Piano Pieces by Lili Boulanger & Jean Sibelius (Blaise Perez)

0:00 Lili Boulanger: D’un vieux jardin
4:53 Jean Sibelius: Le sapin, Op. 75, No. 5
Lili Boulanger (1893-1918) was a French composer and the first female winner of the Prix de Rome composition prize. D'un vieux jardin (“Of an Old Garden”) lives in an ethereal landscape of sound, with Boulanger’s signature twist of harmony.
Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) was a composer of the late Romantic era who played an integral role in developing Finland’s national identity in its struggle against Russia. His seven symphonies, the tone poem Finlandia , and the Violin Concerto in D Minor are beloved works of the orchestral repertoire. In the short piece Le sapin (“The Spruce”), a melody full of longing sings out while broken chords evoke the swaying of branches in the wind.
Blaise Perez, piano
March 23, 2024