Catalogue

Summary:

For his tenth Avie release, Daniel-Ben Pienaar flies the flag for the enigmatic French composer Gaspard Le Roux, by re-imagining his only published work – the exquisite “Pièces de clavessin” from 1705 – for its first ever recording on the modern piano.

The original, mercurial manuscript presents different versions of these undeniably charming pieces – for solo harpsichord, harpsichord duet and trio sonata. Daniel-Ben distils the performing possibilities, explaining, “For this first recording of these Suites on piano – in both the do-it-yourself spirit of the score, and also in that of inviting the modern listener to treat Le Roux’s set as ‘art object’ – I have fashioned a version where I conflate Le Roux’s solo harpsichord and trio iterations of the same music, adding some of the extra inner voices or descants from the trios to the keyboard version on repeats, but in such a way that the delicate poise and occasionally elliptical voice-leading of the original keyboard score would still be largely maintained.”

The result is by turns brilliant, pleasing, witty and affecting.

Tracklist:

GASPARD LE ROUX (c.1670–c.1706)
COMPLETE KEYBOARD SUITES (Pièces de clavessin – 1705)
(Performed on a modern Steinway model D)

CD1

Suite in D Minor
1. I. Prelude 
2. II. Allemande la Vauvert 
3. III. Courante 
4. IV. Sarabande grave 
5. V. Menuet 
6. VI. Passepied  
7. VII. Courante luthée  

Suite in D Major
8. I. Allemande grave
9. II. Courante 
10. III. Sarabande gaye
11. IV. Gavotte  

Suite in A Minor
12. I. Prelude 
13. II. Allemande l’Incomparable  
14. III. Courante 
15. IV. Sarabande 
16. V. Sarabande en Rondeau 
17. VI. Gavotte 
18. VII. Menuet et Double, Second Menuet  

 Suite in A Major
19. I. Allemande gaye
20. II. Courante la Venetiene
21. III. Gigue 

Suite in F Major
22. I. Prelude 
23. II. Allemande grave 
24. III. Courante 
25. IV. Chacone 
26. V. Menuet, Double, Double de la Basse  
27. VI. Passepied  
28. VII. Allemande  

CD2

Suite in F Sharp Minor
1. I. Allemande gaye
2. II. Courante et Double
3. III. Sarabande grave en rondeau
4. IV. La Favoritte

Suite in G Minor
5. I. Prelude
6. II. Allemande
7. III. Courante
8. IV. Le Bel-ebat
9. V. La Piece sans titre
10. VI. Gigue
11. VII. Sarabande en 12 Couplets
12. VIII. Menuet  

13. Gigue in G Major for 2 harpsichords (arr. for solo piano by Daniel-Ben Pienaar)

Daniel-Ben Pienaar, piano

Recorded 5 and 6 March 2022 at the Concert Hall, Cardiff School of Music
Sound engineering and mastering: Adaq Khan
Mapping and editing: Daniel-Ben Pienaar
Piano score: Daniel-Ben Pienaar