Damase, J-M :: Trio

Editions Henry Lemoine presents Jean-Michel Damase's 'Trio' for 2 flutes and piano.

Jean-Michel Damase, who was born in Bordeaux in 1928, comes from a family of musicians. He showed talent early on, learning to play the piano and studying music theory at the Samuel Rousseau school at the age of five. When he was only nine he was introduced to the writer Colette and set some of her poems to music, and just three years later he enrolled at the Ecole Normale de Musique in Paris, studying with Alfred Cortot, changing the following year to the Paris Conservatoire under the tutelage of Armand Ferte.

In 1943, when the entire jury awarded him the Conservatoire Prize, he started on a promising career as a pianist, yet two years later found him at his desk again, studying composition with Henry Busser, and composition and counterpoint with Marcel Dupre. His 'Quintet' won him the Composition Prize when he was only 19, and he also obtained the Prix de Rome for his cantata 'La Belle se reveille'. He did not neglect his piano career, and performed as soloist in the Concerts Colonne and at the Conservatoire, as well as with the French Radio Orchestra.

His writing is attractive and elegant, following in the French tradition inspired by Debussy, Faure, and Ravel. All his output, especially his chamber music and concertante works with their rich and varied orchestration, demonstrates his intimate knowledge of the different instruments used and their capabilities.

Jean-Michel Damase has composed incidental music for plays, including 'Antigone' by Jean Anouilh and 'Madame de ...' by Louise de Vilmorin. He has also written for ballet, and his first work in this field was 'La Croqueuse de diamonts' composed for Roland Petit and first performed at the Theatre Marigny in Paris.

Having taken part in numerous international tours, and after being awarded the Grand Prix du Disque, Jean-Michel Damase turned his back on a performing career and devoted himself to his composition. His 'Sonate pour flute et harpe' is regularly played in concerts and has been recorded several times in Europe and Japan. He was awarded the Grand Prix Musical by the SACD (the dramatic right society), and the Grand Prix de la Ville de Paris, for his work in its entirety.