— Victor Hugo
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“Despax is a formidable pianist, thoughtful and imaginative ... This is beautiful playing, on an elegant yet substantial album.”
“82 minutes of vividly recorded French piano music ... despatched with full-blooded power and melting tenderness by Emmanuel Despax”
“The mood is sensuous, the choice irresistible … he masters the ferocious challenges with ease, delicacy, and strength”
“Despax can transform his sound and his outlook with remarkable dexterity; and whatever the spirit of the music ... he conveys it with confidence and, when necessary, bravura”
“One of the most wonderful French pianists … This recital, which celebrates the Belle Epoque, is of an exceptional level … astonishing in its ease, sonic imagination and virtuosity … a moment of pure poetry. What a great artist!”
Renowned pianist Emmanuel Despax is excited to announce his latest album, Après un rêve.
The recording is a tribute to the beauty and elegance of the Belle Époque era. Despax showcases his masterful technique and interpretation of the music, bringing new life to these timeless works.
Highlights include Cécile Chaminade’s Nocturne Op.165 and Henri Duparc’s Aux étoiles, alongside Poulenc’s Les Soirées de Nazelles, Debussy’s Claire de lune, Saint-Saëns’ Danse macabre, Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit and of course, Fauré’s Après un rêve, in Despax’s own transcription for piano. Despax has also curated a selection of poetry to complement the repertoire heard here, a tribute to the artistic influence of his grandfather, the French poet Jacques Charpentreau.
