There has always been a mutual fascination between France and Russia. And it continues today at the heart of this programme that we based on a unique coupling of works from the great repertoires of two superb composers of the same era: Gabriel Fauré and Sergei Rachmaninov. Following in the footsteps of the Romantic Movement begun by Chopin (who directly inspired Rachmaninov’s sonata) and Schumann (whose vocal oeuvre inspired Fauré), we are transported into a musical world at the very heart of an age, at the crossroads of late Romantic music and new experimentation with musical languages.
Our aim was to highlight the unique and different styles and languages created during the same period. This allowed us to underline the aspects of heritage and transmission, with Saint-Saëns, who taught Fauré who in turn would perpetuate a typically French tradition, or with S.Rachmaninov who, despite their occasional differences, was greatly inspired and influenced by P.I.Tchaikovsky, himself one of the guardians of Russian romanticism. Indeed the latter showed a special attachment to France by making frequent visits to Paris – he was a regular at the Café de la Paix – and his admiration for the work of another French composer, E.Lalo.
During my research, it became evident to me that I wanted to link the instrumental approach with a vocal approach according to writing and style. This is undoubtedly due to my numerous partnerships with great singers who continue to fascinate me. In my mind, the voice is the symbol of all that is natural and evident in a musical phrase. This has given rise to unique programmes (such as the previous albums – French melodies in “L’Heure Exquise” and sacred vocal pieces in “Cantus”).
“Paris-Moscou”, an album devoted above all to the wide repertoire for cello and piano, also includes opera through transcriptions of French and Russian pieces of the same period. It is the result of a quest, which, through these musical gems, emphasizes both the tender lyricism and great virtuosity of the cello. (Christian-Pierre La Marca)
Comentarios
Publicar un comentario