Gabriel Grovlez

Sicilienne et Allegro Giocoso

Gabriel Grovlez (1879-1944) studied under Gabriel Fauré at the Paris Conservatoire. His compositions proved to be extremely versatile, from Operas and Ballets to solo works. Grovlez's Sicilienne and Allegro Giocoso is a sublime addition to the Bassoon repertoire. Much of the composer's works show neo-classical features, which is also the case in Sicilienne and Allegro Giocoso, where the texture is predominantly melody dominated homophony, cadences are frequently heard and modulations to related keys occur, despite tonality being interestingly exploited. Grovlez's C minor Sicilienne is unusual in style as it is composed in common time, yet the triplets and sextuplets in the Bassoon part provide the 'tarantella feel' required of the musical genre. This is superbly contrasted by the quirky Allegro Giocoso, (fast and cheerful) composed in the relative major. All these features make for an enjoyable and delightful performance!