Poulenc: Piano Concertos, Aubade / Le Sage, Braley

$17.99
Label
RCA
Release Date
March 4, 2011
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      POULENC, FRANCIS
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
    • PERFORMER
      Eric, Stéphane, Le Sage, Denève
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      March 04, 2011
    • UPC
      828766030822
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      RCA660308
    • LABEL
      RCA
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    • GENRE
      Chamber Music & Recitals
    Works ⌄

    1. I. Allegro ma non troppo

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Eric Le Sage, Frank Braley

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    2. II. Larghetto

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Eric Le Sage, Frank Braley

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    3. III. Finale: Allegro molto

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Eric Le Sage, Frank Braley

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    4. I. Allegretto

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    5. II. Andante con moto

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    6. III. Rondo a la francaise (Presto Giocoso)

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    7. I. Toccata

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    8. II. Récitatif: Les compagnes de Diane

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    9. III. Rondeau: Diane et compagnes

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    10. IV. Entrée de Diane

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    11. V. Sortie de Diane

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    12. VI. Presto: Toilette de Diane

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    13. VII. Récitatif: Introduction à la variation

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    14. VIII. Andante: Variation de Diane

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    15. IX. Allegro féroce: Désespoir de Diane

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève

    16. X. Conclusion: Adieux et départ de Diane

      Composer: Francis Poulenc

      Ensemble: Liège Philharmonic Orchestra

      Performer: Juliette Hurel, Eric Le Sage

      Conductor: Stéphane Denève



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