The EMI Classics recordings of Cécile Ousset (b. 1936), spanning the years between 1982 and 1991, would mark her third and most prestigious recording collaboration, launching her, at age forty-six, into the international limelight. Indeed, recognition did not come easily to this grand dame of the piano, who, at the age of fourteen, obtained her prize at the Paris Conservatoire under the tutelage of Marcel Ciampi and began the grueling rounds at major competitions shortly after: Geneva, Long-Thibaud, Queen Elisabeth and Busoni, as well as the inaugural edition of the Van Cliburn. As a young female pianist, doors remained firmly shut, even with the support of the great Arthur Rubinstein, who personally invested in Ousset's early career after witnessing her performance at the Long-Thibaud competition. Her rise to international fame came primarily in the 1970s, notably through her recordings for the German Eterna label as well as for Decca France. The year 1982 marked the release of her first solo recording with EMI, a vivid program pairing Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition with Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit. Writing in The Musical Times, Cyril Ehrlich lauds a "luminous tone" and a "sense of style", proclaiming, "Cécile Ousset is an exhilarating pianist". Her strong technique, based on the Russian method taught by Ciampi lends her playing a clear-cut and robust tone; her virtuosity is proved incontestable, revealing a mastery of sound, color and brilliance. Works of the French repertoire continued to occupy an important place in Ousset's programs. To France's greatest modernists, Debussy and Ravel, the pianist would consecrate significant recordings in the second half of the 80s. Liszt and Chopin were essential components of her repertoire as well. The recording of Chopin's Third Sonata brims with poignant lyricism and heroic sentiment, it's excellent pacing just as admirable as the naturalness of the playing, hardly ostentatious but in every way spellbinding. "Like Pollini," observes Gramophone, "the masterful Ousset commands in this work... [her] Chopin CD will give immense pleasure by reason of her indefatigable musical verve." A survey of Cécile Ousset's acclaimed concerto recordings for EMI may point to a seemingly-logical conclusion - that the pianist was drawn to the unabashedly-virtuosic heavyweights of the concerto literature: Rachmaninov, Saint-Saëns, Liszt, Prokofiev, Grieg, Tchaikovsky
9 Pictures at An Exhibition: V. Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks
10 Pictures at An Exhibition: VI. Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuÿle
11 Pictures at An Exhibition: Promenade V
12 Pictures at An Exhibition: VII. Limoges, the Market
13 Pictures at An Exhibition: VIII. Catacombs
14 Pictures at An Exhibition: Cum Mortuis in Lingua Mortua
15 Pictures at An Exhibition: IX. the Hut on Fowl's Legs "Baba Yaga"
16 Pictures at An Exhibition: X. the Great Gate of Kiev
17 Gaspard de la Nuit, M. 55: I. Ondine
18 Gaspard de la Nuit, M. 55: II. Le Gibet
19 Gaspard de la Nuit, M. 55: III. Scarbo
- Disc 2 -
1 Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22: I. Andante Sostenuto
2 Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22: II. Allegro Scherzando
3 Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 22: III. Presto
4 Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, S. 124: I. Allegro Maestoso
5 Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, S. 124: II. Quasi Adagio - III. Allegretto Vivace
6 Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major, S. 124: IV. Allegro Marziale Animato
- Disc 3 -
1 Impromptu No. 2 in F minor, Op. 31
2 Impromptu No. 3 in A-Flat Major, Op. 34
3 Estampes, CD 108, L. 100: No. 1, Pagodes
4 Estampes, CD 108, L. 100: No. 2, la Soirée Dans Grenade
5 Estampes, CD 108, L. 100: No. 3, Jardins Sous la Pluie
6 Miroirs, M. 43: IV. Alborada Del Gracioso
7 10 Pièces Pittoresques: No. 10, Scherzo-Valse
8 10 Pièces Pittoresques: No. 6, Idylle
9 3 Gymnopédies: No. 1, Lent Et Douloureux
10 3 Gymnopédies: No. 2, Lent Et Triste
11 3 Gymnopédies: No. 3, Lent Et Grave
12 Allegro Appassionato, Op. 70
13 6 Études, Op. 52: No. 6, Étude en Forme de Valse
- Disc 4 -
1 Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26: I. Andante - Allegro
2 Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26: II. Andantino - Variations 1 to 5 - Tema. L'istesso Tempo
3 Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26: III. Allegro, Ma Non Troppo
4 Piano Concerto in C-Sharp minor, FP 146: I. Allegretto
5 Piano Concerto in C-Sharp minor, FP 146: II. Andante Con Moto
6 Piano Concerto in C-Sharp minor, FP 146: III. Rondeau À la Française
- Disc 5 -
1 Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18: I. Moderato
2 Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18: II. Adagio Sostenuto
3 Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18: III. Allegro Scherzando
4 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Introduction. Allegro Vivace & Variation I. Precedente
5 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Theme. L'istesso Tempo & Variation II. L'istesso Tempo
6 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation III. L'istesso Tempo
7 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation IV. Più Vivo
8 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation V. Tempo Precedente
9 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation VI. L'istesso Tempo
10 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation VII. Meno Mosso, a Tempo Moderato
11 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation VIII. Tempo I
12 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation IX. L'istesso Tempo
13 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation X. Poco Marcato
