Emmanuelle Bertrand & Pascal Amoyel - Chopin: 1846, dernière année à Nohant (2015) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

After a relationship lasting some ten years, the last few of which were stormy, Frédéric Chopin finally separated from George Sand in July 1847. It was on her estate at Nohant that, over seven summers, he had composed or completed the core of his oeuvre: the Fantaisie Op.49, a dozen mazurkas, the Berceuse, several nocturnes, two of the ballades, two of the scherzos, his last two sonatas, the Trois Nouvelles Études, three impromptus, three waltzes, two polonaises, among others. The summer of 1846, the last he spent in the Berry region, saw the birth of his final masterpieces for it was at Nohant that he composed, started, or finished the last pieces to be printed in his lifetime: ‘miniatures’ like the Mazurkas Op.63 and the Waltzes Op.64, or pieces with a more elaborate structure such as the Barcarolle Op.60, the Nocturnes Op.62a and the Sonata for piano and cello Op.65, the final published opuses that are brought together in this programme.

Pascal Amoyel and Emmanuelle Bertrand plunge us into the heart of those few months before the couple’s separation, when the ailing Chopin did not yet know that he was leaving his musical testament.

Tracklist:

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

01. Barcarolle in F-Sharp Major, Op. 60 - Pascal Amoyel
02. No.1 in B Major. Vivace - Pascal Amoyel
03. No.2 in F Minor. Lento - Pascal Amoyel
04. No.3 in C Sharp Minor. Allegretto - Pascal Amoyel
05. I. Allegro moderato - Emmanuelle Bertrand and Pascal Amoyel
06. II. Scherzo-Allegro con brio - Emmanuelle Bertrand and Pascal Amoyel
07. III. Largo - Emmanuelle Bertrand and Pascal Amoyel
08. IV. Finale-Allegro - Emmanuelle Bertrand and Pascal Amoyel
09. No.1 in D Flat Major. Molto vivace - Pascal Amoyel
10. No.2 in C Sharp Minor. Tempo giusto - Pascal Amoyel
11. No.3 in A Flat Major. Moderato - Pascal Amoyel
12. Mazurka, No. 4, Op. 67 - Pascal Amoyel
13. No.1 in B Major. Andante - Pascal Amoyel
14. No.2 in E Major. Lento - Pascal Amoyel

Personnel:
Pascal Amoyel, piano
Emmanuelle Bertrand, cello