Julia Didier
BIOGRAPHY
Julia Didier is a violinist with a broad, precise and uncompromising stylistic range.
Trained in Paris, Geneva and Brussels, she was a member of the Münchner Philharmoniker from 2017 to 2019, before joining the Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana in Lugano.
Based in Paris, she pursues an independent career ranging from symphonic repertoire to ensembles performing on period instruments.
In 2024, she recorded Lalo’s music in a duo with Sandro d’Onofrio.
She also teaches violin.
She plays a Luigi Marconcini violin dating from 1778 and a James Tubbs bow dating from 1880.
"His glory will be to have cast a ray of sunshine into the slightly hazy French music of the late 19th century, to have brought into it joy, life, chaste tenderness free from sentimentality and ardent passion [...]" Thus the French musicologist Georges Servières (1858-1937) described the work of Édouard Lalo.
The pieces that the listener can discover here, "characteristic pieces", were mostly composed in the 1850s. Although they met with immediate success - they were immediately accepted by the publishing houses of the time - they remain little known today and some are no longer even published.
Violinist and violist, member of the Armingaud Quartet from 1852 to 1873 - which sometimes included pianists such as Anton Rubinstein, Camille Saint-Saëns or Clara Schumann - Édouard Lalo was trained, among others, by Pierre Baumann, who had himself played Beethoven's symphonies under the composer's direction in Vienna.
A chamber musician and composer very active in the fashionable Paris of the time, Édouard Lalo created his own music salon at his home on Boulevard Malesherbes and frequented the private musical salons of Paris assiduously, such as that of Pauline Viardot, which gave him the opportunity to meet, among others, Turgenev, Gounod or Flaubert.
This album takes us to the encounter with this sound world, full of charm, poetry and character of 19th-century Parisian salons, the first recording of these pieces on period instruments where the gut strings of the violin are accompanied by an 1844 Érard piano.
“You see what impresses me most about Lalo? It’s this hatred of the commonplace, which translates into a harmonic invention that never rests; it’s the lesson he learned from the Beethoven quartets he played so often.” Claude Debussy
“His glory will be that he cast a ray of sunshine into the slightly misty French music of the late nineteenth century, bringing joy, life, chaste tenderness free from sentimentality, and ardent passion […]”
This is how the French musicologist Georges Servières (1858–1937) described the music of Édouard Lalo.
The pieces presented here, described as “character pieces”, were for the most part composed during the 1850s. Although they enjoyed immediate success and were quickly accepted by the publishing houses of the time, they remain largely unknown today, and some are no longer even in print.
A violinist and violist, and a member of the Armingaud Quartet from 1852 to 1873 — which at times included pianists such as Anton Rubinstein, Camille Saint-Saëns and Clara Schumann — Édouard Lalo studied, among others, with Pierre Baumann, who himself had performed Beethoven’s symphonies under the composer’s direction in Vienna.
A very active chamber musician and composer in the sophisticated musical circles of Paris, Édouard Lalo established his own music salon at his home on Boulevard Malesherbes. He also regularly attended Paris’s private musical salons, including that of Pauline Viardot, where he had the opportunity to meet figures such as Turgenev, Gounod and Flaubert.
This recording invites the listener into that world of nineteenth-century Parisian salons — a world filled with charm, poetry and character.
It is the first recording of these pieces on period instruments, with the violin’s gut strings accompanied by an 1844 Érard piano.
“Do you see what impresses me most about Lalo? It is his hatred of the commonplace, expressed through a harmonic invention that is never at rest; it is the lesson he drew from the Beethoven quartets he played so often.”
— Claude Debussy
"His glory will be to have cast a ray of sunshine into the slightly hazy French music of the late 19th century, to have brought into it joy, life, chaste tenderness free from sentimentality and ardent passion [...]" Thus the French musicologist Georges Servières (1858-1937) described the work of Édouard Lalo.
