Duo Pleyel – Frans Programma

Duo Pleyel 

Paris around the turn of the 20th Century was perhaps the single most important place for artistic excitement in every form. Musically it was a hot melting-pot where the older generations of composers such as Saint-Saëns and Franck were competing with the 'new' young innovators. Parisian composers were a close group of musicians learning together and feeding off each other. Orchestral and 4-hand versions of works were often made at the same time. This program presents some of the best known music by Fauré, Debussy and Ravel, showing the mutual respect and cross-pollination between them.

Program

Faure : Dolly Suite

Rave l: Ma mère l'Oye (suite)

***

Debussy : Prélude de L'après-midi d'un Faune (arr. Ravel)

Debussy : Petite Suite

Duo Pleyel

Named after their beautiful 1848 Pleyel piano, pianists Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya and Richard Egarr are known as Duo Pleyel . The Duo has been working for the past seven years to bring the rich and exciting repertoire for piano 4-hands to a wider public. They are particularly committed to providing mixed programs ranging from the earliest music by Johann Christian Bach and Mozart, mixed with that by lesser-known early Romantics such as Hummel and Dussek, through to the great popular works by Faur��, Debussy, Ravel and Stravinsky in the twentieth century.

Duo Pleyel records for LINN Records, and their releases of Schubert and Dussek have received excellent reviews. Their latest recording, entitled 'Mozart's Real Musical Father', was BBC Music Magazine's Instrumental Recording of the Month in January 2023. It explores the close musical and personal relationship between Johann Christian Bach and Mozart. May 2023 sees the start of a 3-year recording project of the complete Beethoven Symphonies in extraordinary 4-hand arrangements by his undervalued student Carl Czerny. These transcriptions are fascinating and hugely important from both historical and musicological reasons as well as from a purely musical perspective. As well as performing on their own 1848 Pleyel piano, Duo Pleyel is excited to collaborate with the Chris Maene Piano Collection, and uses several of its fabulous 19th century instruments. Other upcoming projects include performing and recording music by Fauré, Debussy, Ravel, Tchaikovsky, Liszt and Stravinsky, as well as a Christmas program entitled 'Duo Pleyel's 4-Hand Yuletide Treats'.

Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya

Born in Moscow, Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya studied piano and early keyboards in Moscow, Amsterdam and Munich. She has won top prizes at competitions held in Austria, Saint Petersburg, Prague and Leipzig. She appears regularly as a soloist and chamber partner at Festivals all over Europe, Russia and Asia. She loves playing early keyboards, particularly with her Duo partner. She hates robots, and tries to avoid watching Star Trek whenever possible.

Richard Egarr

Born in Lincoln, Richard Egarr studied piano and early keyboards in Manchester, Cambridge, London and Amsterdam. He won the top prize at the 1988 Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Competition in Hamburg. He appears regularly as a conductor, soloist and chamber musician all over the planet. He loves playing early keyboards, particularly with his Duo partner. He loves old recordings, and watching Star Trek whenever possible.

As a family, Duo Pleyel have two young daughters who enjoy playing and fighting with each other. They sometimes even play together on the piano. They love music, dancing, ice cream, and robots. As for Star Trek, they have yet 'to boldly go'.

Duo Pleyel: www.duopleyel.com

Alexandra Nepomnyashchaya:

www.alexandra-nepomnyashchaya.com

Richard Egarr:

www.intermusica.com/artist/Richard-Egarr