Besides the violin sonata by Franck, here performed  for the first time in a transcription by Mr. Rummel, the works of Felix Battanchon are the special discovery of this album. Little is known about many virtuosos of the 19th century, especially if they did not enjoy a glamorous career like Liszt, Paganini or – as far as the cello is concerned – David Popper. Felix Battanchon is one of those virtuoso instrumentalists who, in spite of having fallen into oblivion nowadays, did in fact leave an impact on the development of their instrument within the borders of their nation or sometimes even across. Born in Paris on 9th April 1914, Battanchon studied at the Conservatoire with Olive Charlier Vaslin (1794–1889) and Louis Pierre Martin Norblin (178 –1854), a son of the painter Norblin de la Gourdaine. Battanchon started his career as a soloist before, in 1840, becoming a member of the orchestra of the Grand Opéra. Teaching at the Conservatoire, he composed mainly studies and salon pieces, two of which are recorded here. His 24 etudes op. 4 were standard works at his lifetime, but are forgotten nowadays.

 

“Souvenir de Beethoven” was presumably published in Leipzig in 1857 and is based on the sixth movement of Beethoven’s Serenade for violin, viola and cello op. 8. The editor of the only available edition nowadays, Mr Best, states quite correctly that this piece is rather an arrangement of Beethoven’s music than an individual work in its own right. It is only at the end of the piece that Battanchon acts as a composer; everything before is identical material to Beethoven’s music.

 

The twelve etudes in thumb positions (op. 25) are amongst the best ever written for cello from a pedagogic point of view. Nos. 1 to 10 remain in one position each, short passages in neck positions being exceptional. This position within the study is combined with all sorts of articulations as well as bowings and is practised on all strings – not to mention that all this is based on not the least uninteresting musical material. Knowing the cello’s repertoire, an interesting mixture of patterns dating from the 18th century and already used by Duport in his 21 etudes (Musicaphon MC 6878) and signs of the huge development of the cello, its repertoire as well as its playing technique in the 19th and 20th centuries can be found in these studies by Battanchon.