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Yvonne Lefébure plays Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Ravel, & Chopin
Profil

Yvonne Lefébure plays Beethoven, Mozart, Bach, Ravel, & Chopin

$27.99

Details

Composer
VARIOUS
Artist
Lefebure, Berliner Philharmoniker
Format
CD
Label
Profil
Released
Nov 05, 2021
Catalog #
PH21041
UPC
881488210415

About

Yvonne Lefébure (1900-1986) was one of the most important French pianists and piano teachers of the 20th century. From a very young age she demonstrated real musical talent. When she was only 6 years old she studied the piano with Marguerite Long (1874-1966), initially in a private school, known as the Conservatoire Femina-Musica, then in Marguerite Long’s preparatory classes for the Conservatory. Yvonne Lefébure gave her first recital aged 12. Her earliest concert performances contained demanding works such as the B minor Piano Sonata by Franz Liszt or Robert Schumann’s Etudes symphoniques. Ultimately this gifted pianist took lessons with Alfred Cortot (1877-1962), one of the most important and indeed most influential personalities of musical life in the 20th century. Her most important studies with Cortot took place in his conservatory classes for advanced students, a group she joined in 1911 and from which she was awarded a first prize in 1912. Yvonne Lefébure had further private lessons with Cortot particularly in the period 1919-1939, when she was one of the most important teachers at the Ecole Normale de Musique. Later she went on to lead a masterclass at the Ecole Normale de Musique. From 1952 to 1967 she was Professor at the Paris Conservatory. Yvonne Lefébure was an outstanding soloist, chamber musician and concert solo artiste: by listening to this album listeners can get an impression of her talent for themselves.

REVIEW:

Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations and Sonatas 30-31 were recorded 1955-56 in decent monaural sound. The Diabelli is a fine, forceful reading in one long band (each variation is not tracked). The sonatas are beautifully rendered and show a pianist of discriminating taste and maturity. They also show Lefebure to possess a technical mastery that places her at the forefront among artists of her generation.

Mozart’s Violin Sonata in G with violinist Jeanne Gautier, and Beethoven’s Sonata 32 and Sonata 8 are decent enough, though no reason is given why we are left with only the first movement of the Pathetique Sonata.

The Mozart Piano Concerto 20 with the Berlin Philharmonic under Furtwangler is a pleasant surprise, though the strings are a bit glassy. Bach’s Piano Concerto in D minor along with some organ pieces transcribed by Liszt is the heart of disc 3. The concerto is effectively conducted by Fernand Oubradous, and Lefebure performs with depth and soul. The Liszt transcription of the Fugue in A minor S 543 is especially impressive.

Music by French composers constitutes the bulk of disc 4. Ravel’s Violin Sonata in G with Jeanne Gautier is handled with delicacy and humor, and Debussy’s rarely heard ballet Box of Toys allows Lefebure to handle the subtleties of the narrative with a special joy (it is heard here with French narration). The Dukas Rameau Variations and Roussel Three Pieces, Op. 49, are treasures of French insouciance coupled with elegance.

Very non-French is the single Chopin Mazurka that closes the disc. Pierre Dervaux gets off to a somewhat clumsy start with the French Radio Orchestra in Schumann’s Piano Concerto but rapidly improves to a stunningly warm and rapturous traversal. Mozart’s Concerto 20 contrasts most positively with Furtwängler’s glassy-sounding Berlin account.

