Romuald Grimbert-Barré, Orchestre National de Cannes
AP421 - 1CD - 70' - May 15, 2026
The Chevalier de Saint-George is in many respects an exceptional figure. Born in Guadeloupe in the eighteenth century to an aristocrat and an enslaved woman, he received in Paris the education of a court gentleman: violinist, fencer, Freemason, participant in the Revolution, and conductor, he was also a composer. It is naturally to the violin that he dedicated his finest works, among which the concertos, marked by a virtuosity that is both unbridled and graceful, stand out in particular.
Romuald Grimbert-Barré and the Orchestre national de Cannes pay tribute to this extraordinary life by pairing the Op. 5 and Op. 8 concertos with Thierry Pécou’s Concerto ‘Hommage à Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-George’. Through its many biographical references, the work offers multiple poetic points of entry into the life of this singular and fascinating figure, who remains far too little known today.
JOSEPH BOLOGNE, CHEVALIER DE SAINT-GEORGE
Violin Concerto in G major op. 8 G.050
Violin Concerto in A major op. 5 no. 2 G.032
THIERRY PÉCOU
Concerto "Hommage au Chevalier de Saint-George"
for violin and chamber orchestra (world premiere recording)
