Poulenc: Concerto pour deux pianos et orchestre, Concert Champêtre & Suite Française Anima Eterna Brugge, Jos van Immerseel

• Francis Poulenc (1899 - 1963): Concerto pour 2 pianos et orchestre en Ré Mineur, FP 61:
• 1Concerto pour 2 pianos et orchestre en Ré Mineur, FP 61: I. Allegro ma non troppo08:22
• 2Concerto pour 2 pianos et orchestre en Ré Mineur, FP 61: II. Larghetto05:56
• 3Concerto pour 2 pianos et orchestre en Ré Mineur, FP 61: III. Finale (Allegro molto)06:19
• Suite française d'après Claude Gervaise, FP 80a:
• 4Suite française d'après Claude Gervaise, FP 80a: I. Bransle de Bourgogne01:28
• 5Suite française d'après Claude Gervaise, FP 80a: II. Pavane02:17
• 6Suite française d'après Claude Gervaise, FP 80a: III. Petite marche militaire01:03
• 7Suite française d'après Claude Gervaise, FP 80a: IV. Complainte01:29
• 8Suite française d'après Claude Gervaise, FP 80a: V. Bransle de Champagne01:36
• 9Suite française d'après Claude Gervaise, FP 80a: VI. Sicilienne02:00
• 10Suite française d'après Claude Gervaise, FP 80a: VII. Carillon01:46
• Concert champêtre, FP 49:
• 11Concert champêtre, FP 49: I. Allegro molto10:41
• 12Concert champêtre, FP 49: II. Andante06:44
• 13Concert champêtre, FP 49: III. Finale08:34
• Total Runtime58:15

Info for Poulenc: Concerto pour deux pianos et orchestre, Concert Champêtre & Suite Française

After exploring the universe of Ravel, Anima Eterna continues its voyage of discovery through twentieth-century French music with Francis Poulenc.

In Jos van Immerseel’s view, Poulenc is one of the most significant personalities of the twentieth century, coupling immense erudition with surprising spontaneity. Not to mention the fact that Poulenc was also a particularly brilliant pianist.

The works presented in this recording are steeped in the French traditions of the sixteenth century (Suite Française for orchestra after Claude Gervaise) and the eighteenth (Concert champêtre for harpsichord (or piano) and orchestra). In the Concerto for two pianos, Poulenc breaks totally with the traditional concerto genre, liberating the form and the thematic development. Above all, the piece expresses the sheer pleasure of playing!

"[The Concerto for Two Pianos] is brilliant, witty music. Slightly slower speeds don’t lead to heaviness, and Poulenc’s gamelan references are more pointed than usual. The slow movement’s Mozart pastiche is suavely elegant...The orchestral playing in the Concert champêtre is again brilliant...Wit and charm are present in spades." (The Arts Desk)

"Immerseel's enthusiasm for this music is evident from the explosion of tension and excitement in the opening of the Concert for Two Pianos...His chosen keyboard collaborators share his energetic quest to reveal the sharp contrasts between the old and the new in this music, especially in the delightful twists of the Concert champêtre." (Classic FM Magazine)

"The Concerto for Two Pianos is part music hall romp, part Mozartian pastiche: Immerseel and Claire Chevallier play it for all its worth. The Suite Française for nine instruments is Poulenc’s touching tribute to 17th-century dance: a sensitive performance from Anima Eterna Brugge" (Financial Times)

"the Erard's mellow French polish does add a warm halo of colour to the central Larghetto, and by no means dampens the joie de vivre of the final. The orchestral playing is finely moulded to the pianos' spectrum of sonority so that after the initial shock of hearing something out of the ordinary, the performance yields up much in finesse, fluency and fun." (Gramophone Magazine)

Anima Eterna Brugge
Jos van Immerseel, piano, harpsichord, conductor
Claire Chevallier, piano
Katerina Chrobokova, harpsichord

Anima Eterna Brugge
Founded in 1987 by Jos van Immerseel as a musical Petri dish to cultivate the results of his research into music of the baroque era, Anima Eterna Brugge evolved from a compact string ensemble to the full-bred symphonic orchestra that it is today, exploring repertoire from Bach, Mozart and Beethoven to Strauss, Debussy and Gershwin. The consequent use of period instruments, the permanent direction by its inspirator van Immerseel, a project-based setup and respect for the composer’s intentions, are at the core of this orchestra’s vision. Soloists either stem from Anima’s own ranks, or are ‘friends of the family’ - Claire Chevallier (piano), Midori Seiler (violin), Sergei Istomin (violoncello), Lisa Shklyaver (clarinet) and Thomas Bauer (baritone), to name but a few. With its partners Opéra de Dijon, Concertgebouw Brugge and Beethovenfest Bonn, AEB continues along the lines of an exceptional trajectory that by now stretches over a quarter of a century. During this time, the orchestra has produced an impressive range of recordings, since 2002 constituting the Zig-Zag Territoires (Outhere) series Collection Anima Eterna. Upcoming release in 2014 is the long-anticipated live-recording of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Anima’s curiosity and the public’s amazement haven’t faded over the years: the orchestra still vouches for innovation without provocation, and keeps on getting its drive from musicological research and analysis, a logical and natural approach, and tons of musical passion and pleasure.

This album contains no booklet.