Víkingur Olafsson – Debussy – Rameau (2020) [FLAC 24bit/192kHz]

Hailed by the Los Angeles Times as an artist who “creates unique aural landscapes,” Icelandic pianist V¡kingur Olafsson continues his acclaimed recording partnership with Deutsche Grammophon with the release of Debussy ú Rameau. Following two albums featured in NPR Music’s Top 10 Classical Albums (Glass in 2017 and Bach in 2018), Olafsson`s third album pairs works by two French composers separated by well over a century: Jean-Philippe Rameau and Claude Debussy.

This program brings together two great French composers, separated by almost two centuries, that we would not think of bringing together spontaneously. But the freedom of mind of the Icelandic pianist looks at it otherwise, who, for his third album with Deutsche Grammophon, wanted to highlight their affinities as their contrasts in the light of their innovative contribution to the musical thought of their time. “I scratch my head wondering why Rameau’s music is not played more. Between quality, inventiveness and unpredictability, there is never any element of formula in these pieces”, says Víkingur Ólafsson. By instinctively associating these style characteristics with those specific to Debussy, he decided to make an album of them: “I want to show Rameau as a futurist and underline the deep roots of Debussy in French baroque — and in Rameau’s music in particular. The idea is that the listener almost forgets who is who by listening to the album.” Debussy, who never stopped defending the French tradition by opposing it to German music, liked the decorative and complex lines of this Baroque composer with a French spirit like his own.

An initial idea in the development of this skillfully constructed program, the transcription for piano of Debussy from Prélude to his Cantata La Damoiselle introduces it. Like the album’s visual, Víkingur Ólafsson aims to be suggestive even in the accent he gives in Rameau to polyphonic voices supported by a flawless rhythmic impulse, which contrasts with Debussy, whose among other things the beautiful tumultuous Jardins sous la pluie which is played with a large breath in the image of wind load until the light returns.

Tracklist

1. Víkingur Ólafsson – Prélude
2. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: Le Rappel des oiseaux
3. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: 6. Rigaudons 1, 2 & Double
4. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: Musette en rondeau
5. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: Tambourin
6. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: La Villageoise
7. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: Gigues en rondeau 1 & 2
8. Víkingur Ólafsson – 3. Jardins sous la pluie
9. Víkingur Ólafsson – 3. Serenade for the Doll
10. Víkingur Ólafsson – 4. The Snow Is Dancing
11. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: Les tendres plaintes
12. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: Les tourbillons
13. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: L’entretien des Muses
14. Víkingur Ólafsson – 6. Des pas sur la neige
15. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: La joyeuse
16. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: Les Cyclopes
17. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau, Ólafsson: The Arts and the Hours
18. Víkingur Ólafsson – 8. La fille aux cheveux de lin
19. Víkingur Ólafsson – 8. Ondine
20. Víkingur Ólafsson – 2. La Cupis
21. Víkingur Ólafsson – 2. L’indiscrète
22. Víkingur Ólafsson – 3. La Rameau
23. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: La Poule
24. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: L’Enharmonique
25. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: Menuets 1 & 2
26. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: Les Sauvages
27. Víkingur Ólafsson – Rameau: L’Égyptienne
28. Víkingur Ólafsson – 2. Hommage à Rameau

Download:

mqs.link_Vkingurlafss0nDebussyRameau202024192.part1.rar
mqs.link_Vkingurlafss0nDebussyRameau202024192.part2.rar
mqs.link_Vkingurlafss0nDebussyRameau202024192.part3.rar

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