Alexander Tharaud live in London, April 22,2024

[Rach3]

Live from Wigmore Hall, London, April 22,2024. The selection of Couperin here was not, for me, very attractive music .The Satie “Avant” and “Je” were first hearings for me,"Je" very enjoyable.. His arrangement of “ La Valse” for me suffered from being tarted-up by excessive added virtuoso displays adding little substance and in effect disappearing the work’s darkness and menace.

Francois Couperin
Les Barricades mystérieuses
Les Calotines
Les Roseaux
Le Dodo
La Logivière
Les Ombre errantes
Passacaille in B minor from 8th ordre

Eric Satie
Gymnopodie No. 1
Avant dreneieres pensees
Gnossienne Nos. 1,3,5
Je te veux

Maurice Ravel
Pavane pour une infante defunte
La Valse (transc. Tharaud)

Encore: A Tharaud improvisation on a Piaf song.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001y9v5

[Lance]

Tharaud is becoming among my favorite present-day pianists. I have dug deep into his recorded work and uncovered quite a few things that are, these days, hard to find, such as on the Dante label. This all-French recital looks interesting. Of the Couperin, my favorite is the Mysterious Barricades - also fabulous on the harpsichord. It doesn't surprise me about Tharaud's own transcription of a Piaf piece (I wonder which one?). I have become a Piaf fan over the years; quite a tragic life she had. Tharaud is a most versatile pianist playing film/movie music, chamber, solo, concerto, an all around superb pianist.