In the shadow of Berlioz

Musical life in France during the years 1830 to 1850 was surprisingly rich, despite that being a period of great political upheaval. Paris was then a cultural hub, attracting talent from all over Europe. Chopin arrived from Poland, and Liszt from Hungary. While French grand opera was on the way to becoming the great new vocal genre, the world of chamber music was seeking its path, between virtuosity and introspection. In that context, Louise Farrenc played an important role as the guarantor of a “Classical” style inherited from Beethoven. Thus, she marked out a course in the history of the violin sonata in France that the next generation – Théodore Gouvy, in particular – was not to forget.