Octuor de France

	PRESS REVIEW
		Extract #6

A young man
At nearly 85, Jean Françaix is still the eternal young man who in 1931 composed the Huit Bagatelles for string quartet and piano which started the concert devoted to his works by the Octuor de France, in the big and terribly impersonal UNESCO conference room.
Jean Françaix, inveterate hedonist, only looks for sound pleasure, all the more polished as he learnt rigour with our dear Nadia Boulanger. He plays with the most common rythms with consumate skill, creating a luxurious world with outdated grace and pleasures from the past.
I admired the subtle arrangement for string and four winds quintet inspirated from Mozart quartet with piano. A real gem made by Jean Françaix to pay homage to his prefered composer. A quite delightful evening.
Pierre PETIT
Le Figaro
28th February 1997

Chamber music in french style
Motivation and determination are necessary to impose a repertoirewhich is original, yet classical.
The concerts programmes of «chamber music in Bagatelle» at Bagatelle Orangery near Paris shows quite well the range of this repertoire. Some chamber music «hits» of course, as for Beethoven’s Septet or Brahms’ and Mozart’s Quintets for clarinet, mix with rare works like Bernstein’s Sonata for clarinet, strings and piano.
Although most of the ensemble repertoire focuses on classical and romantical music, contemporary creation exists thanks to the collaboration of Jean Françaix.
Pablo GALONCE
Le Monde de la Musique
Mai 1996

Schubert inspiration
Each summer, music chases away lemon and orange trees from Bagatelle. In this haven of verdure, next to the great city, the Octuor de France has performed twice a week for four years a range of concerts named «chamber music in Bagatelle».
The concerts performed in Bagatelle are not like the others. These 8 musicians, who come from the best parisian formations, don’t act in a usual way : they don’t make do with playing. They invite the 300 music lovers to a kind of Schubert inspiration moment, modern version of «musique de salon».
Jeacques DOUCELIN
Le Figaro
1996

The american shiver
The Octuor de France has performed in the Ferté-Beauharnais Church. Dvorak, Barber and Coleridge-Taylor american chamber music has given the shivers to the public which was numerous. The musicians took up the bet of originality. A successful bet : The church was full and the public warm. In the Ferté-Beauharnais Church, people held their breath, hid their tears, as Samuel Barber music , in such a faultless interpretation, caused emotion.
Fanny CHAPOTON
La Nouvelle République
August 1996

Closure concert of Musical September in Orne
Jean Françaix prolongs Mozart musical spirit
The tribute to Jean Françaix has left a feeling of freshness and of tonic effect which only belongs to this kind of contemporary music. Out of the ordinary nuance, expression and technique has been added to the wonderful match between piano, held by the composer, and the string instrument.
The « Huit Bagatelles for string quartet and piano », real gems of great variety, were some of the great moments of the evening. The divertimento for string trio and piano was glistening and witty. But the most intense has been revealed by the quintet for clarinet and string quartet : sweety mix of tones and work of great fullness whose slow mouvement is one of the most stirring in contemporary music. Indeed, it has been given an wonderful ovation, which gratified the public with another performance.

Musical nights in Bourbonnais
Huit orfèvres et un grand concert
Tuesday in the evening, in Saint-Léger d’Ebreuil church, music lovers were delighted with the Octuor de France. A quite nice evening. The Musical Nights hit the bull with these height very talented musicians. They performed Mozart, Weber and Beethoven, three great names of romantic music.
Indeed, the Octuor de France is an exceptional ensemble which stood out these Musical Nights.
La Montagne - Allier
July 1996

Houlgate - Closure of the musical summer
A wonderful Octuor de France
The closure concert of the musical summer in Houlgate has no doubt been the most beautiful. Could we think of a nicer programmer : Mozart, quintet for clarinet and strings, Schubert, octet, with talented musicians. The public was delighted. They came in the Saint-Aubin church which was too small to grant the public, very numerous, who came to applause the musicians. There are in these young musicians freshness, enthousiasm and pleasure they gave back the public.

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