Notes and Editorial Reviews
FAURÉ
Berceuse. Élégie. Romance.
Papillon.
Sicilienne. Sérénade. Cello Sonatas: No. 1; No. 2.
Morceau de lecture.
1
Vocalise.
Après un rêve
(arr. Casals).
Romances sans paroles:
Nos. 1–3
(arr. Delsart)
•
Xavier Gagnepain (vc); Jérémie Billet
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(vc);
1
Jean-Michel Dayez (pn) (period instruments)
•
ZIG-ZAG 70602 (73: 22)
From the opening measures there is lift, lilt, delight, and lyric warmth. Gagnepain plays an 1878 Gand et Bernardel cello whose burnished mahogany lower register—opening up the scale in radiant amber—envelops melody in a startling aura of
luxe et volupté
. That enhances one’s pleasure immeasurably, of course, but Gagnepain is so attuned to Fauré’s peculiar sensuousness and melodic geste that one suspects he could coax expressive miracles from a battered school instrument. Indeed, the original instrument gambit cuts both ways. Dayez plays a 1902 Erard, said to have been Fauré’s preferred make, whose lightweight presence—something between mellow and hollow—leaves the pianist toiling in the rear. The cello is captured with such close-on immediacy that the piano is pushed into the background, springing to sudden piquant life only in solo passages. Though the recording is unbalanced, enough of Dayez’s flair emerges to confirm his close dialogue with Gagnepain, animating the parts and shaping opulence with formal point. For once—in the spate of recent Fauré cello programs—the lyric sentiment of the smaller pieces is lingered over lovingly, while the sonatas are revealed as major utterances by the artists’ prescient playing to their lyric logic. The occasional pieces—
Morceu de lecture
and Vocalise—and transcriptions are a generous addition to an already rich program. Gagnepain supplies brief annotations on the pieces, while special mention must be made of the couple of introductory pages by Jean-François Zygel that go as far as words may to explain Fauré’s ineffable melding of charm, profundity, and power. Forget the balance caveat—the ear adjusts as the particulars of rapture pour forth—and snag this splendid album at once.
FANFARE: Adrian Corleonis
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Works on This Recording
1.
Sonata for Cello and Piano no 1 in D minor, Op. 109 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Jean-michel Dayez (),
Xavier Gagnepain (),
Xavier Gagnepain (Cello),
Jean-michel Dayez (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1917; France
2.
Sonata for Cello and Piano no 2 in G minor, Op. 117 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Xavier Gagnepain (Cello),
Jean-michel Dayez (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1921; France
3.
Sicilienne for Cello and Piano, Op. 78 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Xavier Gagnepain (Cello),
Jean-michel Dayez (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1898; France
4.
Elégie for Cello and Piano, Op. 24 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Xavier Gagnepain (Cello),
Jean-michel Dayez (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1880; France
5.
Vocalise-étude by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Jean-michel Dayez (Piano),
Xavier Gagnepain (Cello)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1906; France
6.
Après un rêve, Op. 7 no 1 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Jean-michel Dayez (Piano),
Xavier Gagnepain (Cello)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1877; France
7.
Berceuse for Violin and Piano in D major, Op. 16 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Xavier Gagnepain (Cello),
Jean-michel Dayez (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1878-1879; France
8.
Romance for Cello and Piano, Op. 69 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Xavier Gagnepain (Cello),
Jean-michel Dayez (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1894; France
9.
Romances sans paroles (3) for Piano, Op. 17 by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Jean-michel Dayez (Piano),
Xavier Gagnepain (Cello)
Period: Romantic
Written: ?1863; France
10.
Morceau de lecture for 2 Cellos "Allegretto moderato" by Gabriel Fauré
Performer:
Xavier Gagnepain (Cello),
Jeremie Billet (Cello)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1897; France
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