The pieces that the listener can discover here, "characteristic pieces", were mostly composed in the 1850s. Although they met with immediate success - they were immediately accepted by the publishing houses of the time - they remain little known today and some are no longer even published.
Violinist and violist, member of the Armingaud Quartet from 1852 to 1873 - which sometimes included pianists such as Anton Rubinstein, Camille Saint-Saëns or Clara Schumann - Édouard Lalo was trained, among others, by Pierre Baumann, who had himself played Beethoven's symphonies under the composer's direction in Vienna.
A chamber musician and composer very active in the fashionable Paris of the time, Édouard Lalo created his own music salon at his home on Boulevard Malesherbes and frequented the private musical salons of Paris assiduously, such as that of Pauline Viardot, which gave him the opportunity to meet, among others, Turgenev, Gounod or Flaubert.
This album takes us to the encounter with this sound world, full of charm, poetry and character of 19th-century Parisian salons, the first recording of these pieces on period instruments where the gut strings of the violin are accompanied by an 1844 Érard piano.
“You see what impresses me most about Lalo? It’s this hatred of the commonplace, which translates into a harmonic invention that never rests; it’s the lesson he learned from the Beethoven quartets he played so often.” Claude Debussy
"His glory will be to have cast a ray of sunshine into the slightly hazy French music of the late 19th century, to have brought into it joy, life, chaste tenderness free from sentimentality and ardent passion [...]" Thus the French musicologist Georges Servières (1858-1937) described the work of Édouard Lalo.
The pieces that the listener can discover here, "characteristic pieces", were mostly composed in the 1850s. Although they met with immediate success - they were immediately accepted by the publishing houses of the time - they remain little known today and some are no longer even published.
Violinist and violist, member of the Armingaud Quartet from 1852 to 1873 - which sometimes included pianists such as Anton Rubinstein, Camille Saint-Saëns or Clara Schumann - Édouard Lalo was trained, among others, by Pierre Baumann, who had himself played Beethoven's symphonies under the composer's direction in Vienna.
A chamber musician and composer very active in the fashionable Paris of the time, Édouard Lalo created his own music salon at his home on Boulevard Malesherbes and frequented the private musical salons of Paris assiduously, such as that of Pauline Viardot, which gave him the opportunity to meet, among others, Turgenev, Gounod or Flaubert.
This album takes us to the encounter with this sound world, full of charm, poetry and character of 19th-century Parisian salons, the first recording of these pieces on period instruments where the gut strings of the violin are accompanied by an 1844 Érard piano.
“You see what impresses me most about Lalo? It’s this hatred of the commonplace, which translates into a harmonic invention that never rests; it’s the lesson he learned from the Beethoven quartets he played so often.” Claude Debussy
private lessons
Private violin lessons for beginners, advanced students and professionals. Historically informed instruction on the Baroque violin is also available.
My teaching is adapted to each student’s individual profile and, above all, to their own interests and aspirations.
I am particularly happy to work with beginners, both children and adults, helping them develop healthy and solid foundations so that they can quickly experience the joy of playing the violin.
I also greatly enjoy working with more advanced students, helping them prepare for all kinds of important milestones, including conservatory entrance auditions, examinations and orchestra auditions.
I also teach Baroque violin.
Junior
Building strong foundations with joy
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Teaching tailored to each child
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Developing musicality and confidence
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A supportive and encouraging atmosphere
Adults
Start or return to the violin with pleasure
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Returning to the violin after a break
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Learning at your own pace
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Rediscovering the joy of playing
Julia came to replace me at the Montreuil Conservatory (CRD) where I teach violin. Not only were my students delighted with their lessons with Julia, but I also found them very fulfilled upon my return. They had all made great progress, both in their overall posture and in their knowledge of their pieces (rhythmic precision, text, intonation, musical understanding)... Julia's work is remarkable, and I wish every violinist the opportunity to meet her!
Lucie
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