Florentine Mulsant, Six String Quartets

With six quartets to date in his catalogue, Florentine Mulsant is one of the figures of the French School most attached to the genre. However, as a creator who first loves freedom, she refuses to reduce the quartet to such and such a face that would only illustrate one facet. Neither simple polyptics, nor contrapunctic demonstrations, nor tributes to the neoclassical vision of the suite, Florentine Mulsant’s string quartets respond to a first expressive necessity at the service of which form and writing techniques are unquestionably put. But the primacy given to such an impulse in no way means a blank signature with a purely improvised gesture. If the composer is attached to this French School already mentioned, it is because, in the offspring of a Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683-1764), she considers that the correct expression undermeans the total mastery by the creator of the tools that are and remain writing and form.

Since its beginnings, the Debussy Quartet has been committed to the transmission of knowledge and is actively involved in helping young string quartets to acquire the knowledge it has itself received from the great masters. In addition to the numerous music courses that the Debussy Quartet conducts and the special courses that it organizes each season, it passes on its lessons in particular through its Summer Academy, which has been held in July since 1999 as part of the Cordes en ballade festival in Ardèche. Following an artistic residency during the 23rd edition of this travelling music festival, which saw the premiere of its sixth and final quartet, the Quatuor Debussy began work on the recording with Florentine Mulsant. As well as preserving these works of remarkable quality over time, the aim of this project is to pass on to younger string quartets, all of whom have been students of the Quatuor Debussy, at some point in their careers (Akilone, Una Corda, Varèse and Yako), a love of interpreting French music as well as contemporary works. Because working with a contemporary composer who is present throughout the process (understanding the work, rehearsals and recordings) is an unhopedfor opportunity for these performers. We hope that this recording will enable us all to defend this music to the full.

Duration : 94’00