Servais - Fantaisie sur La Folle (Urtext Edition, Quintet Version)

Fantaisie sur La Folle is an early work holding close kinship to Fantaisie brillante: intitulée concertino, an early version of Souvenir de la Suisse. The romance La Folle by Albert Grisar (1808–1869) was first published in late 1834; many variations on the song followed in 1835 and 1836. It is likely that Servais composed his variation set at this

Fantaisie sur La Folle is an early work holding close kinship to Fantaisie brillante: intitulée concertino, an early version of Souvenir de la Suisse. The romance La Folle by Albert Grisar (1808–1869) was first published in late 1834; many variations on the song followed in 1835 and 1836. It is likely that Servais composed his variation set at this time as well.

The Fantaisie begins with a short tutti section. The transition between the tutti and the solo theme is a simple statement of the head motive. This head is not used in the theme or the variations. The theme begins at “ah! oui je me souviens.” Three numbered variations follow the theme. Every variation is followed by tutti sections. The song-like fourth variation could stand in for a slow movement of a concerto. The finale is in three parts: a transition, the fifth variation (a march) and the coda. The coda is almost identical to the Fantaisie brillante.

Our edition is based on the manuscript cello solo part in the hand of Ulysse Claes (MS 45.106 (5)) housed at the Brussels Conservatory Library. The piano part is not extant. The piano part and an orchestration for string quintet were reconstructed, occasionally bringing in material from Fantaisie brillante. The sources were graciously provided by the Servais Society. This is the first edition of Fantaisie sur La Folle.

This set includes a score, solo part, and quintet parts.