Cecile Ousset - The Decca France Recordings - Eloquence: ELQ4827395 - 7 CDs or download

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The four Beethoven variations discs alone justify purchase of this set. The remaining three discs survey, respectively, French, Russian, and German repertoire. And in each case, Ousset is masterful... — Fanfare, March/April 2020 More…

Release Date: 25th Oct 2019
Catalogue No: ELQ4827395
Label: Eloquence
Length: 6 hours 41 minutes

Usually despatched in 3 - 4 working days

Excerpt, Debussy: Études pour piano (12)

Work length15:20

$4.40

$6.00

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1970
Recording Venue: Paris

7. Pour les degrés chromatiques

Track length2:19

$1.10

$1.50

11. Pour les arpèges composés

Track length4:41

$1.10

$1.50

3. Pour les quartes

Track length5:44

$1.10

$1.50

5. Pour les octaves

Track length2:36

$1.10

$1.50

Satie: Trois Gymnopédies

Work length9:31

$3.30

$4.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1970
Recording Venue: Paris

No.1 Lent et douloureux

Track length3:39

$1.10

$1.50

No.2 Lent et triste

Track length3:08

$1.10

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No.3 Lent et grave

Track length2:44

$1.10

$1.50

Saint-Saëns: Etude en forme de valse (No. 6 from Six Études, Op. 52)

Work length6:20

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1970
Recording Venue: Paris

Saint-Saëns: Toccata d'après le cinquième concerto (No. 6 from Six Études, Op. 111)

Work length4:22

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1970
Recording Venue: Paris

Excerpt, Chabrier: Pièces pittoresques (10)

Work length8:37

$2.20

$3.00

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1970
Recording Venue: Paris

6. Idylle

Track length3:24

$1.10

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10. Scherzo-valse

Track length5:13

$1.10

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Chabrier: Bourrée Fantasque

Work length6:13

$1.10

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Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1970
Recording Venue: Paris

Rachmaninoff: Morceaux de Fantaisie, Op. 3

Work length20:58

$5.50

$7.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1973
Recording Venue: Paris

No.1 Elégie

Track length5:28

$1.10

$1.50

No.2 Prélude in C sharp minor

Track length3:59

$1.10

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No.3 Mélodie

Track length4:58

$1.10

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No.4 Polichinelle

Track length3:06

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No.5 Sérénade

Track length3:27

$1.10

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Excerpt, Rachmaninoff: Morceaux de Salon, Op. 10

Work length2:56

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1973
Recording Venue: Paris

5. Humoreske

Track length2:56

$1.10

$1.50

Prokofiev: Pieces (10), Op. 12

Work length23:37

$11.00

$15.00

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1973
Recording Venue: Paris

1. Marche

Track length1:58

$1.10

$1.50

2. Gavotte

Track length3:09

$1.10

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3. Rigaudon

Track length1:11

$1.10

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4. Mazurka

Track length1:29

$1.10

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5. Capriccio

Track length2:48

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6. Légende

Track length2:46

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7. Prélude

Track length2:11

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8. Allemande

Track length3:10

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9. Scherzo humoristique

Track length2:40

$1.10

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10. Scherzo

Track length2:15

$1.10

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Schumann: Carnaval, Op. 9

Work length30:12

$23.10

$31.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1974
Recording Venue: Paris

Préambule

Track length2:42

$1.10

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Pierrot

Track length1:14

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Arlequin

Track length1:09

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Valse noble

Track length1:32

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Eusebius

Track length1:49

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Florestan

Track length0:57

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Coquette

Track length1:07

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Réplique

Track length0:49

$1.10

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Papillons

Track length0:49

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A.S.C.H. - S.C.H.A. (Lettres dansantes)

Track length0:58

$1.10

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Chiarina

Track length1:41

$1.10

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Chopin

Track length1:34

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Estrella

Track length0:29

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Reconnaissance

Track length1:46

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Pantalon et Colombine

Track length0:58

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Valse allemande

Track length0:59

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Paganini

Track length1:25

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Aveu

Track length1:15

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Promenade

Track length2:59

$1.10

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Pause

Track length0:18

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Marche des "Davidsbünler" contre les Philistins

Track length3:42

$1.10

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Brahms: Variations on a theme by Paganini in A minor, Op. 35

Work length22:59

$2.20

$3.00

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1974
Recording Venue: Paris

Book 1

Track length12:32

$1.10

$1.50

Book 2

Track length10:27

$1.10

$1.50

Beethoven: Variations (9) on a March by Dressler, WoO 63

Work length12:52

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (6) in F major on a Swiss Song, WoO 64

Work length2:57

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (9) on the Aria 'Quant' è più bello', WoO 69

Work length5:06

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (24) on Righini's Arietta 'Venni amore,' WoO 65

Work length22:34

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (6) in G major on the duet 'Nel cor più non mi sento' from the opera La Molinara by Giovanni Paisiello, WoO 70

Work length5:33

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (13) on the Arietta 'Es war ein alter Mann', WoO 66

Work length12:13

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (12) on the 'Menuet à la Vigano' by Haibel, WoO 68

Work length14:23

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (8) on the Romance 'Une fièvre brûlante', WoO 72

Work length7:06

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (6) on an original theme in G major for Piano, WoO 77

Work length6:50

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (6) for Piano on an Original Theme in F major, Op. 34

Work length15:32

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (7) on 'God save the King', WoO 78

Work length9:19

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: 7 Variations on 'Kind, willst du ruhig schlafen', WoO 75

Work length10:27

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (5) on 'Rule Britannia', WoO 79

Work length4:42

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (8) in F major on Tändeln und Scherzen (by Süssmayr), WoO 76

Work length8:45

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (6) on an original theme 'Die Ruinen von Athen', Op. 76

