JEAN DOYEN plays Chopin, Liszt and music from France

APR6030

2CDs
THE FRENCH PIANO SCHOOL -  JEAN DOYEN    
COMPACT DISC 1 (76.40)  
FRÉDÉRIC CHOPIN 
1.Variations on Mozart’s ‘Là ci darem la mano’ Op 2, UNNAMED ORCHESTRA / JEAN KRETTLY recorded in January 1936 
2. Ballade No 1 in G minor Op 23 recorded on 27 February 1941
3. Ballade No 2 in F major Op 38 recorded on 28 February 1941 
4. Ballade No 3 in A flat major Op 47 recorded on 28 February 1941 
5. Ballade No 4 in F minor Op 52 recorded on 27 February 1941 
6-7. Waltzes in D flat major ‘Minute’ Op 64 No 1 & G flat major Op 70 No 1 recorded on 28 February 1941
FRANZ LISZT 
Trois Études de concert S144: 8. Il lamento 9. La leggierezza 10. Un sospiro recorded on 3 March 1943   
Zwei Konzertetüden S145: 11. Waldesrauschen 12. Gnomenreigen recorded circa June/July 1935
 
COMPACT DISC 2 (69.31)  
1. CHABRIER/CHEVILLARD España (arr. piano solo) (6.44) recorded circa 1930 
2. CHABRIER Bourrée fantasque (5.44) recorded early 1935 
3. SAINT -SAËNS Valse-Caprice ‘Wedding Cake’ Op 76 (5.53), CANTRELLE QUINTET recorded in August 1935 
4. FAURÉ Barcarolle No 2 in G major Op 41 recorded early 1935; 5. Nocturne No 6 in D flat major Op 63 recorded on 23 February 1937 
6-8. DEBUSSY Images Book 1, recorded on 15 March 1943; 9. Poissons d’or (from Images Book 2), recorded early 1935 

10-12. RAVEL Gaspard de la nuit recorded on 19 May 1937

Jean Doyen is perhaps the archetypal French pianist. Taught by Louis Diémer and Marguerite Long, he went on to become the second longest serving piano professor in the Paris Conservatoire’s history and largely confined his career to his homeland. In addition, his repertoire centred on the French classics, with Chopin also taking pride of place. His early recordings reveal a spectacular technique coupled with a generous poetry – it’s no wonder he was chosen for this premiere recording of Ravel’s ‘Gaspard de la nuit’. His Chopin Op 2 Variations and the complete Book 1 of Debussy’s Images are also recording firsts, but for sheer virtuoso exhilaration, his rare Sonabel disc of Chabrier’s España is hard to beat. Surprisingly, none of these marvellous performances have previously been reissued.

APR6030 Available on Compact Disc, as a Digital Download and to Stream