Trois esquisses lyriques op. 144

Nos. 3-5 of Bacri's 'Esquisses Lyriques'. Valse triste is Bacri's third Esquisse Lyrique and third attempt at reviving the outdated genre of ’salon music’ that, in the 19th century, was meant to be a convivial genre expressing intimate feelings in the most acceptable way possible, thereby creating a sort of comedy of immodesty.

Chanson et valse (Esquisses lyriques nos. 4 and 5) was commissioned by Maria Canyigueral, a Catalan pianist residing in London, for her ‘Avant-guarding Mompou’ project, consisting of several new pieces based on fragments of Catalan folk melodies and thereby echoing the music of the great composer Federico Mompou. The six notes from a Sardana – F A G C A F– form the beginning of a sweet, plaintive song whilst only the first three constitute the beginning of a melody that takes the form of a waltz of similar character, the whole being placed under the sign of a simplicity that does not rule out lyricism.