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PHILIPPE CASSARD 21
The
Fantaisie
, composed by a man of almost seventy-five afflicted by
deafness, fascinates me for its vigour, its inexhaustible energy, its
luminosity, the crystalline arabesques of the piano. The
Prélude
to
Pénélope
, which I asked Jacques Mercier to include in this programme, is
an impressive, grandiose piece of exceptional inspiration. It sweeps aside
the objections of thosewho continue to underestimate Gabriel Fauré. This
aristocrat of phrasing, this passionate lyricist, this lover of poetry blazed a
trail free of all dogma, which musicians the world over now explore with
fervour.
Philippe Cassard, April 2017
I dedicate this recording to my two masters,
Jacques Bloch and Dominique Merlet,
pioneering Faureans both.