A superb pianiste in her own chosen specialty
Charlus | NYC | 12/12/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"10+ years ago EMI France issued three huge Marcelle MEYER (1897-1958) CD boxes gathering her vast recording activity for the record club known as Les Discophiles Français. That compilation included the pianist's 1954-55 LP re-recording of these same Scarlatti sonatas (plus five additional ones.) So COMPLEATISTS who thoroughly relished the contents of those marvelous "coffrets" can now add this supplement to the whole grand rest. It is well worth purchasing.
Meyer studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Marguerite Long, Alfred Cortot and Ricardo Viñes... Thus in many ways she embodies all that is best in French pianism, having the pearl-like diaphanous dexterity of Mme Long, the rhythmic life and sweeping élan of Cortot and the coloristic sexyness of the Spaniard à Paris. Her playing, very feminine in its suppleness, never suffers from that hurried, shallow fluency that afflicts some French pianists.
She played everything, but, besides the moderns, she particularly favoured Bach, Scarlatti and the French clavecinists at a time when these were rarely heard. She is an absorbing, indeed hypnotic interpreter, who always seems to know where she is going. Listen to track 18, Kk 474, for a particularly memorable souvenir of her art: a perfectly sustained cantabile, heartbreakingly lovely tone, a fine espressivo never sentimentalised or romanticised. Then in Kk 377 she takes off with a filigreed jeu perlé that has to be heard to be believed. Resonant Kk 96 alternates all kinds of dynamics and speeds, all thoroughly articulated and controlled with a complete and VERY BRILLIANT grand manner. Then Kk 69 floats by like a dream, showing exactly why and how this music imprinted itself in the minds and hearts of Impressionist composers.
And so on. I loved this disk and the sound is terrific.
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