The Chopin-Franchomme Connection

Julien Brocal and Camille Thomas (photograph by Miguel Barreto, courtesy of San Francisco Performances)

Last night in Herbst Theatre, San Francisco Performances presented a Subscriber and Member Concert performed by the duo of cellist Camille Thomas and pianist Julien Brocal. The two of them are currently touring the United States, and last night was their San Francisco debut. They structured their program around an early nineteenth-century relationship that was probably unfamiliar to most members of the audience (myself included).

The more familiar member of that relationship was Frédéric Chopin. As one might guess from Thomas’ appearance, the other member was a cellist, Auguste-Joseph Franchomme. It was for Franchomme that Chopin wrote his last composition, the Opus 65 sonata in G minor for cello and piano. However, Franchomme also made arrangements of Chopin’s piano music for cello and piano. Two of those arrangements were included on the program: the Opus 28, Number 15 prelude in D-flat major and the Opus 34, Number 2 waltz in A minor.

The program also included two other Chopin arrangements. It began with Thomas’ own account of the Opus 28, Number 4 prelude in E minor. The first Chopin selection after the intermission, the posthumous nocturne in B minor, was Mischa Maisky’s arrangement of music originally composed in C-sharp minor. Franchomme was also represented by a nocturne of his own, his Opus 14, Number 1, and his Opus 32 “Air russe varié” (whose thematic source was actually Ukrainian). The program then concluded with the “Hungarian Rhapsody” (Opus 68) by David Popper, a late-nineteenth century composition, which had clearly been influenced by Franz Liszt.

Taken as a whole, the evening was a journey of discovery well worth taken. Those that follow cello recitals were probably familiar with the sonata, but the rest of the program probably served as “first contact” experiences for most of the listeners. Thomas and Brocal provided engaging accounts of every selection, occasionally augmented by verbal commentary that was consistently useful. This was an experience that sustained attention from start to finish, even through the excesses of Popper’s rhapsody! Hopefully, we shall be able to experience a return visit in the near future.