Some of the pieces for violin and piano recorded here are an integral part of the great violin repertoire; others, like the
Introduction et fandango varié, have been forgotten, having not been reprinted for over a century. Yet they fully deserve their
place on this CD where this dance of the people is aroused everywhere. After the first CD, dedicated to the great variations on
Romantic operas, which fascinated Sarasate in his century, here henceforth is his own verity, his song straight from the soul.
Many composers will have been indeed impassioned for the poems of a woman equally admired by Hugo or Rimbaud.
From Adolphe Adam to Eric Tanguy, each in his own style will have used one's talent as a musician at the service of her texts, most often committed, and thereby bringing them to a second life - that of melody.
Congratulations to Françoise Masset, brillantly accompanied by the pianist Nicolas Stavy, and who confirms here her talent both as a singer and a speaker.
Classmate of Pierre Cochereau at the Paris Conservatoire where they obtained their premier prix in organ together in 1948, Pierre Labric could then have looked forward to a brilliant soloist’s career had it not been for his incurable modesty. Certainly there will always remain, for connoisseurs, the complete symphonies of Vierne and Widor as well as the oeuvre of his venerated Jeanne Demessieux, which he recorded in the 1960s on his favourite instrument – legendary recordings, which, alas, are no longer to be found.
In its way, the present Liszt (their contemporary and of which until now, three fourths had remained unreleased) thus intends to render full justice to an artist who, throughout his existence, will have cared little for the least bit of fame but who, on the eve of his 90th birthday, deserved to see himself at long last recognised as befits his immense talent.
Each of the 'diverse pieces' making up the present recital is the sole example in its category in Chopin's oeuvre. With one exception (the Fantaisie-impromptu), they date from the final years of the composer's life and, although the Tarentelle comes under the heading of divertissement music, the four other pieces are some of his most amazing masterpieces.
If there is a somewhat negative 'secondary effect' of what are called the great names in music, it is that 'the greats' cast into the shadows a number of more than estimable contemporaries. In this large cohort of unjustly forgotten musicians, Cramer occupies quite a particular place. Extremely prolific composer, he wrote aproximately 84 studies. Thus, the idea quickly imposed itself of adding some of them to make up the 'filler' of this CD. Thus, thanks to the high patronage of Chopin, Cramer's name might thereby somewhat emerge from the shadows.
Congratulations to Françoise Masset, brillantly accompanied by the pianist Nicolas Stavy, and who confirms here her talent both as a singer and a speaker. 
help