Massenet: Complete Solo Piano Works / Stefan Irmer

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MASSENET Complete Solo Piano Works • Stefan Irmer (pn) • MDG 618 1729-2 (79:41)


Fantaisie sur le Pardon de Ploërmel. 10 Pièces de genre. Le Roman d’Arlequin. 7 Improvisations. Toccata . 2 Impressions. Momento musicale. Devant la Madonne. Valse folle. Valse très lente. Musique pour bercer les petits enfants. 2 Pieces


If you believe that music must always be a profound, life-changing, soul-shattering experience, this disc is not for you. But if there is room in your library for music of great charm, inventiveness, and elegance, persuasively performed and well recorded, then seek it out. I had heard a few of these pieces before, but not most of them. It is unlikely that you will sit down and listen with concentration and total focus to the entire, almost 80-minute disc. But listening to any piece or handful of pieces is a delightful experience, and it is music that can be on in the background while you are doing something else and still provide pleasure in that mode.


MDG provides an excellent essay on Massenet by Sylviane Falcinelli (and it is decently translated for the most part), and fine notes on these pieces by the pianist himself. Stefan Irmer has clearly studied and truly learned this music. So often on a disc of rarely performed music one gets the feeling that the pianist is sight-reading the notes in order to make a recording of previously unrecorded music. Not so here. Irmer performs with wonderful clarity, variety of tone, panache, and commitment. He truly sells the music.


Natural recorded sound, capturing very well the 1901 Steinway used for the recording, rounds out a delightful disc.


FANFARE: Henry Fogel


Product Description:

  • Release Date: December 01, 2011


  • Catalog Number: 6181729-2


  • UPC: 760623172927


  • Label: MDG


  • Number of Discs: 1


  • Composer: Jules Massenet


  • Performer: Stefan Irmer