Cinq danses exotiques by Jean Françaix

[annastrongx]

Ah I wish I could play these this fast! Such lovely pieces but very hard! Especially for a 14 year old like me haha!

[runenoob01]

i'm playing Pambiche, Baiao and Samba Lenta for my grade 8 saxophone exam, and i really got an idea of how the song goes like, thank you very much.

RSK, from Hong Kong

[DeviMaltiMillan]

Francaix de ninguna forma es un compositor importante, pero ustedes hacen algo interesante adaptando los tiempos de estas danzas, gracias por la propuesta y por no permitir que los mitos de las velocidades vertiginosas destruyan aún más, la poca calidad que tienen las danzas por si mismas.

[Tubatoofpaste]

Thank you for posting this great performance. Wish we could play it like this. [The sax player is hampered by this poor accompanist.]

[2fat2die]

You played it very well!

At this Moment I´m playing those pieces,too.

Espiacially The Pambiche is very hard :-P

Greets from Germany

[sophiibbz]

im playing this for my grade 8 saxophone, this is the best recording i have found so far so thanks very much (:

[qwerty1237975]

thnx for this, good to hear someone - got grade 6 exam in couple of weeks

[musthesp5]

oh dear! not the best recording of this out there! I agree about it being slow - she's still got some of the rhythms wrong! I know it's a bit sad but the ABRSM have a good recording of this!

[arty1016]

I'm playing these pieces for my grade 8 alto saxophone this June, so thanks very much for this! I've never actually heard anyone else play the pieces so this is really helpful! Below someone says that they're too slow, but I can't play them any faster than this I don't think, how fast should it go?

[PaulWehage]

It's more a question of lightness of articulation. Short, precise and centered tone will help that. If you get the articulations right, you should be able to play this much faster!

[tiritosenelpecho]

Hay una cosa que se llama "tocar con gusto", todo lo que esta señora no tiene. Falla la base así que no se puede pasar a criticar matices ni tempo, cosa también que también tendría un rato de conversación.

[diegordo1]

al igual le falta mucha velocidad estan muy lentas la primera y la ultima

[diegordo1]

falta exagerar los matices. buen sonido felicidades

[BitterSweetCameron]

who is she

[stefu90]

Where can I get the recording of Francaix and his daughter??

[PaulWehage]

It's on Erol, a small French lable. You should be able to find it on Itunes The recording also has Schubert, Chabrier and the Ballet Schola di Ballo. (Sorry to take a year to respond!)

[kekko1988]

too slow!!! articulations.... bad!!! good sound. bad breaths!!!

[rubychan11]

agree !

[BrucknerEnthusiast]

Yes, Francaix and his daughter made a commercial recording of his Concerto for Two Pianos and orchestra (a very witty work; his masterpiece, I think) and they are both dry, precise players, though the mediocre orchestra and unclear recording quality spoils the effect a bit. Same characteristics on Francaix's own 1937 recording of his (solo) Piano Concerto with Nadia Boulanger conducting. Thanks for posting the video though - I haven't heard these pieces for many years.

[PaulWehage]

I knew Françaix and played this piece with him. Your articulations are not nearly as precise and dry as he wanted. It has to almost be slap touguing. The tempi (except for the samba, which is exactly right, except the unmarked pause) are all too slow. To make this work, you've got to think as if you're just another finger on the pianist's hand.

[washingtonmusicaviva]

Dear Paul,

Fascinating! I am so pleased and honored to hear from you. I will forward your comment to Rhonda.

Best wishes,

Carl

[PaulWehage]

Tell her to get the recording of Françaix playing this piece with his daughter with the two-piano version and articulate in exactly the same way and play with the same tempi. That's how he wanted it and it's really hard to do that way, but it works! Good luck to you!

[saxpete]

Thanks for the clip. This set has been my favourite for so many years.

I love the general control during playing. and among the 5 movs, I think 4th is the best played. I defintely thin Pambiche and Mambo should be faster for better expression in the dynamic flow.

Thanks a lot.

[pcaron1]

quel belle assurance . tres beau son . quel est la marque du sax, et embouchure bravo et merci

[geocham]

Yeah great playing. I know how tough these can be from playing them many many times. Yes, I wouldn't take the mambo any faster as it is a nightmare for the pianist! I enjoyed it at that relaxed tempo. Congrats!

[themasterkavar]

Very well played. It's one of my favorite pieces, and I almost never hear it played. The Pambiche, Biaio, Samba Lenta, and Merengue were excellent. I think the Mambo should be played faster, but still, great playing on it. Great tone and intonation!

[washingtonmusicaviva]

Thanks! This was a lot of fun - we hope to play it again soon. Maybe try the Mambo faster (but it's hard for the piano-player!)

Carl