Hugo & Vincent

The music of Krug Champagnes provided the inspiration for an unexpected encounter between former Krug Cellar Master and Deputy Director of the House, Éric Lebel, and two talented young musicians. Pianist Vincent Mussat and violinist Hugo Boulanger graduated from the Paris National Superior Conservatory and the Royal Conservatory of Brussels respectively. Their tasting and exchanges were punctuated by spontaneous improvisations around each Champagne. This led them to create a “music portrait” or “echo” of five Krug Champagnes in the form of impromptu melodies.

A talk with Hugo & Vincent

Can you explain the Music Pairings you have composed for each Krug Champagne?

For Krug Clos du Mesnil, we imagined a crystalline and precise sound expressed by the violin, clear and crisp like the crest of a mountain, while the piano’s delicate melodies are suggestive of lace. In addition to this, we wanted to give a suggestion of generosity.

For Krug 2004, our intention was to invoke the tranquil warmth of a moment by the fire and its contrast with freshness. To create this cocoon, we were inspired by Tracy Chapman in the creation of a refrain at the piano while the violin plays different textures to symbolise the cold and develop the melody.

For Krug 2006, we wanted something earthy and sensual. We worked on the ambivalent dynamic of a strong feminine, like the character of Carmen. The dimension of mystery was important in our rhythmic and harmonic research, using chords with friction, oriental harmonies. In this creation, we relied on the search for a melodic theme with Hispanic tones, ornamental, while keeping a stable pulsation, a texture with the piano and the violin, which recalls the maturity and suave roundness of Krug 2006.

For Krug Grande Cuvée, we sought to compose a grandiose melody that reminds us of the incredible generosity of the most generous expression of Champagne. We translated it into rich chords, warm notes from the piano and an increasingly powerful presence of the violin that grows into a melodious apotheosis.

To get closer to the surprising and festive nature of Krug Rosé, we decided to travel to Latin America, with a bossa nova rhythm – and to add an element of surprise. This music effectively conveys a surprising rhythmic instability that reflects Krug Rosé’s combination of distinction and boldness.