As a regular recitalist at London’s Wigmore Hall and as a soloist with the London and Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras, French pianist Cédric Tiberghien is noted for his sensitive, versatile musicality as well as his innovative and engaging programming.

His multiple talents are on display in this inventive, witty recital that stages the two halves of a conversation and increasingly  delighted banter between compositional voices. Tiberghien’s first half juxtaposes movements from Maurice Ravel’s 1917 Le tombeau de Couperin with the music of Couperin himself. Ravel shared Couperin’s flair for wry titles and sparkling musical humour. ‘The dead are sad enough, in their eternal silence,’ he replied to a complaint that his tribute to Couperin was insufficiently serious.

The second half introduces new protagonists: Claude Debussy, Jean-Philippe Rameau and contemporary British composer Julian  Anderson. The recital ends with Debussy’s infamous L’Isle Joyeuse: as the composer himself ruefully noted, ‘God, how difficult it is to perform… that piece seems to assemble all the ways to attack a piano since it unites force and grace…’

Cédric Tiberghien | Piano

PROGRAM

Maurice Ravel (1875– 1937)
Le tombeau de Couperin, M. 68

Interwoven with

François Couperin (1668–1733)
Pièces de Clavecin, Book 4

Ravel: I. Prélude

Couperin: 21e. Ordre, No 1: La Reine des cœurs

Ravel: II. Fugue from Le tombeau de Couperin

Couperin: 21e. Ordre, No 2: La Bondissante

Ravel: III. Forlane from Le tombeau de Couperin

Couperin: 21e. Ordre, No 3: La Couperin

Ravel: IV. Rigaudon from Le tombeau de Couperin

Couperin: 21e. Ordre, No 4: La Harpée

Ravel: V. Menuet from Le tombeau de Couperin

Couperin: 21e. Ordre, No 5: La petite Pince-sans-rire

Ravel: VI. Toccata from Le tombeau de Couperin

INTERVAL

Claude Debussy (1862–1918)
Images, Book 1 L. 110 [15']

I. Reflets dans l'eau
II. Hommage à Rameau
III. Mouvement

Jean-Philippe Rameau (1683–1764)
Pièces de Clavecin, Book 2

L'Entretien des Muses (1724/1731) [3']

Julian Anderson (b. 1967)
Etude No. 4 – Misreading Rameau [3']

Rameau: Nouvelles Suites de Pièces de Clavecin (1728)

VII. Les Sauvages [2']
VIII. L’Enharmonique [6']
IX. L’Egyptienne [3']

Debussy: Douze Études L. 136

VI. Pour les huit doigts [2']
VIII. Pour les agréments [5']

Debussy: L’isle Joyeuse L. 106 [6']