Credits:

Alexandre Tharaud

Description:

Alexandre Tharaud recently gave a thoughtful performance of Beethoven's "Last Three Sonatas. Of course, his repertoire is wide and varied, ranging from classical works, romantic works, modern and contemporary, and chansons. He is strongly attracted to French music of the 17th and 18th centuries. He has previously worked on collections of music by Rameau and Couperin, but this time he broadens his scope even further, introducing a variety of fascinating small pieces by a wide range of composers. The works of Rameau, Royer, and Danglebert, which are basically played on the clavecin (harpsichord), have to overcome a number of problems in order to be performed on the modern piano. For example, Danglebert's highly ornamental melodies are difficult to play on a modern piano, which requires a heavier action (key striking mechanism) than a 17th century clavecin. However, he easily overcame the difficulty. He sometimes arranges his own pieces for guitar or chamber music and adds them to the album, perfectly recreating the elegant pieces played in the royal palaces of Versailles.Let us not forget that the opening Prelude from the Rameau and Klavsin Collection is truly an anticipatory opening of a royal palace. Also, Rameau's "Elegant Indian Countries" is performed by the famous soprano Sabine Deviel, and "The Savage" by the young and hot keyboard player Justin Taylor. The album is enriched by these two musicians. Warner Music Japan

Tracklisting:

1.Premier Livre de pieces de clavecin: Suite in A minor: Prelude
2.Pieces de clavecin: Suite in E minor: Le Rappel des oiseaux
3.Livre de pieces pour la guitare: Suite No. 9 in D minor~Sarabande
4.Pieces de clavecin: Suite in E minor: Tambourin
5.Premier Livre de pieces pour clavecin~L'Aimable
6.Nouvelles suites de pieces de clavecin: Suite in A minor~Gavotte et doubles
7.Sarabande "Dieu des Enfers" (after Lully's La Naissance de Venus) (Pieces de Clavecin, 1689)
8.Premier Livre de pieces pour clavecin~La Marche des Scythes
9.Les Indes galantes (Deuxieme Entree, Scene 2)~Aria: Viens, Hymen
10.Premier Livre de pieces pour clavecin~Premier et Deuxieme Tambourins
11.Les Ombres errantes (Quatrieme Livre de pieces de clavecin: Ordre 25 de clavecin in E flat)
12.Quatrieme Livre de pieces de clavecin: La Pothouin
13.Nouvelles suites de pieces de clavecin: Suite in G~Les Sauvages (excerpt)
14.Chaconne [from Pieces in C]
15.Ouverture de Cadmus (after Lully's Cadmus et Hermione) (Pieces de clavecin)
16.Passacaille (Deuxieme Livre de pieces de clavecin: Ordre 8 de clavecin in B minor)
17.Fugue grave pour orgue (Pieces de clavecin)
18.Troisieme Livre de pieces de clavecin: La de Belombre
19.Le Bourgeois gentilhomme~Marche pour la ceremonie des Tures
20.Premier Livre de pieces de clavecin: La Suzanne
21.Variations sur Les Folies d'Espagne (Pieces de clavecin)