Aimard launches season with Debussy on DG, at Carnegie
Grammy Award-winning French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard starts the U.S. portion of his 2012-13 season with an homage to Claude Debussy in the sesquicentennial year of the composer’s birth. Following the Deutsche Grammophon release on October 9 of Aimard’s recording of Debussy’s Préludes, Books I and II, the pianist will perform Book II of the Préludes in recitals from Chapel Hill, N.C. (Nov 11; debut) to Philadelphia (Nov 13) to Carnegie Hall (Nov 15), with a program that will also include Schumann’s Symphonic Études and works by contemporary Swiss composer Heinz Holliger. Aimard will return to the U.S. again in the spring to perform both books of Debussy’s Préludes in Chicago (April 7) before giving the American premiere of a work by a contemporary French composer – Tristan Murail’s piano concerto Le Désenchantement du monde – with the New York Philharmonic under the baton of David Robertson (April 11-13).
Aimard is a renowned interpreter of Debussy. His 2003 Warner Classics recording of the composer’s Études and Images was made an Editor’s Choice in Gramophone magazine, with the review pointing out that Aimard’s disc was characteristically “fascinating because … it reconnects this most quietly revolutionary of composers to the modernist school.” Anthony Tommasini’s recent review of Aimard’s Debussy Préludes recording in the New York Times confirmed this earlier praise: “Mr. Aimard captures the sly, wistful, fiery and fantastical qualities in these ingeniously diverse pieces while treating them as the audacious contemporary works they are.” Classic FM in the U.K. made Aimard’s Préludes its CD of the week and Hugh Canning from the Sunday Times in his record review said: “It is always a pleasure to hear an outstanding native player in these pillars of the French piano repertoire … his superbly controlled crescendos evoke the edifice rising majestically out of deep. He relishes the jazzy syncopations of the cake-walk numbers, while the watery cascades of ‘Ondine’ and the sparkling explosions of ‘Feux d’artifice’ scintillate in his hands.”
In Austria, the Kleine Zeitung gave the Préludes release another glowing review: “With outstanding pianistic mastery, Aimard’s recording of the 24 pieces shines, clearly formed and with nothing blurred. He works out the sonic characteristics of each Prélude, creating a fascinating elegance and dazzling range of colors.” And reviewing a live performance of the Préludes, the Neue Luzerner Zeitung said: “Aimard’s interpretation was distinguished by exemplary respect to the score, which was repeatedly and meticulously displayed through to the smallest of pedal nuances. He relinquished tonal sentimentality in the landscape images (Bruyères), brushed aside the rhythmic grotesque (Habénera) and only increased the virtuosity for the closing Prélude. Now that was a programme of Fireworks.”
Aimard’s 2012-13 season shows a wide range of programming in his performances around the world, from playing his Debussy/Schumann/Holliger recital program in Cologne (Oct 31) and Taiwan (Nov 19) to performances of concertos by Mozart, Beethoven and Ligeti in Germany (with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Oct 16-21). The pianist also accompanies baritone Matthias Goerne in song recitals of Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms in Germany and Belgium (Oct 23-26). The new year finds Aimard playing chamber music with violinist Thomas Zehetmair in Europe before the pianist returns to the U.S. in April for both books of Debussy’s Préludes in Chicago and the U.S. premiere of Tristan Murail’s Le Désenchantement du monde with the New York Philarhmonic. Aimard gave the world premiere of Murail’s concerto last May in Munich with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under George Benjamin. The New York Philharmonic program also includes Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 23.
Aimard’s last season was framed by works of Liszt, including a pair of acclaimed spring recitals at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall that featured repertoire from his DG double album The Liszt Project, which was named one of 2011’s best recordings by the New York Times, Chicago Tribune and the UK’s Independent. Of his Lincoln Center performances, the New York Times said they were “packed with original interpretive turns … You had to admire his incisive articulation and the sheer dramatic power.”
