Fauré: Pelléas et Mélisande Suite & Other Works

This album spotlights Gabriel Fauré’s orchestrated songs and his music for the stage, of which his suite from the incidental music for Pelléas et Mélisande includes some of his best-loved music. Performances of Fauré’s spectacular Wagnerian drama Prométhée are a real rarity, while the Shylock Suite, based on Shakespeare, contains some of his most elaborate symphonic music. Fauré orchestrated only …

Folies Parisiennes

From the Paris Exhibition to the 1950s, trumpets and cornet à pistons made in France inspired many compositions for the instruments resulting in an abundance of solo repertory. Music flourished everywhere in Paris during the period covered by this new album. Using four historical instruments from the collection of the Musée de la musique (such as a valve cornet ca. …

Fauré & Poulenc: Works for Piano & Orchestra

Following his acclaimed recording of the Saint-Saëns piano concertos with the Malmö Symphony Orchestra, French pianist Romain Descharmes reunites with the orchestra for works by Fauré and Poulenc conducted by Michael Halász. The centerpieces of this all-French program are Fauré’s Ballade and the Poulenc concerto, the former graceful and serene with a flamboyant “Liszt-ian” finale, and the latter clever, whimsical, …

Réveiller

Following their acclaimed recordings of the complete Brahms and Beethoven sonatas, Bella Hristova and Michael Houstoun turn to French works for violin and piano, featuring sonatas by Ravel, Poulenc, and Fauré. Acclaimed as a player with impressive power, passion, and control, a beautiful sound, and a compelling command of her instrument, violinist Bella Hristova is an ardent proponent of contemporary …

Cello Dreams

In a delightful program of lullabies and gentle serenades, husband and wife duo cellist Emmanuelle Bertrand and pianist Pascal Amoyel have gathered a collection of some of the most beloved melodies that touch, console, comfort, and soothe. These are at once a marvelous entry point to listening to music for the very young, and a treat for all music lovers. …

Impressions Parisiennes

Quatuor Van Kuijk explores treasures by Fauré, Debussy, Satie, Ravel and Poulenc that were originally composed for piano or voice. The program includes Debussy’s Petite Suite pour piano à quatre mains, Ravel’s famous Pavane pour une infante défunte and well-known songs by Poulenc, Fauré and Satie in transcriptions made especially for this recording by Van Kuijk violist Emmanuel François and …