Chamayou Bertrand: Good Night! - CD

The new album from French pianist Bertrand Chamayou is definitely worth your attention, and not just because of the presence of two Czech composers, Leoš Janáček and Bohuslav Martinů.

Janáček’s piece “Good Night!” from the first part of his cycle “On an Overgrown Path” even lends its name to the entire recital. As the title suggests, this is a collection of piano lullabies. However, I’d venture to say that the recording is anything but sleep-inducing. The music of the individual composers is so diverse, and Chamayou’s interpretation so inventive, that any feeling of monotony is avoided, even with such a strictly conceived programme. It is, of course, impossible to discuss all the featured works and their composers in this short space, but I would like to highlight at least Chopin’s “Berceuse”, Op. 57. In the context of the composer’s work, it sounds surprisingly modern (or more accurately, impressionistic), and Chamayou’s interpretation only enhances this impression.

Tracklist

CD 1
Leoš Janáček Good night! (Excerpt from « On an Overgrown Path » Vol.1, JW 8/17 No7) / Franz Liszt Wiegenlied S.198 / Sergei Lyapunov Berceuse d' une poupée Op.59, No2 (Excerpt from „6 Morceaux faciles” ) / Frédéric Chopin Berceuse in D-Flat Major, Op.57 / Sergei Lyapunov Berceuse Op.11 No1 (Excerpt from „12 Transcendental Etudes” ) / Heitor Villa-Lobos: A pobersinha (Excerpt from „ a Prole do bebe” ) W140 / Mel Bonis la toute petite s' endort (Excerpt from « Miocheries » Op.126) / Edvard Grieg Berceuse (Excerpt from Lyric Pieces, book II, op.38 No1) / Bryce Dessner Song for Octave / Ferrucio Busoni Berceuse (Excerpt from « Elegies » BV249, No7) / Franz Liszt Berceuse S174a/R57a / Helmut Lachenmann Wiegenmusik / Johannes Brahms Wiegenlied Op.49, No4 (Transcription: Max Reger) / Bohuslav Martinů Ukolébavka (Berceuse) (Excerpt from „ Film en miniature”, H.148 No3) / Mily Balakirev Berceuse in D-Flat Major / Charles-Valentin Alkan J' étais endormie, mais son coeur veillait. (Excerpt from « 25 Préludes, Op.31 No13)