Tomasi, Henri (Frédien)
Tomasi, Henri (Frédien)
Tomasi, Henri (Frédien), French composer; b. Marseilles, Aug. 17, 1901; d. Paris, Jan. 13, 1971. He studied with Paul Vidal at the Paris Cons., winning the 2nd Grand Prix de Rome for his cantata Coriolan (1927). He served in the French army (1939-10). Tomasi was awarded the Grand Prix de Musique Française in 1952. His music is marked by impressionistic colors; he was particularly attracted to exotic subjects, depicting in fine instrumental colors scenes in Corsica, Cambodia, Laos, Sahara, Tahiti, etc. He also wrote music inspired by Gregorian chant and medieval religious songs. During his last period he was motivated in his music by political events, and wrote pieces in homage to the Third World and Vietnam.
Works
dramatic: Opera: Miguel de Manára (1942; Munich, March 29, 1956); L’Altantide (1952; Mulhouse, Feb. 26, 1954); La triomphe de Jeanne (1955; Rouen, 1956); Sampiero Corso (Bordeaux, May 1956); II Poverello (1957); Le silence de la mer (1959); Ulysse (1961); L’élixir du révérend père Gaucher (1962). B a 1 1 e t : La Grisi (Paris, Oct. 7, 1935); La Rosière de village (Paris, May 26, 1936); Les Santons (Paris, Nov. 18, 1938); La Féerie cambodgienne (Marseilles, Ian. 31, 1952); Les Folies mazarguaises (Marseilles, Oct. 5, 1953); Noces de cendre (Strasbourg, Ian. 19, 1954); Les Barbaresques (Nice, 1960); Nana, after Émile Zola (1962). Choreographic Poem: Dassine, sultane du Hoggar for 2 Speakers, Chorus, and Orch. (1959). ORCH.: Chants de Cyrnos, symphonic poem (Paris, Nov. 30, 1929); Mélodies corses (1931); Vocero, symphonic poem (Paris, Feb. 5, 1933); Scènes municipales (1933); Tam-Tam, symphonic poem (Paris, June 13, 1933); Chants laotiens (1934); 2 danses cambodgiennes (1934); Chant des geishas (1936); Impressions sahariennes (1938); Sym. (Paris, May 4, 1943); Concert asiatique for Percussion and Orch. (1939); Flute Concerto (1947); Trumpet Concerto (1949); Viola Concerto (1951); Saxophone Concerto (1951); Horn Concerto (1955); Clarinet Concerto (1956); Trombone Concerto (1956); Bassoon Concerto (1958); Oboe Concerto (1958); Jabadao, symphonic poem (Paris, Jan. 10, 1960); Violin Concerto (1962); Taïtienne de Gauguin (1963); Symphonie du tiers monde (Paris, Feb. 18, 1968); Chant pour le Vietnam, symphonic poem for Wind Band and Percussion (Paris, Dec. 7, 1969); Cello Concerto (1970). CHAMBER: Concerto champêtre for Oboe, Clarinet, and Bassoon (1939); String Trio (1943); Divertimento Corsica for Woodwind Trio (1952); Wind Quintet (1952); Danseuses de Degas for Harp and String Quartet (1964); Concerto de printemps for Flute, Strings, and Percussion (1965); La Moresca for 8 Wind Instruments (1965); Sonatine attique for Clarinet (1966); many piano pieces. VOCAL: Song cycles.
—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire