Augusta Holmès

Trois Petites Pièces

Composer, conductor and performer, Augusta Holmès (1847-1903) has left us with a profoundly romantic body of work, where her heightened sensitivity, force of character and the influence of the many artists she came into contact with throughout her career are plainly evident. The Trois Petites Pièces for flute and piano, composed in 1896, bring together the homelands dear to Holmès' heart: Ireland, her country of origin, and France, her country of adoption. Thanks to their finely drawn phrases, Chanson and Clair de lune demonstrate the author's talent as a poet and melodist. The Gigue is a rhythmic, chanted dance, undoubtedly a nod to the composer's Irish roots, where the energy of her inspiration can be clearly felt.