RCA
Poulenc: Piano Concertos, Aubade / Le Sage, Braley
$17.99
Details
- Composer
- POULENC, FRANCIS
- Artist
- Eric, Stéphane, Le Sage, Denève
- Format
- CD
- Label
- RCA
- Released
- Mar 04, 2011
- Catalog #
- RCA660308
- UPC
- 828766030822
About
Without doubt, this French domestic release is the finest single disc of Poulenc concertos available, better even than the composer's recordings, and that's saying a lot. They have everything: style, spirit, a vivid sense of fun, a touch of sentiment that never turns maudlin, and that ability to change moods every few bars that Poulenc always requires. In the Concerto for Two Pianos Eric Le Sage and Frank Braley have a field day tossing phrases back and forth, or hauntingly recreating those gamelan sounds that infiltrate the work at critical moments (particularly at the end of the first movement). From the delicious, faux-Mozartian central Larghetto to the jazzy finale, the players relish every nuance. It's a blast.
Here, as in the other two works, conductor Stéphane Denève perfectly captures the wry, "sec" quality of Poulenc's orchestral writing with vivacious rhythmic underpinning and crystal clear textures. La Sage's interpretation of the Piano Concerto simply wipes the floor with the competition. He's one of the few artists who knows how to savor the music's salon ambience without wallowing, and the tempos he and Denève choose are ideal. Aubade, an odd ballet/concerto that has been frequently recorded, seldom satisfactorily, for once enjoys an accompaniment as characterful and involving as the piano part, with terrific contributions from the solo winds. The final couple of minutes are simply magical. Beautifully clean, well-balanced sonics round out this enticing picture. Let's hope RCA makes this release available internationally. It's unbeatable. [5/12/2005]
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com
Tracklist 16 tracks
-
1 I. Allegro ma non troppo 08:07
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Allegro ma non troppo
- Duration
- 08:07
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Eric Le Sage, Frank Braley
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
2 II. Larghetto 05:30
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Larghetto
- Duration
- 05:30
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Eric Le Sage, Frank Braley
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
3 III. Finale: Allegro molto 05:36
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Finale: Allegro molto
- Duration
- 05:36
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Eric Le Sage, Frank Braley
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
4 I. Allegretto 09:51
- Track
- 4
- Title
- I. Allegretto
- Duration
- 09:51
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
5 II. Andante con moto 05:59
- Track
- 5
- Title
- II. Andante con moto
- Duration
- 05:59
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
6 III. Rondo a la francaise (Presto Giocoso) 03:57
- Track
- 6
- Title
- III. Rondo a la francaise (Presto Giocoso)
- Duration
- 03:57
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
7 I. Toccata 02:31
- Track
- 7
- Title
- I. Toccata
- Duration
- 02:31
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
8 II. Récitatif: Les compagnes de Diane 01:49
- Track
- 8
- Title
- II. Récitatif: Les compagnes de Diane
- Duration
- 01:49
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
9 III. Rondeau: Diane et compagnes 00:51
- Track
- 9
- Title
- III. Rondeau: Diane et compagnes
- Duration
- 00:51
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
10 IV. Entrée de Diane 01:05
- Track
- 10
- Title
- IV. Entrée de Diane
- Duration
- 01:05
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
11 V. Sortie de Diane 01:09
- Track
- 11
- Title
- V. Sortie de Diane
- Duration
- 01:09
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
12 VI. Presto: Toilette de Diane 01:30
- Track
- 12
- Title
- VI. Presto: Toilette de Diane
- Duration
- 01:30
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
13 VII. Récitatif: Introduction à la variation 02:17
- Track
- 13
- Title
- VII. Récitatif: Introduction à la variation
- Duration
- 02:17
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
14 VIII. Andante: Variation de Diane 03:10
- Track
- 14
- Title
- VIII. Andante: Variation de Diane
- Duration
- 03:10
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
15 IX. Allegro féroce: Désespoir de Diane 00:40
- Track
- 15
- Title
- IX. Allegro féroce: Désespoir de Diane
- Duration
- 00:40
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève
-
16 X. Conclusion: Adieux et départ de Diane 05:26
- Track
- 16
- Title
- X. Conclusion: Adieux et départ de Diane
- Duration
- 05:26
- Composer
- Francis Poulenc
- Performer
- Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage
- Ensemble
- Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
- Conductor
- Stéphane Denève