Jewish patrons, musicians and composers of the late 19th century

Concert preceded by an historical and musical presentation of the works by Laure Schnapper, musicologist at the EHESS and President of the Institut Européen des Musiques Juives.

Benjamin Alunni (vocals), David Bismuth (piano) and Sarah Iancu (cello)

At the turn of the 20th century, musical life in France depended above all on the support of a few enlightened patrons, music lovers and often composers themselves. Among these patrons were a large number of Jews – or Israelites – who ran music salons where the greatest composers and artists performed.

This evening’s concert immerses us in the atmosphere of these music salons, featuring works premiered there by Isaac de Camondo, Henry Deutsch de la Meurthe, Reynaldo Hahn, Fernand Halphen and Albert Cahen d’Anvers. Melodies and chamber music prevailed at this time, contributing to the golden age of French music, whose greatest figures were Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

Laure Schnapper

Laure Schnapper has devoted numerous articles to the history of musical life in France in the 19th century, and several books to Jewish composers: Henri Herz, magnat du piano. La vie musicale en France au 19e siècle (EHESS, 2011, Prix des Muses 2012) ; Du salon au front. Fernand Halphen (1872-1917), compositeur, mécène et chef de musique militaire (Hermann, 2017) and Musique et musiciens de bal. Isaac Strauss au service de Napoléon III (Hermann, 2023, Prix Eugène-Carrière de l’Académie française). She is currently working on a book dedicated to Isaac de Camondo.

Sarah Iancu

Sarah Iancu is a laureate of the Rostropovitch Competition and unanimously awarded First Prize for cello at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris. Solo cellist with the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse since 2002, she is also Professor of Cello at the Institut Supérieur des Arts de Toulouse. At the same time, she pursues a rich chamber music practice, notably in duo with pianist David Bismuth, with whom she has recorded two “Mélodies Hébraïques” albums published by Editions de l’Institut Européen des Musiques Juives.

David Bismuth

Identified by Pianiste magazine as one of the ten most promising French pianists of his generation, David Bismuth entered the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Paris at the age of fourteen, studying with Gabriel Tacchino and then Brigitte Engerer. He went on to perfect his skills with Monique Deschaussées, heir to Alfred Cortot, and with the great pianist Maria Joao Pires. In recent seasons, David Bismuth has performed with the Orchestre de Paris (Salle Pleyel), Orchestre National de France (Théâtre du Châtelet), Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse and Orchestre de Nice, under conductors including Andris Nelsons, Jaap van Zweden, Jean-Christophe Spinosi, Cornelius Meister, Michel Plasson and Rinaldo Alessandrini.

Benjamin Alumni

Benjamin Alunni studied singing at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et Danse in Paris, before joining the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. Beginning as a tenor and flautist, he was introduced to the Baroque repertoire by Skip Sempé, Christophe Rousset and, above all, William Christie, with whom he took part in the legendary re-creation of Lully’s “Atys” in 2011. But French mélodie, Lieder and contemporary music are also among his passions. Prix des Amis du Festival d’Art Lyrique d’Aix en Provence, he collaborates with numerous institutions on the international opera scene, including La Monnaie in Brussels, Tel-Aviv Opera and Opéra-Comique in Paris. At the end of 2017, he released his first solo album Confluence{s}, which blends 20th-century French melodies with traditional melodies from Jewish culture (Klarthe Records).

View videos of previous concerts by Sarah Iancu and David Bismuth