Beethoven: Complete Sonatas for Piano & Violin Pierre Fouchenneret & Romain Descharmes

• 1 I. Presto 07:16
• 2 II. Andante scherzoso, più allegretto 07:32
• 3 III. Allegro molto 05:33
• 4 I. Allegro 10:01
• 5 II. Adagio molto espressivo 05:35
• 6 III. Scherzo. Allegro molto 01:15
• 7 IV. Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo 06:54
• 8 I. Allegro vivace 06:53
• 9 II. Andante, più tosto allegretto 05:52
• 10 III. Allegro piacevole 05:41
• 11 I. Allegro con spirito 08:39
• 12 II. Adagio con molt'espressione 06:31
• 13 III. Rondo. Allegro molto 04:30
• 14 I. Allegro con brio 09:45
• 15 II. Tema con variazioni. Andante con moto 06:54
• 16 III. Rondo. Allegro 05:14
• 17 I. Allegro 08:07
• 18 II. Adagio molto espressivo 07:15
• 19 III. Allegretto con variazioni 08:15
• 20 I. Allegro con brio 08:10
• 21 II. Adagio cantabile 08:47
• 22 III. Scherzo. Allegro 03:52
• 23 IV. Finale. Allegro - Presto 05:25
• 24 I. Allegro assai 06:17
• 25 II. Tempo di minuetto, ma molto moderato e grazioso 08:10
• 26 III. Allegro vivace 03:41
• 27 I. Adagio sostenuto - Presto 13:39
• 28 II. Andante con variazioni 14:51
• 29 III. Finale. Presto 08:33
• 30 I. Allegro moderato 10:36
• 31 II. Adagio espressivo 05:41
• 32 III. Sherzo. Allegro - trio 02:02
• 33 IV. Poco allegretto 09:07
• Total Runtime 03:56:33

Info for Beethoven: Complete Sonatas for Piano & Violin

The ten Sonatas for piano and violin constitute a monument of chamber music. The first nine, written over a short period, between 1798 and 1803 (the tenth would come later, in 1812), clearly illustrate the composer's journey towards artistic maturity, from the influence of Mozart and Haydn in the first three sonatas towards a more complex, very modern language of which the 'Kreutzer' Sonata is a perfect example.

Pierre Fouchenneret, one of the foremost representatives of the young generation of violinists, a chamber player who has been singled out for numerous international prizes and distinctions, takes up the challenge of recording this major cycle in three concerts alongside pianist Romain Descharmes, 'a marvel of class and purity', as Christian Merlin so rightly described him. By their refreshing, profound and pertinent vision of these works, going in turn from fieriness to extreme poetry without ever losing sight of the necessary classicism of the style, they take us on a 'non-stop' journey to the peak, the heart of the Beethovenian universe, on the threshold of Romanticism. Magical!

Pierre Fouchenneret, violin
Romain Descharmes, piano

Pierre Fourchenneret
one of the associated artists of the Foundation Singer Polignac, has enjoyed a strong recognition right back to his tender years. Thus as soon as his twelfth year he was granted the first prize for violin at the CNR - National Regional Conservatory - in Nice; then at sixteen the first prize for violin and chamber music at the CNSM - National Superior Conservatory of Music - in Paris; and he was a prize winner for Nataxis, and for the Grand Prize of the International Competition of chamber music in Bordeaux.

Enriched by the exceptional teachings he benefited from Alain Babouchian at the CNR in Nice, Olivier Chartier at the CNSM in Paris and Devy Erlih, Pierre Fourchenneret has wished to transmit as well and has become a teacher in the Superior Pole of Bordeaux. This recognition also gives him the pleasure to collaborate with the most gifted musicians of his generation and to give performances on the greatest national and international stages. This is how in 2013 he founds the quartet Strada with François Salque, Sarah Nemtanu and Lise Berthaud.

His virtuosity, 'his intense, precise and colourful playing' (Classica) and his buoyancy are appreciated by French and international orchestras as the ones in Bordeaux Aquitaine, Dijon, the philharmonic in Nice, Brno, the Baltic in St Petersburg. With a passion for chamber music, he is also the violinist of the string trio 71 together with Eric Picard and Nicolas Bone.

In the course of his career as a soloist and as a chamber musician, his first record devoted to Mendelssohn trios comes out in 2007. It will be followed by a series of records, all of them unanimously praised by the critics. Thus he is awarded the Choc Classica for a record devoted to the French composer George Louis Onslow. In 2015 he publishes no less than three opus; the first one is dedicated to the quartet with piano no. 3 opus 3 by Mendelssohn; in the second one 'Bohème', he interprets the Bach Chaconne, the Kodaly Duo with François Salque and the second Bartok sonata for violin and piano with Romain Descharmes. Finally for the third one, again with Romain Descharmes he records Beethoven's complete sonatas for violin and piano. Driven by his absolute passion for this composer, he deepens his work and at the beginning of this year 2016 he releases a record of his last two quartets. The year 2016 will be marked by numerous projects among which a record featuring the complete music for violin of Fauré. In 2017 he will start a cycle of the complete Brahms chamber music alongside Eric Lesage.

