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Jean-Yves Thibaudet's 2007 release Aria: Opera without Words is exactly what it says it is: a recital of popular arias arranged for piano. Following in the tradition of Thibaudet's earlier discs of Bill Evans and Duke Ellington arranged for piano, Aria is long on virtuosity and short on sensitivity. As before -- and as in his "straight" classical recordings of Ravel and Debussy -- Thibaudet's virtuosity is breathtaking. Beyond impeccable passagework and immaculate double octaves, Thibaudet's control of the instrument is complete: every phrase, every chord, every note is played exactly as it ought to be played with precisely the right amount of attack, pressure, and release. And as before -- but not as in his "straight" classical recordings -- Thibaudet's sensitivity is negligible. Beyond a lot of rubato and plenty of exaggerated dynamics, Thibaudet's interpretations are full of swaying and swooning and to-ing and fro-ing that altogether amount to not much more than hyperactive sentimentality. Part of the reason for this, of course, is built into the repertoire -- these are opera arias on the program, after all, with not one, not two, but three arrangements of Puccini included -- and part of the reason is written into the arrangements -- although Giovanni Sgambati's arrangement of the "Mélodie" from Orphée et Eurydice is fairly restrained, Yvar Mikhashoff's arrangements, especially his "Casta diva" from Norma, are fairly uninhibited. But most of it is Thibaudet's inclination toward pianistic histrionics, for pulling back from intimacy and rushing headlong into climaxes, that makes his playing resemble a higher-toned Liberace or a less comedic Chico Marx. While certainly enjoyable as exercises in virtuosity taken one or two or even three at a time, listening straight through to a whole disc of what are essentially encores is aurally and aesthetically unadvisable. Decca's digital sound makes Thibaudet's piano sound big and close, but too clattery at climaxes.
© TiVo
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Samson et Dalila - Arr. Thibaudet/Kerber (Camille Saint-Saëns)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - CAMILLE SAINT-SAENS, Composer - Randy Kerber, Arranger, Work Arranger - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Arranger, Piano, Work Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - FERDINAND LEMAIRE, Author - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59 - Arr. Grainger (Richard Strauss)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - Richard Strauss, Composer - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Percy Grainger, Arranger, Work Arranger - Hugo von Hofmannstahl, Author - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Gianni Schicchi - Arr. Mikhashoff (Giacomo Puccini)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - Giacomo Puccini, Composer - Giovacchino Forzano, Author - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Yvar Mikhashoff, Arranger, Work Arranger - Dante Alighieri, Author, Original Text Author - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Die tote Stadt (Erich Wolfgang Korngold)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - Randy Kerber, Arranger, Work Arranger - Erich Wolfgang Korngold, ComposerLyricist - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Arranger, Piano, Work Arranger, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Julius Korngold, Author - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Die Fledermaus - Arr. Grunfeld (Johann Strauss II)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - Johann Strauss II, Composer - Richard Genée, Author - Henri Meilhac, Author, Original Text Author - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Ludovic Halevy, Author, Original Text Author - Carl Haffner, Author - Alfred Grünfeld, Arranger, Work Arranger - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Tosca - Arr. Y.Mikhashoff (Giacomo Puccini)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - Giacomo Puccini, Composer - Luigi Illica, Author - Giuseppe Giacosa, Author - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Yvar Mikhashoff, Arranger, Work Arranger - Victorien Sardou, Author, Original Text Author - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Norma - Arr. Y. Mikhashoff (Vincenzo Bellini)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - Vincenzo Bellini, Composer - Felice Romani, Author - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Yvar Mikhashoff, Arranger, Work Arranger - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Orfeo ed Euridice (Orphée et Eurydice) - Arranged Sgambati (Christoph Willibald von Gluck)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - Christoph Willibald Gluck, Composer - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Giovanni Sgambati, Arranger, Work Arranger - Ranieri de' Calzabigi, Author - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Madama Butterfly (Giacomo Puccini)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - Giacomo Puccini, Composer - Luigi Illica, Author - Giuseppe Giacosa, Author - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Yvar Mikhashoff, Arranger, Work Arranger - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Die Walküre - Arr. Louis Brassin (Richard Wagner)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - Richard Wagner, ComposerLyricist - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Louis Brassin, Arranger, Work Arranger - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Les Contes d'Hoffmann - Arr. M. Moszkowski (Jacques Offenbach)
David Mottley, Producer, Recording Producer - Jacques Offenbach, Composer - Michel Carre, Author - Jules Barbier, Author - Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Piano, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Moritz Moszkowski, Arranger, Work Arranger - Philip Siney, Balance Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
Album review
Jean-Yves Thibaudet's 2007 release Aria: Opera without Words is exactly what it says it is: a recital of popular arias arranged for piano. Following in the tradition of Thibaudet's earlier discs of Bill Evans and Duke Ellington arranged for piano, Aria is long on virtuosity and short on sensitivity. As before -- and as in his "straight" classical recordings of Ravel and Debussy -- Thibaudet's virtuosity is breathtaking. Beyond impeccable passagework and immaculate double octaves, Thibaudet's control of the instrument is complete: every phrase, every chord, every note is played exactly as it ought to be played with precisely the right amount of attack, pressure, and release. And as before -- but not as in his "straight" classical recordings -- Thibaudet's sensitivity is negligible. Beyond a lot of rubato and plenty of exaggerated dynamics, Thibaudet's interpretations are full of swaying and swooning and to-ing and fro-ing that altogether amount to not much more than hyperactive sentimentality. Part of the reason for this, of course, is built into the repertoire -- these are opera arias on the program, after all, with not one, not two, but three arrangements of Puccini included -- and part of the reason is written into the arrangements -- although Giovanni Sgambati's arrangement of the "Mélodie" from Orphée et Eurydice is fairly restrained, Yvar Mikhashoff's arrangements, especially his "Casta diva" from Norma, are fairly uninhibited. But most of it is Thibaudet's inclination toward pianistic histrionics, for pulling back from intimacy and rushing headlong into climaxes, that makes his playing resemble a higher-toned Liberace or a less comedic Chico Marx. While certainly enjoyable as exercises in virtuosity taken one or two or even three at a time, listening straight through to a whole disc of what are essentially encores is aurally and aesthetically unadvisable. Decca's digital sound makes Thibaudet's piano sound big and close, but too clattery at climaxes.
© TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 11 track(s)
- Total length: 01:07:46
- Main artists: Jean-Yves Thibaudet
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Decca Music Group Ltd.
- Genre: Classical
© 2007 Decca Music Group Limited ℗ 2007 Decca Music Group Limited
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