Description
Just as a painter portrays nature through colours, a composer or musician expresses nature through sound. The diverse atmospheres and voices of the seasons -- and the emotions evoked by spring, summer, autumn and winter -- have long provided composers with a rich source of inspiration. The theme of The Seasons has inspired masterworks across generations, from Vivaldi's celebrated The Four Seasons to Haydn's grand oratorio and Tchaikovsky's intimate piano cycle. Yet, how did French composers - with their characteristically refined and sensitive musical language - experience and contemplate the turning of the year? There are countless compositions inspired by natural phenomena and by the emotions associated with a particular season, or which evoke the distinctive atmosphere of one. For this reason, I have brought these works together into a single suite under the title The Seasons, shaped through my own musical sensibility and artistic vision. I would also like to note that this recording was made using Maene's Straight Strung Piano. I am deeply grateful to Maene for allowing me to use this remarkable and captivating instrument. While the lowest note on a standard piano is A, this Maene's piano extends down to G. Consequently, when performing Ravel's Une barque sur l'ocean, I substituted the standard lowest A with G-sharp--the very note Ravel likely intended to use. This artistic choice was made possible entirely by the unique capabilities of this instrument.
