Fauré: Nocturnes & Barcarolles (CD Review)

(CD1) Nocturnes – Nocturne No. 1 in E flat minor Op 33; Nocturne No. 2 in B major Op 33; Nocturne No. 3 in A flat major Op 33; Nocturne No. 4 in E flat major Op 36; Nocturne No. 5 in B flat major Op 37; Nocturne No. 6 in D flat major Op 63; Nocturne No. 7 in C sharp minor Op 74; Nocturne No. 8 in D flat major Op 84; Nocturne No. 9 in B minor Op 97; Nocturne No. 10 in E minor Op 99; Nocturne No. 11 in F sharp minor Op 104; Nocturne No. 12 in E minor Op 107; Nocturne No. 13 in B minor Op 119; (CD2) Barcarolles – Barcarolle No. 1 in A minor Op 26; Barcarolle No. 2 in G major Op 41; Barcarolle No. 3 in G flat major Op 42; Barcarolle No. 4 in A flat major Op 44; Barcarolle No. 5 in F sharp minor Op 66; Barcarolle No 6. in E flat major Op 70; Barcarolle No. 7 in D minor Op 90; Barcarolle No. 8 in D flat major Op 96; Barcarolle No. 9 in A minor Op 101; Barcarolle No. 10 in A minor Op 104; Barcarolle No. 11 in G minor Op 105; Barcarolle No. 12 in E flat major Op 106; Barcarolle No. 13 in C major Op 116; Dolly Op 56 (with Cathy Fuller, piano) – Berceuse; 'Messieu Aoul!' (published as 'Mi-a-ou'); Le jardin de Dolly; Ketty-valse (published as 'Kitty-valse'); Tendresse; Le pas espagnole. Marc-Andre Hamelin, piano. Hyperion CDA 68331/2

The French composer Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) is a composer who, although relatively well known to most classical music lovers, nevertheless seems to be under-appreciated. Perhaps he needed to write some symphonies; whatever the reason, he certainly was a marvelous composer who created music of great beauty and refinement. He saw a purpose to music: “To my mind, art, and above all music, consists in lifting us as far as possible above what is,” he once wrote. These words take on extra meaning when we consider that Fauré was always something of an establishment outsider, and then in middle age, was beset (like Beethoven) with deafness. As a teenager, he had been taught piano by Saint-Saëns, 10 years his senior, who became his lifetime mentor and champion. Saint-Saëns encouraged him to compose, helped him get a job as a church organist, and remained his staunch supporter throughout his career. But although he played the organ for much of his life, he left no compositions for that instrument; however, he composed for the piano throughout his career, including the compositions on this new Hyperion release from Canadian pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin (b. 1961), the Nocturnes and Barcarolles, both of which date from throughout his career. 

 

The last time we reviewed a release from Hamelin, he was playing rags by William Bolcom (see that review here). In that review, we noted that Hamelin is a pianist known for his technical prowess and willingness to take on repertory outside the classical mainstream. Now, the piano music of Fauré is not as far out of the classical mainstream as is the music of Bolcom, but on the other hand, it is certainly far less frequently recorded than that of Beethoven, Chopin, or some of the other usual suspects, so I think we can applaud Hamelin and Hyperion for bringing us such a fine collection. The Nocturnes date from 1875 to 1921 and capture a variety of moods and feelings. Especially lovely is No. 6, which although is one of the shorter examples, is so laden with expression that it can make you just stop in your tracks. Hamelin brings a warmth of expression to his playing that plumbs the depths without seeming cloying. The Barcarolles (“boat songs”) date from 1881 through 1921. They may not be as deep emotionally as the Nocturnes, but they are certainly entertaining. They have that sense of a boat rolling in the water, and as you listen you are carried along, perhaps to be ferried away from your troubles. The program concludes with a bonus, Hamelin being joined by his wife, Cathy Fuller, for a performance of the Dolly suite for piano four-hands. Dolly comprises six short selections that add up to a little over 15 minutes of pleasant entertainment, but interesting enough to capture the imagination. 

As we have come to expect from Hyperion, everything about this release is first class. The cover features some beautiful art by Monet, the booklet presents useful information about every individual track on the two CDs as well as some biographical information about the artists, and the engineering is excellent. For those who enjoy piano music, this new release is one that you really ought to hear, especially if you have not yet experienced the magical music of that underappreciated master, Gabriel Fauré.