Gabriel Fauré Piano Music

The piano music of Gabriel Urbain Fauré (1845-1924) should not be taken lightly. His music has a unique voice...In this album we are engaged with a full hour and fifteen minute education on the joys that are the piano compositions of Fauré. I encourage you not to pass it by.

Minnaar applies his welcome reserve to allow the music to simply speak for itself...I suppose it is a characteristic of his playing that I value and find ever so enjoyable. Combine that with his immense technique, control and delicate touch, and these pieces simply have a life of their own in his hands.

And the music is immersive. Ann called for me and I didn't even hear her; she had to come into the room and prod my shoulder to gain my attention.

Yes, you could say I have enjoyed this album. Enjoyed it quite a bit.

Once again, Bert van der Wolf gives us immensely enjoyable sonics in this recording. Highly recommended.

"This recital by the Dutch pianist Hannes Minnaar seems the equivalent of strolling through an engaging exhibition of the works of an artist you thought you knew but the magnitude of whose gifts, you now realise, you hadn’t entirely grasped. It is expertly curated, with a deeply personal selection of representative artworks spanning Fauré’s career, from an early, insouciant Romance sans paroles from his student days to the 13th and last Nocturne of 1921, with its unconventional dissonances and voice-leading reflecting Fauré’s state of mind shortly after the death of his mentor, Saint-Saëns, and as deafness eventually overcame him. Though presented chronologically, this loving selection was clearly chosen to show each piece to greatest advantage, sometimes creating striking juxtapositions. The engineers have captured the immediacy and dimension of Minnaar’s beautiful, unforced sound in all its wealth of detail.

The Thème et variations is delivered with a rare sweep and cohesion, its urgency paradoxically never seeming rushed, but organically flowing. The rarely encountered Nine Preludes, Op 103, unfold with gem-like precision and sparkle, each a perfectly wrought microcosm. But it is the 13th Nocturne that is both the crux and culmination of the programme. Its painful quest through desolation erupts into lacerating figurations. Minnaar negotiates this occasionally awkward writing with skill, creating a palpable emotional impact.

Comparison with the first release of Louis Lortie’s projected complete Fauré series (Chandos, 11/16) confirms the validity of diverse approaches to the French master. Minnaar’s identification with this unique realm of music is complete and his deeply felt interpretations shine with clarity and infinite nuance. If Fauré’s piano music has eluded you until now, these performances may provide the key. If you’re already a devotee, a very pleasurable experience awaits."

"Minnaar's Fauré is played with masterly authority. He gives us an undeniable presence. Thus lifting Fauré from salon to concert venue. This is not to say that he lacks poetry. On the contrary. But his poetry is without ‘softness’; it’s more convincingly encouraging in tone. Like a mother reassuring her child. And besides, Fauré is more than an extension of impressionist painting: “These sets (nocturnes, barcarolles and impromptus) were composed across the decades of his career, and display the change in his style from uncomplicated youthful charm to a final enigmatic, but sometimes fiery introspection…”.

In this recital all facets of Fauré’s life are addressed; the charm, the poetry, the turbulence and, not to forget, his romantic temperament (to put it mildly). It requires a pianist who is able to encompass all these elements. And Minnaar reveals himself to be such a ‘Jack Of All Trades’. I sense that his maturity is still growing, and what I admire most is his apparent modesty, clearly shunning star status. This attitude is what makes his Fauré so exceptional. It is not the virtuoso aspect he is after. The maturity gives him, as it were, the peace of mind to identify himself with the composers intentions and hence to generate the ability to translate it into a personalized interpretation, making Fauré so wonderfully clear and understandable for his audience.

In the liner notes Minnaar writes extensively about Fauré. It makes for interesting, even compulsory reading, to which I’m happy to refer.

Rating: Performance and Multichannel DSD Sonics: 5 out of 5 Stars".