14 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XI. Moderato
15 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XII. Tempo Di Minuetto
16 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XIII. Allegro
17 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XIV. L'istesso Tempo
18 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XV. Più Vivo, Scherzando
19 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XVI. Allegretto
20 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XVII. Allegretto
21 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XVIII. Andante Cantabile
22 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XIX. a Tempo Vivace
23 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XX. Un Poco Più Vivo
24 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XXI. Un Poco Più Vivo
25 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XXII. Un Poco Più Vivo. Alla Breve
26 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XXIII. L'istesso Tempo
27 Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43: Variation XXIV. a Tempo Un Poco Meno Mosso
- Disc 6 -
1 Piano Concerto in a Minor, Op. 16: I. Allegro Molto Moderato
2 Piano Concerto in a Minor, Op. 16: II. Adagio
3 Piano Concerto in a Minor, Op. 16: III. Allegro Moderato Molto E Marcato
4 Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25, MWV O7: I. Molto Allegro Con Fuoco
5 Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25, MWV O7: II. Andante
6 Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25, MWV O7: III. Presto - Molto Allegro E Vivace
- Disc 7 -
1 Piano Sonata in B minor, S. 178
2 6 Études D'exécution Transcendante D'après Paganini, S. 140: No. 1, Tremolo
3 6 Études D'exécution Transcendante D'après Paganini, S. 140: No. 2, Octave
4 6 Études D'exécution Transcendante D'après Paganini, S. 140: No. 3, la Campanella
5 6 Études D'exécution Transcendante D'après Paganini, S. 140: No. 4, Arpeggio
6 6 Études D'exécution Transcendante D'après Paganini, S. 140: No. 5, la Chasse
7 6 Études D'exécution Transcendante D'après Paganini, S. 140: No. 6, Thème Et Variations
- Disc 8 -
1 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 1, Danseuses de Delphes
2 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 2, Voiles
3 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 3, Le Vent Dans la Plaine
4 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 4, Les Sons Et Les Parfums Tournent Dans I'air Du Soir
5 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 5, Les Collines D'anacapri
6 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 6, Des Pas Sur la Neige
7 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 7, Ce Qu'a Vu Le Vent D'ouest
8 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 8, la Fille Aux Cheveux de Lin
9 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 9, la Sérénade Interrompue
10 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 10, la Cathédrale Engloutie
11 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 11, la Danse de Puck
12 Préludes, Livre I, CD 125, L. 117: No. 12, Minstrels
13 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 1, Brouillards
14 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 2, Feuilles Mortes
15 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 3, la Puerta Del Vino
16 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 4, Les Fées Sont D'exquises Danseuses
- Disc 9 -
1 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 5, Bruyères
2 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 6, General Lavine - Excentric
3 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 7, la Terrasse Des Audiences Du Clair de Lune
4 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 8, Ondine
5 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 9, Hommage À S. Pickwick, Esq., P. P. M. P. C
6 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 10, Canope
7 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 11, Les Tierces Alternées
8 Préludes, Livre II, CD 131, L. 123: No. 12, Feux D'artifice
9 Pour Le Piano, CD 95, L. 95: I. Prélude
10 Pour Le Piano, CD 95, L. 95: II. Sarabande
11 Pour Le Piano, CD 95, L. 95: III. Toccata
12 L'isle Joyeuse, CD 109, L. 106
- Disc 10 -
1 Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58: I. Allegro Maestoso
2 Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58: II. Scherzo
3 Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58: III. Largo
4 Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58: IV. Finale. Presto Non Tanto
5 Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
6 Ballade No. 2 in F Major, Op. 38
7 Ballade No. 3 in A-Flat Major, Op. 47
8 Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52
- Disc 11 -
1 Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat minor, Op. 35 "Funeral March": I. Grave - Doppio Movimento
2 Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat minor, Op. 35 "Funeral March": II. Scherzo
3 Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat minor, Op. 35 "Funeral March": III. Marche Funèbre. Lento
4 Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat minor, Op. 35 "Funeral March": IV. Finale. Presto
5 Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20
6 Scherzo No. 2 in B-Flat minor, Op. 31
7 Scherzo No. 3 in C-Sharp minor, Op. 39
8 Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, Op. 54
- Disc 12 -
1 Images, Livre I, CD 105, L. 110: No. 1, Reflets Dans L'eau
2 Images, Livre I, CD 105, L. 110: No. 2, Hommage À Rameau
3 Images, Livre I, CD 105, L. 110: No. 3, Mouvement
4 Images, Livre II, CD 120, L. 111: No. 1, Cloches À Travers Les Feuilles
5 Images, Livre II, CD 120, L. 111: No. 2, Et la Lune Descend Sur Le Temple Qui Fut
6 Images, Livre II, CD 120, L. 111: No. 3, Poissons D'or
7 2 Arabesques, CD 74, L. 66: No. 1, Andantino Con Moto