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, 2012-13 season
Oct 16
Hamburg, Germany
MOZART: Concerto No. 10 in E-flat major for 2 Pianos, K. 365
LIGETI: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
BEETHOVEN: Concerto for Piano No. 2 in B-flat major, op.19
Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie
With Tamara Stefanovich, piano
Oct 17
Brussels, Belgium
MOZART: Concerto No. 10 in E-flat major for 2 Pianos, K. 365
LIGETI: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
BEETHOVEN: Concerto for Piano No. 2 in B-flat major, op.19
Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie
With Tamara Stefanovich, piano
Oct 18-19
Bremen, Germany
MOZART: Concerto No. 10 in E-flat major for 2 Pianos, K. 365
LIGETI: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
BEETHOVEN: Concerto for Piano No. 2 in B-flat major, op.19
Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie
With Tamara Stefanovich, piano
Oct 21
Cologne, Germany
MOZART: Concerto No. 10 in E-flat major for 2 Pianos, K. 365
LIGETI: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra
BEETHOVEN: Concerto for Piano No. 2 in B-flat major, op.19
Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie
With Tamara Stefanovich, piano
Oct 23
Freiburg, Germany
BEETHOVEN: 6 Songs, op. 48
SCHUBERT: Three Harper’s Songs
BRAHMS: Four Serious Songs, Op 121
BRAHMS: 8 songs
Albert-Konzerte
With Matthias Goerne, baritone
Oct 25
Cologne, Germany
BEETHOVEN: 6 Songs, op. 48
SCHUBERT: Three Harper’s Songs
BRAHMS: Four Serious Songs, Op 121
BRAHMS: 8 songs
Kölner Philharmonie
With Matthias Goerne, baritone
Oct 26
Brussels, Belgium
Palais des Beaux Arts
BEETHOVEN: 6 Songs, op. 48
SCHUBERT: Three Harper’s Songs
BRAHMS: Four Serious Songs, Op 121
BRAHMS: 8 songs
With Matthias Goerne, baritone
Oct 31
Cologne, Germany
Memorial Hall
HOLLIGER: Elis – Three Nocturnes for Piano
SCHUMANN: Symphonic Études
DEBUSSY: Préludes, book 2
DEBUSSY: Twelve Pieces for Piano
Kölner Philharmonie
Nov 11
Chapel Hill, NC (debut)
HOLLIGER: Elis – Three Nocturnes
SCHUMANN: Symphonic Études
DEBUSSY: Préludes, book 2
Nov 13
Philadelphia, PA
Perelman Theater
HOLLIGER: Elis – Three Nocturnes
SCHUMANN: Symphonic Études
DEBUSSY: Préludes, book 2
Nov 15
New York, NY
Carnegie Hall
HOLLIGER: Elis – Three Nocturnes
SCHUMANN: Symphonic Études
DEBUSSY: Préludes, book 2
Nov 19
Taipei, Taiwan
National Theater and Concert Hall
HOLLIGER: Elis – Three Nocturnes
SCHUMANN: Symphonic Études
DEBUSSY: Préludes, book 2
Nov 21
Tokyo, Japan
Toppan Hall
KURTÁG: Jaketok
KURTÁG: Splinters
SCHUMANN: Bunte Blätter, Op. 99
DEBUSSY: Préludes, book 1
Nov 23
Tokyo, Japan
Toppan Hall
DEBUSSY: Préludes, book 2
IVES: Concord Sonata
Nov 25
Seoul, South Korea
LG Arts Centre
HOLLIGER: Elis – Three Nocturnes
SCHUMANN: Symphonic Études
DEBUSSY: 6 Études, book 2
LIGETI: 6 Études
Nov 30
Salzburg, Austria
Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum
DEBUSSY: A selection of Préludes
LISZT: La lugubre gondola, S. 200
SCRIABIN: Piano Sonata Op. 68, No. 9
MURAIL: Cloches d’adieu, et un sourire
BENJAMIN: Fantasy on Iambic Rhythm
With Norman Perryman
Dec 1
Salzburg, Austria
Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum
MOZART: Piano Sonata for four hands in B flat major
Five variations for piano with four hands, K 501
DEBUSSY: Petite suite
