and solfège, and a second prix in organ. He quickly built a reputation as a virtuoso and toured with, among others, the violinists Delphin Alard and Pablo de Sarasate. In 1888, Diémer succeeded Marmontel as professor of piano at the Paris Conservatory. He taught, among others, Robert Casadesus, Alfredo Casella, Marcel Ciampi, Alfred Cortot, José Cubiles, Lazare Lévy, Robert Lortat, Yves Nat, and Édouard Risler. He was also instrumental in promoting the use of historical instruments, giving a series of harpsichord performances as part of the 1889 Universal Exhibition and contributing to the founding of the Société des Instruments Anciens. Several composers dedicated compositions to Diémer. They included César Franck’s Symphonic Variations, Jules Massenet’s only piano concerto, Camille Saint-Saëns’s 5th Piano Concerto, and Édouard Lalo’s Piano Concerto in F minor. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s 3rd Piano Concerto was intended to be dedicated to him.

TRACKLIST

1. Aria (Bach) (violin Jules Boucherit) Zonophone X-87912
2. Berceuse (Faure) (violin Jules Boucherit) Zonophone X-87905
3. Caprice scherzando (Louis Diémer) Zonophone X-87908
4. Chant du Nautonier (Diémer) G&T 35542 6084o
5. Deux Impromptus, No. 1 Eau dormante, No. 2 Eau courante (Massenet) Welte-Mignon 2767
6. Gavotte ancienne (Jean-Marie Leclair) (violin Jules Boucherit) Zonophone X-87901
7. Grande Valse de Concert in D-Flat Major, Op. 27 (Diémer) G&T 35541 6081o
8. Hejre Kati (Hubay) (violin Jules Boucherit) Zonophone X-87904
9. Lieder ohne Worte (Songs without Words), Book 6, Op. 67 No. 4, Spinnerlied (Mendelssohn) G&T 35545 2980F
10. Menuet du Concert k219 (Mozart) (violin Jules Boucherit) Zonophone X-87913
11. Nocturne No. 8 in D-Flat Major, Op. 27, No. 2 (Chopin) G&T 35544 2981F
12. Thais Méditation (Massenet) (violin Jules Boucherit) Zonophone X-87906
13. Valse chromatique Op. 88 G-Dur (Godard) Welte-Mignon 2766
14. Valse No. 5, Op. 88, Valse chromatique (Godard) G&T 35546 2979F