The exceptionally gifted German pianist Alexander Lonquich presents a piano recital CD dedicated to French piano music of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Lonquich embellishes his album with the five Impromptus by Fauré, one of the most enduringly popular French composers, which he distributes like precious gems. Ravel's virtuosic masterpiece "Gaspard de la nuit" captivates with its profound Romanticism. Olivier Messiaen's eight Préludes, his first published work from 1929, were influenced by Debussy's soundscapes, yet already reveal that otherworldly sensitivity to tone color that made Messiaen the preeminent composer of his generation. Through his interpretation, Lonquich not only offers insights into the distinct characters of these three composers, but also demonstrates, in their juxtaposition, the continuity of the experimental impulse in French music, so often intertwined with its melodic qualities.
