Boulanger

"Beau Soir" - named after Debussy's evocation of evening - takes us from dusk to the moonlit night, from lullabies into sleep, from dreams to awakening and recollection. Popular classics such as Faure's Berceuse and Apr s un r ve and Debussy's Claire de lune are contrasted with three substantial works; sonatas by Debussy and Ravel, and Messiaen's Theme and Variations. The album also includes three new works by the widely admired contemporary Swiss composer Richard Dubugnon, whose violin concerto Janine Jansen premiered in Paris in 2008.

American Midwest-born composer Easley Blackwood achieved international attention through his work in microtonality, but sustained his reputation through two periods of more conservative composition. His experiments in use of a 19-note, evenly tempered scale remain significant, even after his settling on a musical language that pre-dates the twentieth century. His four decades at the University of Chicago afforded him a base from which he was able to refine his structural ideas and train another generation of American composers. Blackwood also achieved acclaim as a pianist in both his own works and those of his contemporaries…….

From Allmusic

Sur le chemin qui le ramène au pays, un soldat rencontre le Diable qui lui propose un marché : son violon contre un livre qui permet de prédire l'avenir. Le soldat accepte. Il deviendra richissime, puis se dépouillera de tout pour reconquérir son violon et le cœur d’une princesse. Hélas…