-- American Record Guide

Tracklist 55 tracks

  1. Disc 1
  2. 1 33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli in C Major, Op. 120, "Diabelli Variations" 30:32
    Track
    1
    Title
    33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli in C Major, Op. 120, "Diabelli Variations"
    Duration
    30:32
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  3. 2 I. Vivace ma non troppo 03:16
    Track
    2
    Title
    I. Vivace ma non troppo
    Duration
    03:16
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  4. 3 II. Prestissimo 02:11
    Track
    3
    Title
    II. Prestissimo
    Duration
    02:11
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  5. 4 III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung: Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo 09:12
    Track
    4
    Title
    III. Gesangvoll, mit innigster Empfindung: Andante molto cantabile ed espressivo
    Duration
    09:12
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  6. 5 I. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo 05:47
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Moderato cantabile molto espressivo
    Duration
    05:47
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  7. 6 II. Allegro molto 02:02
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Allegro molto
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  8. 7 III. Adagio ma non troppo - Fuga: Allegro ma non troppo 09:13
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Adagio ma non troppo - Fuga: Allegro ma non troppo
    Duration
    09:13
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  9. Disc 2
  10. 1 I. Adagio - II. Allegro 06:15
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Adagio - II. Allegro
    Duration
    06:15
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Jeanne Gautier, Yvonne Lefébure
  11. 2 III. Theme and Variations: Andantino cantabile 08:23
    Track
    2
    Title
    III. Theme and Variations: Andantino cantabile
    Duration
    08:23
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Jeanne Gautier, Yvonne Lefébure
  12. 3 Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, "Pathétique": I. Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio 06:20
    Track
    3
    Title
    Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, "Pathétique": I. Grave - Allegro di molto e con brio
    Duration
    06:20
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  13. 4 I. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato 06:19
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Maestoso - Allegro con brio ed appassionato
    Duration
    06:19
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  14. 5 II. Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile 10:45
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Arietta: Adagio molto semplice e cantabile
    Duration
    10:45
    Composer
    Ludwig van Beethoven
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  15. 6 I. Allegro 12:56
    Track
    6
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    12:56
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Wilhelm Furtwängler
  16. 7 II. Romance 09:11
    Track
    7
    Title
    II. Romance
    Duration
    09:11
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Wilhelm Furtwängler
  17. 8 III. Rondo: Allegro assai (cadenza by Fred Goldbeck) 06:37
    Track
    8
    Title
    III. Rondo: Allegro assai (cadenza by Fred Goldbeck)
    Duration
    06:37
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Berliner Philharmoniker
    Conductor
    Wilhelm Furtwängler
  18. Disc 3
  19. 1 I. Allegro 08:08
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    08:08
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Fernand Oubradous Chamber Orchestra
    Conductor
    Fernand Oubradous
  20. 2 II. Adagio 08:19
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Adagio
    Duration
    08:19
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Fernand Oubradous Chamber Orchestra
    Conductor
    Fernand Oubradous
  21. 3 III. Allegro 08:05
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro
    Duration
    08:05
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Fernand Oubradous Chamber Orchestra
    Conductor
    Fernand Oubradous
  22. 4 Prelude 03:35
    Track
    4
    Title
    Prelude
    Duration
    03:35
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  23. 5 Fugue 05:55
    Track
    5
    Title
    Fugue
    Duration
    05:55
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  24. 6 Das Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599-644: Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 (arr. F. Busoni for piano) 03:34
    Track
    6
    Title
    Das Orgelbüchlein, BWV 599-644: Ich ruf' zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 (arr. F. Busoni for piano)
    Duration
    03:34
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  25. 7 Fantasy 06:02
    Track
    7
    Title
    Fantasy
    Duration
    06:02
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  26. 8 Fugue 04:51
    Track
    8
    Title
    Fugue
    Duration
    04:51
    Composer
    Franz Liszt
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  27. 9 Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: Chorale: Jesus bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) (arr. M. Hess for piano) 03:03
    Track
    9
    Title
    Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben, BWV 147: Chorale: Jesus bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) (arr. M. Hess for piano)
    Duration
    03:03
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  28. 10 Prelude and Fugue No. 8 in E-Flat Minor, BWV 853 07:55
    Track
    10
    Title
    Prelude and Fugue No. 8 in E-Flat Minor, BWV 853
    Duration
    07:55
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  29. Disc 4
  30. 1 I. Allegretto 07:32
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegretto
    Duration
    07:32
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Jeanne Gautier, Yvonne Lefébure
