“I’ve always been fascinated by the ideas, colours and emotions to be found in Ravel’s music, and it has been an honour to record his complete solo piano works and concertos” (Seong-Jin Cho)
Having loved Ravel since childhood and immersed himself in the composer while studying at the Paris Conservatoire, the young Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho has chosen to mark the 150th anniversary of the composer’s birth in 2025 by recording his complete solo piano music and the two piano concertos, where he collaborates with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Andris Nelsons.
One of today’s most elegant and accomplished pianists, ten years on from his Chopin Competition victory, Cho will release the first of the two albums, Ravel: The Complete Solo Piano Works, on 17 January 2025 (digitally and on two CDs). Seong-Jin Cho has always felt a close connection with the French piano literature and found himself fully discussing the challenges of the solo works, pointing to the composer’s orchestral sound and meticulous attention to detail. “Ravel really knew what he wanted, so I try to follow his specific markings,” he says.
Sérénade grotesque, M. 5
Menuet antique, M. 7
Pavane pour une infante défunte, M. 19
Jeux d;eau, M. 30
Sonatine, M. 40:
I. Modéré
II. Mouvement de menuet
III. Animé
Miroirs, M. 43:
I. Noctuelles.Très léger
II. Oiseux tristes. Très lent
III. Une barque sur l;océan. D;un rythme souple
IV. Alborada del gracioso. Assez vif
V. La vallée des cloches. Très lent
Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55:
I. Ondine. Lent
II. Le Gibet. Très lent
III. Scarbo. Modéré
Menuet sur le nom d;Haydn, M. 58
Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61:
I. Modéré, très franc
II. Assez lent, avec une expression intense
III. Modéré
IV. Assez animé
V. Presque lent, dans un sentiment intime
VI. Vif
VII. Moins vif
VIII. Épilogue. Lent
Prélude, M. 65
À la manière de Borodine, M. 63/1
À la manière de Chabrier, M. 63/2
Le tombeau de Couperin, M. 68:
I. Prélude. Vif
II. Fugue. Allegro moderato
III. Forlane. Allegretto
IV. Rigaudon. Assez vif
V. Menuet. Allegro moderato
VI. Toccata. Vif