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Piano Trios
Louis Théodore Gouvy

Piano Trios

Voces Intimae

Label: Challenge Classics
Format: CD
Barcode: 0608917257120
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Catalog number: CC 72571
Releasedate: 16-01-13
The Italians are back! The enchanting trio Voces Intimae have a new album on Challenge Classics with unknown works of Louis Théodore Gouvy
  • Second album of the Italian enchanting Voces Intimae on Challenge Classics
  • The trio go straight to the core of the music, with the result of very moving performances
  • The trio has appeared in such halls as the Wigmore Hall and St. John’s Smith Square in London, the Carnegie Hall in New York, the Musik Halle in Hamburg, the Vredenburg in Utrecht, Amici della Musica of Florence, Unione Musicale of Turin, Istituzione Universitaria dei Concerti of Rome and others
  • The trio had very good reviews for their Warner album with works of Hummel and for their debut album on Challenge Classics with Schumann
  • The intent of the Trio is to restore the music to its original transparency and they succeeded!
  • Violinist Luigi De Filippi recently recorded a solo album as well with music of Tartini
When Alexandre Dratwicki, Scientific Director of Palazzetto Bru Zane - Centre de musique romantique française - told us about Louis Théodore Gouvy, the name was completely new to us. Balancing our interpretations of the Great Composers with the discovery and evaluation of lesser known composers has always been one of our main objectives and, with this in mind, we have already dedicated a lot of time to Hummel. He at least was a known composer amongst the first Romantic Virtuosi, whereas investigating Gouvy was just a vague idea, but one that turned out to be extremely stimulating. As soon as we started analysing his music, we realised that it was yet another example of an important composer that has unjustly been ignored. The fact that he was born in an area that historically has frequently changed hands between France and Germany (he only became a French citizen at the age of 32) partly explains his struggle to fame, but it enabled him to develop a unique style. He mixed the solidity, potency and richness of the Romantic German Structure with the unusual inventiveness, the bubbly curiosity and cosmopolitan variety of French Music and Culture of the second half of the 19th century, all combined with a romantic instrumental virtuosity and the irresistible and unquenchable passion for the world of opera. He captivated us in particular with his thematic inventions, his superb knowledge of harmony and instrumental composition, but also his ingenuous way of dealing with new musical approaches. Out of the 5 trios that Gouvy has written, we have chosen nos. 2, 3 and 4.