"CINQ NOUVEAUX PRELUDES" op. 19 for piano by Maurice Journeau

Maurice Journeau (1898-1999) successively lived in three french towns : Biarritz in the Basque country, then Nice on the french Riviera, and finally Paris before dying in Versailles.

This 20th century french composer wrote many piano pieces in the evening after his daily work. For writing music was not at all his profession, but his daily joy during his own life. He was one of the numerous, very respectful Nadia Boulanger's students. Yet he wished to remain an independent composer, using free forms such as preludes or impromptus. The "Cinq Nouveaux Préludes" op. 19 for piano, composed in 1932, are a good example of his search for freeness, just like with his former "Preludes" op. 15 written in 1929 and in Nice also.

The well-known french lady pianist Hélène Boschi first performed both the Preludes op. 15 and the Five New Preludes op. 19 in the historical "Salle Cortot" in Paris on December 3rd, 1952.