Concertos for piano & string quartet

Description

The two piano concertos by Chopin are the work of a young composer who set out to conquer the capital. Powerful and virtuosic, they embrace both the romantic whims of the concert pianist that Frédéric Chopin already is at 20 years old, as well as his most sensitive outpourings. This duality is highlighted here by a performance on period instruments in a chamber format. At the helm of this recording are the musicians of the Quatuor Cambini-Paris and their collaborators: David Lively in the role of the soloist and Thomas de Pierrefeu on the double bass. A direct heir to Chopin's pianistic legacy through a tradition passed from teacher to student, David Lively chose a period Érard piano for this disc, which presents itself as a chamber version of these concertos. The ensemble that combines the piano with the quintet reconnects with the tradition of the genre: before stepping into the spotlight of large concert halls, composers and pianists like Chopin played their new scores in music-loving and fashionable salons. But the wide range covered by the strings and the richness of the sound of the pianoforte respect the symphonic dimension of these pieces.