This set of Ravel’s piano solo works was the most complete when released, as it contains both Ravel’s transcription of La Valse, and the little known La Parade. Fortunately this is not the main attraction of this issue, that being the superlative quality of François Dumont’s playing. His pianism is of the highest order, a virtuosity which doesn’t want to impress for its own sake, but a means of conveying the wonderful harmonics, colours and atmospheres of these works of genius.
Dumont lets each work grow organically under his hands, bringing out the inner logic, power and beauty, eschewing all extravagance or exhibitionism (Ravel himself wanted his works “to be played, not interpreted”). An ideal performance, if such does exist. The recording puts the Steinway in a rich acoustic without sacrificing any detail. Francois Dumont is one of the most interesting pianists of his generation, a prize winner of several international competitions, notably the 2010 Chopin Competition, where his performance in the finals made a lasting impression.
Composer: Maurice Ravel
Artist: François Dumont (piano)
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Tracklist:
00:00:00 Miroirs, M. 43: I. Noctuelles
00:04:32 Miroirs, M. 43: II. Oiseaux tristes
00:09:15 Miroirs, M. 43: III. Une barque sur l’océan
00:16:28 Miroirs, M. 43: IV. Alborada del gracioso
00:22:50 Miroirs, M. 43: V. La vallée des cloches
00:29:07 Sonatine, M. 40: I. Modéré
00:33:11 Sonatine, M. 40: II. Mouvement de menuet
00:36:12 Sonatine, M. 40: III. Animé
00:39:57 Menuet in C-Sharp Minor, M. 42
00:40:53 Menuet antique in F-Sharp Minor, M. 7
00:46:46 Menuet sur le nom de Haydn in G Major, M. 58
00:48:39 Le tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: I. Prélude
00:51:45 Le tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: II. Fugue
00:55:05 Le tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: III. Forlane
01:00:39 Le tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: IV. Rigaudon
01:03:54 Le tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: V. Menuet
01:08:58 Le tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: VI. Toccata
01:12:55 Prélude, M. 65
01:14:23 Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55: I. Ondine
01:21:08 Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55: II. Le gibet
01:28:01 Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55: III. Scarbo
01:37:10 A la manière de… Emmanuel Chabrier in C Major, M. 63/2
01:38:59 A la manière de… Borodine in D-Flat Major, M. 63/1: I. Valse
01:40:42 Jeux d’eau in E Major, M. 30
01:46:14 Sérénade grotesque
01:49:41 La parade, M. 11
02:01:06 Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: I. Modéré – très franc
02:02:24 Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: II. Assez lent
02:04:40 Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: III. Modéré
02:06:04 Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: IV. Assez animé
02:07:15 Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: V. Presque lent
02:08:27 Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: VI. Vif
02:09:04 Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: VII. Moins vif
02:11:46 Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: VIII. Epilogue – Lent
02:15:48 La valse, M. 72
02:27:17 Pavane pour une infante défunte in G Major, M. 19