Performer: Hélène Grimaud, Matthias Spindler
Orchestra: Bremen German Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra, Wiener Philharmoniker, London Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Symphonie-Orchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Conductor: Florian Donderer, Radoslaw Szulc, Andris Nelsons, Pierre Boulez, Wladimir Jurowski, Esa-Pekka Salonen
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Catalogue: 94796888
Release: 2017
Size: 603 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 2
01. I. Prelude in D Minor BWV 875
02. II. Fugue in D Minor BWV 875
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 17 in D minor, Op. 31 No. 2 ‘Tempest’
03. III. Allegretto
Bartók: Romanian Folk Dances, Sz. 56, BB 68
04. I. Stick Dance
05. II. Sash Dance
06. III. Stamping Dance
07. IV. Dance of Buchum
08. V. Roumanian Polka
09. VI. Fast Dance
Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major, Op. 101
10. I. Etwas lebhaft und mit der innigsten Empfindung (Allegretto ma non troppo)
Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K310
11. III. Presto
12. Chopin: Berceuse in D flat major, Op. 57
Chopin: Preludes, Op. 28
13. No. 15 in D-Flat Major “Raindrop”
Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35 ‘Marche funèbre’
14. I. Grave – Doppio movimento
Rachmaninov: Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor, Op. 36
15. I. Allegro agitato
Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1
16. I. Prelude In C Minor BWV 847
17. II. Fugue In C Minor BWV 847
Debussy: Préludes – Book 1
18. No. 10, La cathédrale engloutie
Liszt: Années de pèlerinage, 3ème année (7 pieces), S. 163
19. No. 4, Les jeux d’eau à la Villa d’Este
20. Bach: Prelude and Fugue in A Minor, BWV 543 (Transcr. for Piano by Liszt)
Bach: Partita for solo violin No. 3 in E major, BWV1006
21. I. Preludio (Arr. for Piano by Rachmaninov)
Brahms: Waltzes, Op. 39
22. No. 15 in A-Flat Major
Bach: Keyboard Concerto No. 1 in D minor, BWV1052
23. I. Allegro
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 19 in F major, K459
24. 3. Allegro assai
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, Op. 83
25. II. Allegro appassionato
Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 3, BB 127, Sz. 119
26. I. Allegretto
Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K488
27. II. Adagio
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 5 in E flat major, Op. 73 ‘Emperor’
28. III. Rondo. Allegro
Schumann: Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54
29. I. Allegro affettuoso
Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15
30. 3. Rondo (Allegro non troppo)
31. Gluck: Melodie from “Orfeo ed Euridice”, Wq. 30 (Arr. Sgambati for Piano)
This double-disc survey of Hélène Grimaud’s recordings on Deutsche Grammophon presents high points of her career from 2004 to 2016 and samples a large repertoire that runs from Bach to Bartók. Grimaud’s performance style, or the general perception of it, has been characterized by fluid tempos and lots of rubato, free use of dynamics, and passionate expressions, which give the impression of an excessively romantic personality. Yet Grimaud is more complex in her interpretations, and this collection covers aspects of her playing that are perhaps at odds with the received wisdom. In sampling the opening tracks, listeners may find that Grimaud’s Bach is surprisingly wiry and resilient, her Beethoven is full-blooded, and her Bartók is whimsical and playful. Continuing through the track list, one encounters more surprises, such as her crisp Mozart, her internalized Chopin, her richly shaded Brahms, and so on, all running counter to the notion that Grimaud is one kind of pianist. The album’s title, Perspectives, suggests that Grimaud has considered her subjects from many angles, and that her personality is subsumed by the music, in the moment, not arbitrarily forced through a single point of view. Grimaud has been at the top of her profession long enough to deserve this carefully considered retrospective, and it demonstrates aspects of her art that a less varied or narrower selection would conceal.