DEBUSSY: Six épigraphes antiques
MOZART: Piano Sonata for four hands in F major
With Tamara Stefanovich, piano
Dec 5
Brussels, Belgium
Palais des Beaux-Arts
HOLLIGER: Elis – Three Nocturnes
SCHUMANN: Symphonic Études
DEBUSSY: Préludes, book 2
Dec 11
Vienna, Austria
Wiener Konzerthaus
DEBUSSY: Préludes, books 1 and 2
Dec 24
Moscow, Russia
Moscow House of Music
MOZART: Piano Concerto in G major, K 453
Dec 26
St. Petersburg, Russia
MOZART: Piano Concerto in G major, K 453
Jan 11
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Musiekgebouw
DEBUSSY: Préludes, books 1 and 2
Jan 17
London, UK
Royal Academy of Music
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K 491
Jan 21
Paris, France
Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
SCHUMANN: Bunte Blätter, Op. 99
DEBUSSY: Préludes, book 1
Jan 26
Bruges, Belgium
Concertgebouw Brugge
BACH: Caprices in B flat major BWV 992
BACH: Fantasie in G minor BWV 917
BACH: Das Musikalische Opfer BWV 1079
KURTÁG: Jaketok (extracts)
Jan 28
Dortmund, Germany
Konzerthaus Dortmund
MOZART: Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major
BEETHOVEN: Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 10 in G major
CRUMB: Four Nocturnes
WEBERN: 4 pieces for violin and piano, op. 7
BARTÓK: Sonata for Violin and Piano, no. 2
With Thomas Zehetmair, violin
Jan 30
Vienna, Austria
Wiener Philharmoniker
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 24 in C minor, K 491
Feb 1
Salzburg, Austria
Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum
MOZART: Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 19
STAUD: Bewegungen
BARTÓK: Sonata for Violin and Piano, No. 2
STAUD: Towards a Brighter Hue
MOZART: Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 22
With Thomas Zehetmair, violin
Feb 2
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Musiekgebouw
MOZART: Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major
BEETHOVEN: Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 10 in G major
CRUMB: Four Nocturnes
WEBERN: 4 pieces for violin and piano, op. 7
BARTÓK: Sonata for Violin and Piano, no. 2
With Thomas Zehetmair, violin
Feb 22
Paris, France
Salle Pleyel
STRAVINSKY: Mouvements
CARTER: Conversations
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France / Jukka-Pekka Saraste
Feb 27
Dortmund, Germany
Konzerthaus Dortmund
SCHUMANN:Frauenliebe und leben, op. 42
DEBUSSY: Chansons de Bilitis
MESSIAEN: Harawi
March 1
London, UK
Wigmore Hall
SCHUMANN: Frauenliebe und leben, op. 42
DEBUSSY: Chansons de Bilitis
MESSIAEN: Harawi
March 27
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Muziekgebouw
MESSIAEN: Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jésus
April 7
Chicago, IL
Symphony Center
DEBUSSY: Preludes, books 1 and 2
Presented by Chicago Symphony Orchestra
April 11-13
New York, NY
Avery Fisher Hall
MOZART: Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, K 488
MURAIL: Le Désenchantement du Monde (US Premiere)
New York Philharmonic / David Robertson
April 26
Munich, Germany
Concert Hall
LACHENMANN: Ausklang
Bayerischer Rundfunk / Jonathan Nott
May 10-12
Budapest, Hungary
Béla Bartók Concert Hall
AHO: Minea
BARTÓK: Piano Concerto No. 1
PROKOFIEV: Romeo and Juliet Suite No. 1
Budapest Festival Orchestra / Osmo Vänskä
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