In 1760, Francois Jadin left Brussels and went to live with his family at Versailles. He quickly finds a job, as principal bassoon in the orchestra of the Royal Chapel.
Francois has two sons, Louis-Emmanuel and Hyacinthe, each as good as the other with music. During the French Revolution, the brothers participate in public ceremonies, celebrating the military victories of the Republic, along with other great musicians of the time, Gossec, Pleyel, Lesueur and Kreutzer.
Hyacinthe composes “Pump and Circonstance music”, a “Hymn to Agriculture” and an “Overture for the first anniversary of the beheading of the Citizen Capet”. In 1795, at only 20, he begins as professor of harpsichord at the new National School of Music (Le Conservatoire). Hyacinthe begins to compose quickly and well piano concertos, chamber music, sonatas for piano and even an opera which has been lost.
Fallen for two centuries in total oblivion, his music has recently been rediscovered. Piano sonatas recorded by Jean-Claude Pennetier and a few other works, discreetely published.
Better served, his string quartets have been recently burned -some of them- by the Mosaïques and the Cambini Quartets. These are magnificent works, who say quite clearly their relation to Haydn (the first album is also dedicated to him) but also open opportunities to Beethoven and Mendelssohn. Showing a surprisingly mature writing, they are characterized by a fine balance between the parties, an excellent counterpoint and especially, a taste for chromaticism and unexpected harmonic combos.
All this reflects a strong personality and a style that seem to foreshadow great things. But unfortunately, the disease is already in progress and Hyacinthe, exhausted from tuberculosis, died in 1800 in the greatest poverty. Like those of Mozart, Schubert and Bellini, his short life seems to have been a race against time.
I searched in vain for the quartets on Youtube. However, we can listen to some very nice trios.