The work done by Pierre Fourchenneret which we can discover in particular with his different recordings, reflects his perpetual search for an aesthetic that is pure and free of affect, but also his deep love and respect of the text.

Wonderful on stage, Pierre Fourchenneret can also take risks and surprise his audience: 'It was so revealing to listen to the quality of the silence of the public absolutely seized […] Overwhelming is the word that was on the music lovers' lips, in a state of shock'; 'a large public had come and was conscious of their privilege in attending a rare concert' (Ouest France).

Romain Descharmes
Most considered by his fellow musicians, Romain Descharmes is in demand for concerts with orchestra but also for recitals and chamber music.

In 2006, he was awarded First Prize in the Dublin International Piano Competition, leading him to perform recitals on such prestigious stages as Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London, National Concert Hall in Dublin, Tsuda Hall in Tokyo.

He has also appeared in concerts in the USA, Canada, the UK, Italy, France, Japan, and China, with the Midland Symphony Orchestra, the national Symphony Orchestra or Ireland, the Orchestra of del Lazio and the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra.

Since his noteworthy debut with the Orchestre de Paris in May 2012, Romain Descharmes has established himself as one of the main French pianists of his generation.

These last two seasons, he has been the guest of several renowned festivals and orchestras.

To name a few : La Roque d’Anthéron piano festival, Piano aux Jacobins, Colmar, Menton, Sully sur Loire, Chambord, Gand festivals ; he has been performing with orchestras such as the Orchestre de Paris (under I. Metzmacher), Orchestre National de Lyon (L. Slatkin), Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse (T. Sokhiev), Orchestre National d'Ile de France (T. Otaka), Orchestre de Bordeaux Aquitaine (F. Gabel), Orchestre Symphonique de Québec (E. Mazzola), Malmö Symfoni (M. Soustrot), ... He has also given recitals in London and Istanbul, at the Théâtre de Cherbourg and in the frame of the season of the Palazetto Bru Zane which he enjoys a lasting collaboration with.

In June 2014 he made his debut at the Berlin Philharmonie performing Ravel’s Left hand concerto with the Orchestre Français des Jeunes under Dennis Russell Davies during Young Euro Classic.

During the 2015-2016 season, some of his projects to be noted are a reinvitation to the Orchestre de Paris conducted by Paavo Järvi, concerts to be performed with the Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse under Patrick Davin, at the Sceaux, Classique au Vert and Vox Musica festivals, at the Opéra d’Avignon, Théâtre du Châtelet, in Italy (Araba Fenice, Terni), at BEMUS festival in Belgrade, …

He is also a much sought-after chamber musician. He is renowned for his sensitive playing and has a wide repertoire, which ranges from sonatas to larger ensemble pieces, as well as lieder, which he is particularly fond of. He has collaborated with Quatuor Ebène, Quatuor Diotima, Sarah Nemtanu, Henri Demarquette and the Berliner Quintett, to name a few.

Romain Descharmes frequently gives recitals in France in mains festivals such as Piano aux Jacobins, Festival de Radio France et Montpellier, La Roque d’Anthéron, l’Epau, Rencontres Internationales Frédéric Chopin, Serres d’Auteuil, Nancyphonies, Ars Terra, Aix-en-Provence, Saint Jean-de-Luz,… and abroad, including recitals in Leipzig, Arties festival in India and Festival Cervantino in Mexico. He enjoys a long-term collaboration with Palazetto Bru Zane for which he has recorded Dubois’ Sonate and works by Hérold, Marie Jaëll’s First Piano concerto with the Orchestre National de Lille conducted by Joseph Swensen (together they “premiered” this forgotten work in Lille in June 2012).

Romain Descharmes recorded Brahms pieces for Claudio Records in London. His last recording of Ravel works was highly praised by the critics (Classica, Gramophone, International Record Review…).

His last recording released for Artalinna in the Spring 2015 is dedicated to Fauré and Scriabin.

During the Summer 2015 he has recorded all Saint-Saëns piano works with the Malmö Symfoni and Marc Soustrot. Recordings to be released for Naxos.

An eclectic musician, he also plays with the ensemble Quai N°5. They recorded two discs for Decca-Universal and are playing on most prestigious stages in Paris (Bataclan, Cigale, Européen, Café de la Danse).

He studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique in Paris, where he won four first prizes (piano, chamber music, piano accompaniment and vocal accompaniment) while studying with Jacques Rouvier, Christian Ivaldi, Jean Koerner and Anne Grappotte. Later, he continued his studies first with Jacques Rouvier and then Bruno Rigutto, during which time he was awarded a scholarship by the Meyer Foundation for cultural and artistic development, and made a recording of works by early twentieth century composers. For this project he received the advice of Pierre Boulez. He has also taken masterclasses with Dimitri Bashkirov, Idil Biret, John O’Conor and Oxana Yablonskaya.

Romain Descharmes is also willing to dedicate part of his time to teaching: he is a professor at the CRR in Paris.

Booklet for Beethoven: Complete Sonatas for Piano & Violin