Most of the greatest pianists and composers of the 19th century, including Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Liszt, Wagner, Verdi, Ravel, and the composers on this album, Duparc and Fauré, used or owned Érard instruments.
Composer Biography
Henri Duparc, a French composer, gave up composing almost entirely at the age of 37 in 1885 due to health reasons, spending the rest of his long life writing and painting.
Performer Biography
Gert Hecher, the pianist on this album, is a master piano builder who primarily works as a restorer of historical pianos for important instrument collections and many pianists.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Henri Duparc's compositional style was influenced by Franz Liszt and his teacher César Franck, and also shows anticipations of Impressionism, a style later defined by Claude Debussy.
Instruments
The two grand pianos used for this recording were built by the world-famous Érard manufactory in Paris, whose instruments were considered among the best of their time.
Performer Biography
Christina Baader, the mezzo-soprano on this album, is also an oil painter whose works have been exhibited internationally, including in New York, Miami, and Zurich.
Composition History
Fauré's song 'Prison' (1894) directly references the autobiographical experience of the poet Paul Verlaine, who spent two years in prison after shooting and injuring his lover Arthur Rimbaud.
