Timpani’s world premiere recording of Florent Schmitt’s Le Petit elfe Ferme-l’oeil and Introït, récit et congé receives the prestigious Diapason d’Or Gold Award, along with universal critical acclaim.

Cellist Henri Demarquette, conductor Jacques Mercier and the Lorraine National Orchestra share in the honors. From the very moment Timpani’s world premiere recording of two orchestral works by Florent Schmitt appeared earlier this year, it was clear that this was no ordinary release. The recording features the ballet Le Petit elfe Ferme-l’oeil, composed in 1923 […]

French Cellist Henri Demarquette talks about the Music of Florent Schmitt and the Introït, récit et congé (1948).

The recent release of the premiere recording of Florent Schmitt’s Introït, récit et congé, Op. 113, has given lovers of French music and cello music in general the opportunity to hear an interesting and inventive concertante piece that was composed in 1948 for the French cellist André Navarra. Fortunately, this premiere recording (on the Timpani label) […]

Introït, récit et congé: Florent Schmitt’s tour de force for cello and orchestra (1948).

Over his seven decades-long composing career, Florent Schmitt would pen three concertante works for cello. The early Chant élégiaque (from 1899-1903) seems clearly influenced by Schmitt’s teacher and mentor, Gabriel Fauré, who had composed his own Elegy for Cello & Orchestra in the 1880s. The 1932 Final for Cello & Orchestra comes from Schmitt’s middle period of […]