  31. 2 II. Blues: Moderato 05:30
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Blues: Moderato
    Duration
    05:30
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Jeanne Gautier, Yvonne Lefébure
  32. 3 III. Perpetuum mobile: Allegro 03:34
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Perpetuum mobile: Allegro
    Duration
    03:34
    Composer
    Maurice Ravel
    Performer
    Jeanne Gautier, Yvonne Lefébure
  33. 4 Variations, Interlude et Finale sur un theme de Rameau 16:20
    Track
    4
    Title
    Variations, Interlude et Finale sur un theme de Rameau
    Duration
    16:20
    Composer
    Paul Dukas
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  34. 5 Prelude: Le sommeil de la boite (The Toy-box Asleep) 02:43
    Track
    5
    Title
    Prelude: Le sommeil de la boite (The Toy-box Asleep)
    Duration
    02:43
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  35. 6 Tableau 1: Les jouets se réveillent 01:14
    Track
    6
    Title
    Tableau 1: Les jouets se réveillent
    Duration
    01:14
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  36. 7 Tableau 1: Pas de d'éléphant 01:16
    Track
    7
    Title
    Tableau 1: Pas de d'éléphant
    Duration
    01:16
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  37. 8 Tableau 1: Danse de l'arlequin 00:30
    Track
    8
    Title
    Tableau 1: Danse de l'arlequin
    Duration
    00:30
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  38. 9 Tableau 1: Le soldat anglais 00:33
    Track
    9
    Title
    Tableau 1: Le soldat anglais
    Duration
    00:33
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  39. 10 Tableau 1: Polichinelle 00:38
    Track
    10
    Title
    Tableau 1: Polichinelle
    Duration
    00:38
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  40. 11 Tableau 1: Le nègre et le policemen 00:48
    Track
    11
    Title
    Tableau 1: Le nègre et le policemen
    Duration
    00:48
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  41. 12 Tableau 1: Valse de la poupée 01:44
    Track
    12
    Title
    Tableau 1: Valse de la poupée
    Duration
    01:44
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  42. 13 Tableau 1: Ronde générale 02:31
    Track
    13
    Title
    Tableau 1: Ronde générale
    Duration
    02:31
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  43. 14 Tableau 2: Une grand plain verte 02:12
    Track
    14
    Title
    Tableau 2: Une grand plain verte
    Duration
    02:12
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  44. 15 Tableau 2: Entrée des soldats 01:15
    Track
    15
    Title
    Tableau 2: Entrée des soldats
    Duration
    01:15
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  45. 16 Tableau 2: Nuit. Lune 04:29
    Track
    16
    Title
    Tableau 2: Nuit. Lune
    Duration
    04:29
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  46. 17 Tableau 3: Un paysage désolé 02:02
    Track
    17
    Title
    Tableau 3: Un paysage désolé
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  47. 18 Tableau 3: Un air de vielle 02:30
    Track
    18
    Title
    Tableau 3: Un air de vielle
    Duration
    02:30
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  48. 19 Tableau 3: Changemant à vue 02:03
    Track
    19
    Title
    Tableau 3: Changemant à vue
    Duration
    02:03
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  49. 20 Tableau 3: Épilogue 01:06
    Track
    20
    Title
    Tableau 3: Épilogue
    Duration
    01:06
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Pierre Bertin, Yvonne Lefébure
  50. 21 No. 1. Allegro con brio 01:17
    Track
    21
    Title
    No. 1. Allegro con brio
    Duration
    01:17
    Composer
    Albert Roussel
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  51. 22 No. 2. Allegro grazioso (Tempo di valz) 01:22
    Track
    22
    Title
    No. 2. Allegro grazioso (Tempo di valz)
    Duration
    01:22
    Composer
    Albert Roussel
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  52. 23 No. 3. Allegro con spirito - Andante 03:37
    Track
    23
    Title
    No. 3. Allegro con spirito - Andante
    Duration
    03:37
    Composer
    Albert Roussel
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  53. 24 Mazurka No. 13 in A Minor, Op. 17, No. 4 03:33
    Track
    24
    Title
    Mazurka No. 13 in A Minor, Op. 17, No. 4
    Duration
    03:33
    Composer
    Frédéric Chopin
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
  54. Disc 5
  55. 1 I. Allegro affettuoso 14:12
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro affettuoso
    Duration
    14:12
    Composer
    Robert Schumann
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National de l'RTF
    Conductor
    Pierre Dervaux
  56. 2 II. Intermezzo: Andantino grazioso 05:07
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Intermezzo: Andantino grazioso
    Duration
    05:07
    Composer
    Robert Schumann
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National de l'RTF
    Conductor
    Pierre Dervaux
  57. 3 III. Allegro vivace 09:36
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro vivace
    Duration
    09:36
    Composer
    Robert Schumann
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Orchestre National de l'RTF
    Conductor
    Pierre Dervaux
  58. 4 I. Allegro 12:28
    Track
    4
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    12:28
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Radio Symphonique de la RTF
    Conductor
    Pierre Dervaux
  59. 5 II. Romance 08:32
    Track
    5
    Title
    II. Romance
    Duration
    08:32
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Radio Symphonique de la RTF
    Conductor
    Pierre Dervaux
  60. 6 III. Rondo: Allegro assai 06:10
    Track
    6
    Title
    III. Rondo: Allegro assai
    Duration
    06:10
    Composer
    Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
    Performer
    Yvonne Lefébure
    Ensemble
    Orchestre Radio Symphonique de la RTF
    Conductor
    Pierre Dervaux