CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862–1918)
THE UNKNOWN DEBUSSY
RARE PIANO MUSIC
NICOLAS HORVATH
‘This album is the culmination of more than half a decade of work together with Robert Orledge, and is also the fruition of Robert's own hard work. Exceptional in every way, the recording includes unknown music by Debussy, works that he barely finished and/or were lost; it took years for Robert to find and reconstruct them. Displaying an incredible range of feeling – passion, intense joy, transcendance, despair, horror and humour – it is difficult to single out any single piece as my favourite since I honestly love them all! The booklet includes some wonderful images related to the music in the album, as well as articles by four personalities – composer Régis Campo; musicologist David Christoffel; clinial psychologist Marie-Lise Babonneau; and philosopher Yannis Constantinides – who share their own views about the act of creation, and the act of completing what was left unfinished. This project is one of the highlights of my career as an artist, and surely one of my biggest prides thus far!’
– Nicolas Horvath
{ENTRE LES DOIGTS DE CLAUDE)
About this Recording
Robert Orledge’s research into Debussy’s (1862–1918) sketches and incomplete drafts has resulted in the unearthing and reconstruction of numerous lost masterpieces, the piano versions of which are given their première recordings here. Unknown versions of famous pieces such as La Fille aux cheveux de lin and an unused movement from Le Martyre de Saint Sébastien appear alongside the ecstatic Prélude de l’Histoire de Tristan. This uniquely valuable programme also includes the life-affirming suite for No‑ja‑li (Le Palais du Silence) with narration.
(first version in B flat major, 1907) (00:46)
(version for piano) (04:26)
(1915, completed 2006) * (07:08)
(unused movement, first draft) (1911, completed 2014) * (04:28)
(1914, completed 2005/2014) * (17:17)
Text: George de Feure (1868–1943)
Narrator: Florient Azoulay
(version with narration) (1902–03, transcribed 2018) * (11:37)
Text: Robert Orledge (b. 1948) from a libretto by Stephen Wyatt
(b. 1948)
Narrator: Florient Azoulay
(cadenza by Nicolas Horvath) * (06:30)
TOTAL TIME: 84:48
NICOLAS HORVATH
Nicolas Horvath began his music studies at Monaco’s Académie de Musique et de Théâtre Prince Rainier III and soon began to make an impression on a number of artists who would become his mentors. Aged 16 he caught the attention of the American conductor Lawrence Foster before coming to the notice of several distinguished international pianists, including Liszt specialist Leslie Howard. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including First Prize at both the Scriabin and the Luigi Nono International Competitions. He has become noted for hosting concerts of unusual length, sometimes lasting over twelve hours, such as the overnight performance of the complete piano music of Erik Satie at the Paris Philharmonie before a cumulative audience of 14,000 people. In 2019 he performed alongside Philip Glass at the same venue in a programme devoted to the American composer’s piano music. Nicolas is a Steinway Artist.
CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED RECORDINGS FEATURING NICOLAS HORVATH
– Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review
– Crescendo (France)
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are inseparable.’
– ResMusica.com
– Scene Magazine
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★★★★★
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