Romain Descharmes – Brahms – CR5786

Description

“His interplay is absolutely wonderful. He transforms the piano into an orchestra of voices in turn exultant and mournful. Sonatas that are veiled symphonies; profoundly melodic songs that manage to project in music alone the beauty of their poetry; simple pieces for piano that are both at times demonic and sublimely graceful”, wrote Robert Schumann in the Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik on October 28, 1853. Johannes Brahms was twenty years old. A month later he submitted to his mentor the third and most developed of his sonatas for piano, Op. 5 in F Minor. In its greatly expressive vigour, this sonata bears the seeds of the architectural line of construction that would later become one of Brahms’s characteristic hallmarks of his mature works.

Brahms’ last period of composition, which began forty years later with the fourth symphony, brought forth the pinnacles of his creation. Composed during the summer of 1893, Klavierstucke Op. 118 incorporated into what was essentially a popular form, an apparent modality, a Beethoven-inspired architecture, and allusions to the works of Schumann. The sorrowful mood which haunted Brahms’ works from his early piano sonatas to the fourth symphony and the third of the Vier Ernste Gesange Op. 121 here takes the form of restrained gestures whose presence is felt across the six pieces like breathless sighs of despair. These highly lyrical pieces, that the musicologist and friend of Brahms Eduard Hanslick described as “monologues”, are among the most intimate of the four last works for piano. They are veritable songs without words, and Brahms referred to a number of them as “lullabies for my pain”.

Born in 1980, Romain Descharmes was awarded in 2006 First Prize in the AXA International Piano Competition in Dublin. He has performed extensively in recital, with orchestra, and with chamber groups in the major European capitals, as well as in USA, Central America, China and Japan, appearing upon such prestigious stages as Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, National Concert Hall in Dublin, Salle Gaveau in Paris and Hakuju Hall in Tokyo.

He has also won prizes in numerous other international competitions (Shanghai, Hamamatsu, Alessandro Casagrande), and is much sought-after as a chamber musician recognized for his attentive, sensitive playing and wide repertoire.

He studied at Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris, is an affiliate of the Charles Cros Academy, and has received the support of the Yamaha and Natexis-Banque Populaire foundations.

** Artists Website

Musical Opinion Review

Claudio Records has what promises to be a winning series here, since this exceptionally satisfying CD is described as a First Volume of Brahms’ piano works. Romain Descharmes is not yet thirty and has notched up some significant Competition prizes, including the 2006 AXA, which presumably have helped him to win high praise in New York and London, as well as in both China and Japan.
What this recording shows, however, is an artist who has learned to use a well disciplined technique to enable him to communicate true musicianship. For both these works, the first a relatively early but seriously considered Sonata cast in the challenging key of F minor, and the collation of six deceptively individual pieces, four Intermezzi embracing an evocative Ballade and an expressive Romanze, are gems. With his six Klavierstücke, the composer knew that they would all gain from being ingested as a whole meal, although capable of existing alone from time to time, or even occasionally in new company.
Descharmes understands that many of his CD listeners know and love this music and he also knows that what he has gleaned from studying them has given him new facets of interpreting Brahms’ writing which it is his need to share. Which is exactly what he has done and Claudio have brilliantly put on disc.
Denby Richards.

“Son jeu est absolument genial; il transforme le piano en un orchestre aux voix tour à tour exultantes et gemissantes. Ce furent des sonates, ou plutôt des symphonies deguisées; des chants dont on saisissait la poesie sans même connaître les paroles, tout imprégnés d’un profond sens mélodique; de simples pièces pour piano tantôt démoniaques, tantôt de I’aspect le plus gracieux” écrit Robert Schumann dans la Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, le 28 octobre 1853. Johannes Brahms a vingt ans. Le mois suivant, il soumet à son aîné la troisième et la plus developpée de ses sonates pour piano, I’opus 5 en fa mineur. D’une grande vigueur expressive, cette sonate porte déjà en elle les germes d’une organisation architecturale entre les differents episodes, trait de construction qui sera une des marques de fabrique caracteristiques de son style de la maturite.

La dernière période de composition, qui s’ouvre quarante ans plus tard avec la IVè symphonie, se presente comme I’ultime sommet de la création de Brahms. Composées pendant I’etè 1893, les Klavierstücke opus 118 réunissent tout a la fois un caractere d’essence populaire, une apparente modalité, une architecture d’inspiration beethovénienne, ainsi que quelques allusions à I’oeuvre de Schumann. Les gestes dépressifs, tout comme les successions de tierces, qui hantent I’oeuvre de Brahms depuis ses premières sonates pour piano jusqu’ à la IVè symphonie et au troisième des Vier ernste Gesänge opus 121, donnent ici naissance à un geste avorte dont I’empreinte traverse les six pieces comme autant de soupirs de désespoir en mal de continuité. Ces pièces très vocales, que le musicologue et ami de Brahms Edouard Hanslick qualifia de “monologues”, s’inscrivent parmi les plus intimistes des quatre derniers opus de piano, sortes de Lieder ohne Worte dont Brahms surnommait certaines d’entre elles “berceuses de ma douleur”.

Né en 1980, Romain Descharmes se voit décerner en 2006 le Premier Grand Prix lors du Concours International AXA de Dublin. Ses activités de concertiste I’amènent à se produire, tant en recital qu’avec orchestra, dans les principaux pays d’Europe, aux Etats-Unis, en Amérique centrale, en Chine, au Japon, sur plusieurs scènes prestigieuses telles que Carnegie Hall à New-York, Wigmore Hall à Londres, National Concert Hall a Dublin, Salle Gaveau a Paris, Hakuju Hall à Tokyo.

II a de plus remporte des prix dans de nombreux autres concours internationaux (Shanghai, Hamamatsu, Alessandro Casagrande) et est également tres recherché en tant que chambriste pour son ecoute, sa sensibilité et sa large connaissance du répertoire.

II a étudié au Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris et est également filleul de I’Académie Charles Cros et laureat des fondations Yamaha et Natexis- Banque Populaire.

ACCOMPAGNER DE JEUNES VIRTUOSES

La Fondation d’entreprise Groupe Banque Populaire apporte son soutien, sur plusieurs annees, à de jeunes musiciens et à de jeunes personnes handicapées physiques, en accompagnant le démarrage de leur carriere ou la réalisation de leur projet de vie. Depuis 2003, elle intervient également en faveur de projets liés à la conservation et à la rénovation du patrimoine lié à I’eau.

Elle manifeste ainsi la volonté du Groupe Banque Populaire d’agir dans les domaines de la culture, de la solidarité et du patrimoine national.

La Fondation apporte aux jeunes instrumentistes et compositeurs au talent déjà reconnu, les moyens de progresser dans leur art, en donnant davantage de concerts, en participant à des tournées à I’étranger, en enregistrant leurs premiers disques.

Elle est heureuse d’apporter son concours à la publication de cet enregistrement où brille I’un de ses lauréats, lejeune pianiste Romain DESCFIARMES.

ACCOMPANYING YOUNG VIRTUOSOS

The Group Banque Populaire Corporation Foundation provides support to young musicians and disabled young people over a period of several years, by helping them launch their careers or realise their life plan. Since 2003, it also aids projects related to the conservation and renewal of the maritime and freshwater heritage.

This commitment in the cultural, social and environmental areas illustrates the special vocation of the Banque Populaire Group to act in the fields of culture, social cohesion and national heritage.

The Foundation helps to further the activities of talented young instrumentalists and composers, by enabling them to give more concerts, undertake foreign tours and make their first recordings.

It is pleased to contribute to the release of this recording by one of its laureates, the young pianist Romain DESCHARMES.