Bertrand Chamayou - Schubert: Four Hands - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Perlman already had a recording of the Brahms Double Concerto to his name - on that occasion sharing the bill with Mstislav Rostropovich, conducted by Bernard Haitink (1979). He creates an equally sumptuous dialogue here with Yo-Yo Ma. The two performers match one another for brio and lyricism, their playing informed by the same sense of joyfulness, as their enthusiasm and generosity of spirit combine. Indeed, the coherence of sound, vibrato and intonation of these two soloists, each at the peak of his powers, reveals a fellowship both instrumental and spiritual. The vigour of the attacks and power of the phrasings, sustained by dazzling playing from the orchestra, add a rarely achieved Romantic dimension to this performance, transforming it into a veritable feast for the ears.

Bertrand Chamayou - Wanderer [COMPACT DISCS] date 02/25/2014

This is a survey of Ravel's solo piano music, a bold statement from the French rising star of the piano. It includes not only the oft-performed works such as Le tombeau de Couperin, and the Pavane pour une infante defunte but also lesser-known gems such as the pieces written in the styles of Borodin and Chabrier respectively, and the early Serenade grotesque. The album is a tour de force and promises to be a major landmark in his discography. Bertrand Chamayou, hometown Paris, was born in Toulouse in 1981. Despite his youth, Chamayou is firmly established as a highly-respected artist and is much in demand. He is the only artist to win France's prestigious Victories de la Musique on three occasions. At 20, he was a prize-winner at the international Long-Thibuad Competition, returning there in 2012 as a member of the jury. He has serious approach and has achieved success with his solo albums as well as his recent recital album with cellist Sol Gabetaa.