Ozawa & Giulini Fauré Requiem; Pavane; Elégie; Après un Rêve; Dolly

Après un rêve is the title of one of Gabriel Fauré’s most beloved melodies. We have selected the quintessence of the composer’s catalogue in this collection of beautiful tunes featuring Jacqueline du Pré, Sabine Devieilhe, Philippe Jaroussky or Barbara Hendricks.

Mischa Maisky is an impassioned performer, a flamboyant stage presence and a genuine talent. This intimate and emotional performance of music for violoncello and piano is saturated with sensuality. French art songs provide Maisky with great fodder for his deeply personal interpretations. These compositions from the late 19th to early 20th centuries are rich with flowering lyricism. As a French impression of the traditionally German music form, they have a certain verve that launches a musician of Maisky's stature to another world.

Le duo violon et harpe est plutôt rare. On a davantage l'habitude d'associer la flûte à la harpe, alors que les sonorités du violon et de la harpe se marient à merveille. La harpiste Marielle Nordmann et le violoniste Nemanja Radulovic qui sont amis de longue date et se produisent souvent ensemble, nous offrent (enfin !) un enregistrement de leur belle collaboration. Dans cet album les transcriptions sont majoritaires, car le répertoire original pour cette formation est assez restreint. On trouve même la célèbre Méditation de Thaïs de Jules Massenet (au départ pour violon et orchestre) dont on ne compte plus les adaptations..

If I had to pick only a handful of discs to single out as being of extreme worth to me personally - this would be one of them. There are just some works out there where the composer was inspired to record something truly extraordinary. This is one such work and this recording is the best that I know of. I have also spent a lot of time with the Fournet, Rotterdam recording Fauré: Requiem; Pavane; Pelléas et Mélisande . And while I think that is a fine recording, this ASMF recording with Marriner is a cut above. The playing is sensuous and refined, the tempos are perfect to convey the feeling of the music. This recording has lifted me up at some very low times in my life, and never ceases to convey power, wonder, and awe.