When I was studying my BMus at Monash University a number of years ago, a friend returned from a holiday to France with a collection of photos from his trip. The pictures that really caught my eye were those of his visit to the medieval city of Entrevaux.
A fortified city centries old, Entrevaux was erected by Vauban as a stronghold during the reign of Louis XIV; and up until 1860, it also served as the French border.
From the photos I could see, the city was a maze of twisting alleyways, narrow houses, heavy drawbridges, and bold ramparts. I got the sense that it was a city frozen in its ancient past, leaving only charm and imagination to grow in its wake.
The original setting featured Flute, Violin and Piano. When I had the chance to revisit it in 2009, I felt that a combination of Clarinet and Alto Saxophone (and a Triangle!) yielded better results at invoking the sense of ancient times and old stories.
If you’ve visited Entrevaux I’d be really interested to know if this piece of music matches your impression. This historic and beautiful city is on my list of places to visit; and when I finally get there, I look forward to sending my friends and family a postcard from Entrevaux.
“Postcards from Entrevaux” has recently enjoyed a performance by the London-based multi-instrumentalist woodwind player and experienced West End musician - Sophie Creaner.