8 2 Arabesques, CD 74, L. 66: No. 2, Allegretto Scherzando
9 Suite Bergamasque, CD 82, L. 75: I. Prélude
10 Suite Bergamasque, CD 82, L. 75: II. Menuet
11 Suite Bergamasque, CD 82, L. 75: III. Clair de Lune
12 Suite Bergamasque, CD 82, L. 75: IV. Passepied
- Disc 13 -
1 Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales, M. 61: No. 1, Modéré
2 Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales, M. 61: No. 2, Assez Lent
3 Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales, M. 61: No. 3, Modéré
4 Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales, M. 61: No. 4, Assez Animé
5 Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales, M. 61: No. 5, Presque Lent
6 Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales, M. 61: No. 6, Vif
7 Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales, M. 61: No. 7, Moins Vif
8 Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales, M. 61: No. 8, Épilogue. Lent
9 Jeux D'eau, M. 30
10 Menuet Sur Le Nom de Haydn, M. 58
11 Sonatine, M. 40: I. Modéré
12 Sonatine, M. 40: II. Mouvement de Menuet
13 Sonatine, M. 40: III. Animé
14 Pavane Pour Une Infante Défunte, M. 19
15 Miroirs, M. 43: I. Noctuelles
16 Miroirs, M. 43: II. Oiseaux Tristes
17 Miroirs, M. 43: III. Une Barque Sur L'océan
18 Miroirs, M. 43: IV. Alborada Del Gracioso
19 Miroirs, M. 43: V. La Vallée Des Cloches
- Disc 14 -
1 Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30: I. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
2 Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30: II. Intermezzo. Adagio
3 Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30: III. Finale. Alla Breve
4 Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat minor, Op. 36: I. Allegro Agitato
5 Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat minor, Op. 36: II. Non Allegro - Lento
6 Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-Flat minor, Op. 36: III. L'istesso Tempo - Allegro Molto
- Disc 15 -
1 Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat minor, Op. 23: I. Allegro Non Troppo E Molto Maestoso - Allegro Con Spirito
2 Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat minor, Op. 23: II. Andantino Semplice - Prestissimo
3 Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat minor, Op. 23: III. Allegro Con Fuoco
4 Piano Concerto in a Minor, Op. 54: I. Allegro Affettuoso
5 Piano Concerto in a Minor, Op. 54: II. Intermezzo. Andantino Grazioso
6 Piano Concerto in a Minor, Op. 54: III. Allegro Vivace
- Disc 16 -
1 Piano Concerto in G Major, M. 83: II. Adagio Assai
2 Piano Concerto in G Major, M. 83: I. Allegramente
3 Piano Concerto in G Major, M. 83: III. Presto
4 Le Tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: I. Prélude
5 Le Tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: II. Fugue
6 Le Tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: III. Forlane
7 Le Tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: IV. Rigaudon
8 Le Tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: V. Menuet
9 Le Tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: VI. Toccata
10 Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major, M. 82: II. Allegro
11 Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major, M. 82: I. Lento
12 Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major, M. 82: III. Tempo Primo
The EMI Classics recordings of Cécile Ousset (b. 1936), spanning the years between 1982 and 1991, would mark her third and most prestigious recording collaboration, launching her, at age forty-six, into the international limelight. Indeed, recognition did not come easily to this grand dame of the piano, who, at the age of fourteen, obtained her prize at the Paris Conservatoire under the tutelage of Marcel Ciampi and began the grueling rounds at major competitions shortly after: Geneva, Long-Thibaud, Queen Elisabeth and Busoni, as well as the inaugural edition of the Van Cliburn. As a young female pianist, doors remained firmly shut, even with the support of the great Arthur Rubinstein, who personally invested in Ousset's early career after witnessing her performance at the Long-Thibaud competition. Her rise to international fame came primarily in the 1970s, notably through her recordings for the German Eterna label as well as for Decca France. The year 1982 marked the release of her first solo recording with EMI, a vivid program pairing Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition with Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit. Writing in The Musical Times, Cyril Ehrlich lauds a "luminous tone" and a "sense of style", proclaiming, "Cécile Ousset is an exhilarating pianist". Her strong technique, based on the Russian method taught by Ciampi lends her playing a clear-cut and robust tone; her virtuosity is proved incontestable, revealing a mastery of sound, color and brilliance. Works of the French repertoire continued to occupy an important place in Ousset's programs. To France's greatest modernists, Debussy and Ravel, the pianist would consecrate significant recordings in the second half of the 80s. Liszt and Chopin were essential components of her repertoire as well. The recording of Chopin's Third Sonata brims with poignant lyricism and heroic sentiment, it's excellent pacing just as admirable as the naturalness of the playing, hardly ostentatious but in every way spellbinding. "Like Pollini," observes Gramophone, "the masterful Ousset commands in this work... [her] Chopin CD will give immense pleasure by reason of her indefatigable musical verve." A survey of Cécile Ousset's acclaimed concerto recordings for EMI may point to a seemingly-logical conclusion - that the pianist was drawn to the unabashedly-virtuosic heavyweights of the concerto literature: Rachmaninov, Saint-Saëns, Liszt, Prokofiev, Grieg, Tchaikovsky