Noe Inui Vassilis Varvaresos

Here Alexis Kossenko (flute) and Vassilis Varvaresos (piano) plunge us into the fantastic atmosphere of Northern Europe in the second half of the Nineteenth Century, when composers’ imaginations were fired by folktale and legend. The water spirit Ondine inspired Carl Reinecke, whose op. 167 provides the starting point for an allegorical programme inhabited by disturbing and fascinating creatures.

The three works on this recording are among the earliest compositions in the history of music to recognise the roles of the piano and cello as equally important. This provided a wonderful opportunity for a creative dialogue between the two instruments and for seeking out new methods of musical interaction.

Greek-Cypriot composer Solon Michaelides’s evocative Dawn at the Parthenon is infused with impressionist elements whereas Manolis Kalomiris, the leading figure in Greek national music, turns more to the voluptuous richness of Rimsky-Korsakov in his Island Pictures. Yannis Constantinidis’s two suites are notable for their subtle dance rhythms and expert orchestration while Nikos Skalkottas’s ingenious Greek Dances, one of his most popular works, are heard here in an edition for string orchestra by his friend, the conductor and composer Walter Goehr.

The Franco-Greek pianist is the guest of Ballade musicale to present his new record V For Valse produced by the Aparté label. A graduate of the Juillard School in New York and Paris CNSMD, Vassilis Varvaresos, was invited to a recital at the White House by President Barack Obama.

BUXTEHUDE Trio Sonatas op.1 is the debut album of Québécoise violinist Noémy Gagnon-Lafrenais, who joins forces with viola da gambist Margaret Little and keyboardist Christophe Gauthier to form Ensemble Spinoza and celebrate the seminal work of 17th-century composer Dietrich Buxtehude.

How to read Ronsard today? Simply aloud or in singing it, like back then. Because, for Ronsard, nothing is more obvious than to unite music and poetry: “I also want you to encourage you to pronounce your verses loudly in your room, when you do them, or sooner sing them, whatever voice can have. » Ronsard, Abbrégé de l’Art poétique françois, 1565 As soon as the collection of Loves was published, it was fashionable for a composer to set these poems to music. To quote the most famous: Goudimel, Certon, and of course Janequin. But long after death of the poet, many composers have continued to do so: Bizet, Saint-Saëns, Ravel, Poulenc… It is because Ronsard’s texts have no no age; Pick the roses of life today is a principle immortal. Julien Joubert reads poetry every day, aloud and even the most often while singing. It was therefore only natural that he lean on the work by Ronsard.