Most enthusiasts of British
Light music will know the name of Ronald Binge for his masterly Elizabethan Serenade with its gentle
evocation of an era long past as well as portraying an optimistic
future under our present Queen. Other listeners may have been enchanted by the
coquettish Miss Melanie or have nodded
off hearing ‘Sailing By’ just before the BBC Home Service/Radio 4 late-night
Shipping Forecast. However, fewer will have encountered the subtle musical picture
of the most famous venues of Parisian night-life explored in Faire Frou-Frou.
When I was last in Paris, I went
for a walk past the Folies Bergère in the Rue
Richer in the 9 arrondissement: unfortunately I did not venture into one
of the famous cabaret shows. This traditional Parisian music-hall epitomises nearly
a century and a half of exotic entertainment. Few people will be unaware of the
legendary Can-Can dancers as pictured by (amongst many others) the artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and
the composer Jaques Offenbach.
I am not sure what Binge’s definition
of ‘Frou Frou’ was. Perhaps it was the nick-name of a dancer at the Folies? Or maybe
a character from a Belle-Époque novel or play. The dictionary definition is more prosaic- ‘Fussy or showy dress or ornamentation’. This
would be a good definition of the archetypical Can-Can dress. Internet browsers will hardly be surprised to
find the Faire Frou-Frou is now the
trade name of a prestigious French lingerie manufacturer.
Ronald Binge has chosen to present
a slightly more reserved picture of the Folies Bergère
than Offenbach did. However, the rhythm of the Can-Can underlies the proceedings.
The second section of this episodic work has an allusion to the French national
anthem. However, after exploring a number of lively moods the main dance theme returns
and brings the work to a subtle rather than boisterous close.
Faire
Frou-Frou was published as a piano piece by Inter-Art Music
Publishers in 1957. Band/orchestra parts are available from Josef Weinberger.
The work (as far as I can tell) has only been released on the Marco Polo
retrospective of Binge’s music. (8.223515)
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