THE FRENCH PIANO SCHOOL - ROBERT CASADESUS
COMPACT DISC 1 (78’15)
1-11. SCARLATTI Sonatas Kk 9, 13, 14, 23, 27, 96, 125, 198, 377, 430, 533
12-14. MOZART Piano Concerto No 24 in C minor K491, ORCHESTRE SYMPHONIQUE DE PARIS/ EUGÈNE BIGOT
15-17. MOZART Piano Concerto No 26 in D major ‘Coronation’ K537, ORCHESTRE DES CONCERTS STRARAM/ WALTHER STRARAM (ï¬rst release of this unpublished 1931 studio recording)
COMPACT DISC 2 (69’30)
1. MOZART Rondo in D major K485
2-4. BEETHOVEN Sonata No 26 in E flat major ‘Les adieux’ Op 81a
5-7. SCHUBERT Sonata in A major Op 120, D664; 8. Deutsche Tänze Op 171, D790 (nos 1, 3 – 8 & 11)
9. WEBER Konzertstück in F minor Op 79 UNNAMED ORCHESTRA/ EUGÈNE BIGOT
10-22. SCHUMANN Études symphoniques Op 13; 23. Vogel als Prophet No 7 from Waldszenen, Op 82
COMPACT DISC 3 (76’00)
1-4 CHOPIN Ballades 1-4; Mazurka in A minor Op17/4
6. CHABRIER Impromptu; 7. Scherzo-valse from Dix Pièces pittoresques
8. FAURÉ Prélude in D minor Op 103/5; 9. Impromptu No 5 Op 102
10. FAURÉ Piano Quartet No 1 in C minor Op 15 JOSEPH CALVET violin, LÉON PASCAL viola & PAUL MAS cello
COMPACT DISC 4 (58’45)
1. SÉVERAC Le retour des muletiers from Cerdaña;
2-4. DEBUSSY Sonata for cello and piano MAURICE MARÉCHAL cello
5. CAPLET Danse des petits nègres from L ’Epiphanie MAURICE MARÉCHAL cello
6. RAVEL Jeux d’eau
7. WITKOWSKI Mon lac ORCHESTRE SYMPHONIQUE DE PARIS/GEORGES WITKOWSKI;
8. CASADESUS Sonata for fute and piano Op 18 RENÉ LE ROY
Robert Casadesus (1899-1972) is today almost considered an American pianist – he based himself there from the Second World War onwards and he is known today through the huge number of recordings he made for US Columbia from 1940 until his death, but as a musician and pianist he was French to the core. He had studied at the Paris conservatoire with Isidor Philipp and Louis Diémer and his combination of immaculate technique, a light and brilliant touch and the refined elegance of his interpretations reveal why he was considered one of the greatest French pianists of the century. Casadesus began his recording career for French Columbia in 1928 and all his recordings for that label, until he left for the USA, are included here together for the first time. Particularly noteworthy is a previously unpublished studio recording of Mozart’s ‘Coronation’ concerto. He excelled in Mozart and Chopin and in French repertoire and all are well-represented in this collection. There are also major chamber collaborations in the Debussy cello sonata and Fauré Piano Quartet.
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