Gabriel Faure Vol. 1: Works for cello and piano & trio Op. 120 – Eric Le Sage, Francois Salque, Paul Meyer (2011) [Qobuz FLAC 24bit/88,2kHz]

Gabriel Faure Vol. 1: Works for cello and piano & trio Op. 120 – Eric Le Sage, Francois Salque, Paul Meyer (2011)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/88,2 kHz | Time – 01:13:52 minutes | 1,11 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Master, Official Digital Download – Source: Qobuz | Booklet, Front Cover | © Alpha Classics / Outhere Music

Following the successful edition of Schumann’s complete works, Eric Le Sage and Alpha have decided to produce a new series of 5 CD’s dedicated to Gabriel Fauré’s complete works for chamber music with piano. This series in general and its first volume in particular, constitute a milestone in Alpha’s development as they are the first of a line devoted to music from the post-Mozart period. Each volume will be placed in the literary context of the time in which it was created through fragments taken from novels, poems or the correspondence of artists. Eric Le Sage will work on this series together with François Salque with whom he shares a great musical affinity. Sound engineer Jean-Marc Laisné (who recorded the integral works of Schumann) will record the pieces in the auditorium of Grenoble, a hall famous for its acoustics. Through the combination of their talents, these men will breathe new life into these well known pieces.

The works for cello and piano of Gabriel Fauré stemmed primarily from the antipodes of his career. Early on, he primarily composed miniatures, though the well-known Op. 24 Elegie was intended to be a movement of a sonata that never came to pass. The works from near the end of his life — especially the two complete sonatas — both feature surprisingly spirited, bright, eager moments despite the composer’s failing health and hearing. Pianist Eric le Sage is joined by cellist François Salque on this impressive Alpha album. The sound quality achieved by le Sage, Salque, and the recording engineers at Alpha is what truly sets this album apart from others like it. The overall recorded sound quality is dry, crisp, close, and possessing a minimum of reverb. Even a bit more of any of these qualities and the disc would be sterile and uninteresting. But in their present combination, the outcome is one of exceptional clarity and focus, one in which listeners are transported to the very heart of the music. Salque and le Sage play with equal measures of austerity and simplicity, letting Fauré’s sometimes overlooked sonatas speak to the openness and freedom achieved by the composer late in his career. The disc ends with a likewise enjoyable and gripping performance of the Op. 120 Trio with the addition of clarinetist Paul Meyer. As Vol. 1 of what is hopefully a survey of Fauré’s complete chamber music, this installment is definitely worth checking out. -AllMusic Review by Mike D. Brownell

Tracklist:

Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)
1. Romance, Op. 69 03:11

Cello Sonata No. 1 in D minor, Op. 109
2. I. Allegro 05:09
3. II. Andante 06:42
4. III. Final, Allegro commodo 07:45
5. Elégie, Op. 24 06:02

Cello Sonata No. 2 in G minor, Op. 117
6. I. Allegro 05:35
7. II. Andante 06:39
8. III. Allegro vivo 04:32
9. Sérénade, Op. 98 02:47
10. Papillon, Op. 77 02:48
11. Berceuse, Op. 16 03:21

Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 120 (version for clarinet, cello and piano)
12. I. Allegro, ma non troppo 05:57
13. II. Andantino 09:08
14. III. Allegro vivo 04:24

Personnel:
Éric Le Sage, piano
François Salque, violoncelle
Paul Meyer, clarinette (#12-14)

Download:

mqs.link_GabrielFaurVl.1EricLeSageFranisSalquePaulMeyer2011Qbuz2488.2.part1.rar
mqs.link_GabrielFaurVl.1EricLeSageFranisSalquePaulMeyer2011Qbuz2488.2.part2.rar