THARAUD ALEXANDRE – FOUR HANDS CD
16,00 €
Disc 1
1 21 Hungarian Dances, WoO 1: No. 5 in F-Sharp Minor (Piano 4-Hands Version)
2 Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit, BWV 106 “Actus Tragicus”: No. 2, Chöre, Arioso und Aria. “Gottes Zeit ist die allerbeste Zeit” (Arr. Kurtág for Piano 4-Hands)
3 Libertango (Arr. Yamamoto for Piano 4-Hands)
4 Dolly, Op. 56: I. Berceuse
5 The Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66, Act 1 “The Spell”: No. 6, Waltz (Arr. Rachmaninov for Piano 4-Hands)
6 Ma Mère l’Oye, M. 60: V. Le jardin féérique
7 Parade: Prestidigitateur chinois
8 15 Portraits d’enfants d’Auguste Renoir: No. 7, Fillette au chapeau bleu
9 3 Marches militaires, Op. 51, D. 733: No. 1 in D Major
10 4 Norwegian Dances, Op. 35: No. 2 in A Major, Allegretto tranquillo e grazioso
11 Piano Trio in G Major, Hob. XV:25: III. Rondo all’ongarese. Presto (Arr. Metzdorff for Piano 4-Hands)
12 Slavonic Dances, Op. 72, B. 145: No. 2 in E Minor, Allegretto grazioso
13 Galop-marche à huit mains (Arr. Lemoine for Piano 4-Hands)
14 3 + 3: No. 3, The Just Average
15 Sonata for Piano 4-Hands in D Major, K. 381: III. Allegro molto
16 Sonata for Piano 4-Hands, FP 8: I. Prelude
17 Petite suite, CD 71, L. 65: I. En bateau
18 3 Pieces for Four Hands: No. 2, Stokes
19 6 Morceaux, Op. 11: No. 1, Barcarolle
20 6 Studien in kanonischer Form, Op. 56: No. 4, Innig (Transcr. Bizet for Piano 4-Hands)
21 Barcarolle, Op. 26
22 Jeux d’enfants, Op. 22, WD 56: No. 12, Le bal
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Description
This was something I’d had in mind for a long time…” says pianist Alexandre Tharaud, “to put together an album for the sheer pleasure of it, in collaboration with dear friends and paying tribute to the wonders of the piano duet repertoire.” The aptly named 4 Hands offers 18 tracks, each just a few minutes in length, each featuring Tharaud sharing a piano keyboard with a different partner. The repertoire ranges wide – from Bach to Glass by way of such composers as Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, Fauré, Satie, Debussy, Ravel, Rachmaninov, Ravel and Piazzolla. 15 of Tharaud’s fellow performers are celebrated pianists – among them the late Nicholas Angelich, Mariam Batsashvili, Bertrand Chamayou, David Fray, VÃkingur Olafsson and Beatrice Rana. The other three, all stars in their musical fields, are shown in a new, pianistic light: cellist Gautier Capuçon, countertenor Philippe Jaroussky and singer-songwriter Juliette. “The piano duet is one of life’s miracles,” continues Tharaud. “First and foremost, it is the most intimate way of playing chamber music… It was a joy to record this album… If hearing these pieces prompts people to buy some sheet music and enjoy playing duets together – just as we did in the recording studio – then I will have achieved my aim.
The album includes 22 short works, the longest being 6 minutes long and the shortest less than a minute. Other than Tharaud, none of the music partners appears more than once, which points to a complicated and ambitious production. Tharaud starts with Brahms’ popular Hungarian Dance in F# minor with Bruce Liu. Although the tempo is brisk, the pianists feed off each other’s energy. Liu, who takes the primo part, shows nimble if not a tad light-handed finger-work in the fast passages, while Tharaud fuels the rhythmic baseline.
Alexandre Tharaud has a solid collection of solo albums to his credit but he’s also an avid collaborative musician: from songs with soprano Sabine Devieilhe to works for flute and cello, he’s explored an array of styles and composers. This collection of piano music for four hands features partnerships with a good number of pianists alongside artists that piano is not their primary instrument; and so pianists like Bruce Liu, Beatrice Rana, Vikingur Ólafsson, Bertrand Chamayou, David Fray, and Alexander Melnikov is joined on the piano bench by cellist Gautier Capuçon, singer-songwriter Juliette Noureddine, and countertenor Philippe Jaroussky.