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Debussy-Messiaen: Preludes

 

In 2018 we will celebrate the centenary of the death of Claude Debussy. In his preludes, composed between 1910 and 1913, Debussy develops and explores the idea of colors and sound textures, thus creating pieces rich with poetry, images, exoticism and perfumes. His language and his mastery of writing are those of a composer who has attained his full artistic maturity.

For twenty years I have interpreted these pieces on stage. I cannot stop discovering their magnificence and nuances. Each prelude is a world in itself, transporting us instantly in an extraordinary universe. Debussy’s writing is very detailed. It requires a very precise reading of a score rich in information and details of interpretation. And yet one could believe in an improvisation, with a total freedom of speech, an indefinable sense of time!

Olivier Messiaen composed his first work, 8 preludes for piano, a few years after Debussy’s death.

How can one not hear the influence of Debussy, as one can see in the titles of each of these pieces which evoke those of Debussy through the reference to nature, to enchanted worlds, or the invitation to reverie.

In each sound, Messiaen saw a color. As early as in his preludes one can discern the first steps of the harmonic language that will characterize his work.

This program will bring together the young Messiaen and the mature Debussy through works that bond them.

This program will be recorded in March 2017 in Vienna and published in January 2018 at NoMadMusic.

 

 

Haiti Piano Project, supported by the French not for profit association “Raconte-moi un piano”

 

Haiti is the country where my mother was born.

What is more natural for the pianist that I am to go and meet a people and a country that is also mine and to share what is dearest to me: the music and its power of expression.”

When this observation dawned on me I was far from imagining that giving a concert in Haiti would prove to be as difficult, if not impossible, because there was no more concert piano in Haiti. Simple consequence: No piano. No concert.

Must a people who lacks everything and lives in misery be deprived of beauty, culture, art, music?

I believe in the power of music, its unifying power, the soothing, its suggestion to the dream, the springboard to imagination. The music is joy, emotion and hope.

Nurtured by these convictions and by the desire to once again make a piano heard by everyone in Haiti, A crazy idea never left me: “If there is no concert piano, then I will make bring one to Haiti!”

Thus was born Haiti Piano Project.

A piano is a strong symbol, around which beauty, sharing and transmission can come to life.”

www.haitipianoproject.org

www.facebook.com/haitipianoproject/

 

 

Beethoven Sonatas for Piano and Violin with Amanda Favier

 

The first disc published in May 2016 at NoMadMusic includes 3 sonatas: Nos. 3, 5 called “Spring” and 10 (see discography page). A film published by MMedia was produced at the Jeu de Paume Theater in Aix-en-Provence. Check out an extract on the news page.

In April 2017 we will record the sonatas Nos. 1, 6 and 7. The recording will take place in Luxemburg.

We will be touring China in August 2018 with a Beethoven program that will include the Kreutzer sonata.