Long, Thibaud, et al: Faure Piano Quartet No. 2 + solo works - Columbia COLC 76

$

30

redgarnett Store ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful and rare LP from French Columbia (COLC 76, French pressing, gray label, “baguette” jacket, dowel spine,) features legendary pianist Marguerite Long in an all-Faure program, with an unforgettable account of the composer’s Piano Quartet No. 2 in G minor Op. 45 as its centerpiece. The disc is filled out with 4 works by Faure for piano solo.

Aside from Long’s extraordinary pianism, what makes this performance of the Piano Quartet No. 2 so special are the three string soloists that play with: Jacques Thibaud (violin), Maurice Vieux (viola), and the young Pierre Fournier (cello).

Their reading was set down at the Studio Albert, Paris, on 10 May 1940.

Filling out the disc are Long’s incomparable accounts of 4 solo piano works by Faure:

            Impromptu No. 5 in F-sharp minor Op. 102*

            Nocturne No. 4 in E-flat Major Op. 36#

            Nocturne No. 6 in D-flat Major Op. 63

            Barcarolle No. 6 in E-flat Major Op. 70

The solo works were set down in Paris in July 1935#, November 1932* and May 1937, and more than 75 years on remain landmarks in the Faure discography.

Of Biddulph’s CD re-issue of the Piano Quartet No. 2, the outstanding critic Jonathan Woolf wrote for MusicWeb-International:

“One of the most prestigious figures in French pianism, Marguerite Long was a formidable presence at the Paris Conservatoire. The extent to which she could legitimately claim authority in certain works has been a moot point for many years but this Fauré selection allows us the opportunity to judge her contribution to the literature in the round, as chamber colleague, with orchestra and in the solo literature.

“The Piano Quartet in G minor is a wartime recording – and I believe it took place around the time that Thibaud’s son was killed in battle. His colleagues were the leading French violist, Maurice Vieux (what a Sinfonia Concertante they would have produced together), and Pierre Fournier. Thibaud’s very precise downward portamenti are entirely characteristic and bewitching, though his tone lacks the fuller weight of his recordings in the 1910s and 1920s. Though at some moments one may be inclined to doubt it, the tonal unanimity in unison string passages is still entirely convincing and the performance sensitively shaped, the Scherzo being especially fluent and fast before it sinks into a veil of impressionism, illuminated by Vieux’s tortuous viola line. In all this Long plays her part but in the Adagio one can detect a certain hardness in her tone, certainly in comparison with the string statements; she’s also quite straight in her phrasing, and not quite on the same level of nuance or subtlety as her colleagues. But she does much better in the finale where her bustling vigour adds to the impatient drive and triumphant direction of the music.”

There are excellent liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket by Bernard Gavoty, printed in French only.

CONDITION:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the album, still in the shrink wrap is EXCELLENT+. There is slight aging, but that is all. There are no seamsplits, bends, owners’ markings, or other defects, and the whole remains solid, bright, and highly attractive – overall, this is a very fine collector’s copy.

The condition of both the dowel spine/sleeve is similarly EX – really, no flaws to speak of.

The condition of the LP itself is EXCELLENT. Although the surfaces are not absolutely silent, really this is a fine copy and the playback is enjoyable. Those requiring a flawless or near-MINT copy are kindly advised to look elsewhere. Overall, this is an excellent collector's copy.

PLEASE NOTE:
This LP has been carefully cleaned using a VPI cleaning machine. All LPs are provided with a new Nagaoka (or Nagaoka-style) inner sleeve. The images I've provided are of the actual item you are potentially bidding on - these are not stock images or images I've taken from other sites. Bid with confidence!

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