Work length6:33

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (32) on an Original Theme in C minor, WoO 80

Work length10:25

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1975
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (12) on a Russian Dance, WoO 71

Work length11:26

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1976
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Variations (10) in B-flat major on the duet 'La stessa, la stessissima' from the opera Falstaff by Antonio Salieri, WoO 73

Work length11:07

$1.10

$1.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1976
Recording Venue: Paris

Beethoven: Eroica Variations, Op. 35

Work length23:58

$20.90

$28.50

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1976
Recording Venue: Paris

Introduzione col Basso del Tema: Allegretto vivace

Track length2:52

$1.10

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Tema

Track length0:40

$1.10

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Variation 1

Track length0:35

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Variation 2

Track length0:33

$1.10

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Variation 3

Track length0:43

$1.10

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Variation 4

Track length0:39

$1.10

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Variation 5

Track length0:52

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Variation 6

Track length0:39

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Variation 7 - Canone all'ottava

Track length0:42

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Variation 8

Track length0:58

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Variation 9

Track length0:43

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Variation 10

Track length0:44

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Variation 11

Track length0:44

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Variation 12

Track length0:42

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Variation 13

Track length0:43

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Variation 14

Track length1:13

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Variation 15 - Largo

Track length4:12

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Coda

Track length1:18

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Finale: Alla Fuga – Allegro con brio – Andante con moto

Track length4:26

$1.10

$1.50

Beethoven: Diabelli Variations, Op. 120

Work length48:44

$37.40

$51.00

Cécile Ousset (piano)
Recorded: 1976
Recording Venue: Paris

Tema (Vivace)

Track length0:51

$1.10

$1.50

Variation 1 (Alla marcia maestoso)

Track length1:31

$1.10

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Variation 2 (Poco allegro)

Track length0:52

$1.10

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Variation 3 (L'istesso tempo)

Track length1:19

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Variation 4 (Un poco più vivace)

Track length1:02

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Variation 5 (Allegro vivace)

Track length0:48

$1.10

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Variation 6 (Allegro ma non troppo e serioso)

Track length1:34

$1.10

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Variation 7 (Un poco più allegro)

Track length1:08

$1.10

$1.50

Variation 8 (Poco vivace)

Track length1:28

$1.10

$1.50

Variation 9 (Allegro pesante e risoluto)

Track length1:44

$1.10

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Variation 10 (Presto)

Track length0:32

$1.10

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Variation 11 (Allegretto)

Track length0:53

$1.10

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Variation 12 (Un poco più moto)

Track length0:49

$1.10

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Variation 13 (Vivace)

Track length0:52

$1.10

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Variation 14 (Grave e maestoso)

Track length3:47

$1.10

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Variation 15 (Presto scherzando)

Track length0:32

$1.10

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Variation 16 (Allegro)

Track length0:59

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Variation 17

Track length1:03

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Variation 18 (Poco moderato)

Track length1:42

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Variation 19 (Presto)

Track length0:48

$1.10

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Variation 20 (Andante)

Track length1:44

$1.10

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Variation 21 (Allegro con brio - Meno allegro - Tempo I)

Track length1:22

$1.10

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Variation 22 (Allegro molto): Alla "Notte e giorno faticar" di Mozart

Track length0:43

$1.10

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Variation 23 (Allegro assai)

Track length0:49

$1.10

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Variation 24 Fughetta (Andante)

Track length2:19

$1.10

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Variation 25 (Allegro)

Track length0:46

$1.10

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Variation 26

Track length1:07

$1.10

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Variation 27 (Vivace)

Track length0:56

$1.10

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Variation 28 (Allegro)

Track length0:53

$1.10

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Variation 29 (Adagio ma non troppo)

Track length1:18

$1.10

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Variation 30 (Andante, sempre cantabile)

Track length1:49

$1.10

$1.50

Variation 31 (Largo, molto espressivo)

Track length4:37

$1.10

$1.50

Variation 32 Fuga (Allegro - Poco adagio)

Track length2:47

$1.10

$1.50

Variation 33 (Tempo di minuetto moderato, ma non tirarsi dietro)

Track length3:20

$1.10

$1.50

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The early recordings of a keyboard lioness, long unavailable and new to CD.

Not generally given to extravagant effusions, William Glock (Controller of Radio 3 and the BBC Proms in the 1970s) had no doubt: ‘There is no one who plays the piano better in the world than she does. There is no one with a more fantastic command of the piano … not over felt, not under-felt, nothing rushed just to show off and yet the greatest playing I’ve heard for years’.

He was referring to the French pianist Cécile Ousset, whose career had belatedly sparked to life and international recognition with appearances across the UK and US and a new contract with EMI Records. Yet prior to this Ousset had made several recordings since her success in the late 1950s at several major European competitions. She accumulated a considerable catalogue on Eterna, the East German label, but then Ousset signed to make recordings with Sofrason, the Société Française du Son. These were licensed for wider release by the French arm of Decca, but Sofrason went out of business in 1981 and the recordings have never been reissued – until now. This new Eloquence set includes an appreciation of Ousset’s art by the French pianophile Jean-Charles Hoffélé.

These ‘French Decca’ recordings all date from 1971–76, and they include much solo repertoire that Ousset never recorded again, though they share similar qualities with the much-acclaimed concerto recordings that she made in the 1980s: an unsentimental palette of rubato and tone-colour, a fearless and brilliant command of articulation, and a uniquely French mastery of jeu perlé.

The first album made an imaginative and attractive compilation of fin-de-siècle Parisians from Saint-Saëns to Satie. The second displayed her particular affinity with the Russian post-Romantics, Rachmaninov and Prokofiev; and the third coupled two landmarks of German-Romantic piano literature, by Brahms and Schumann. These all received a later international LP issue on the ‘Ace of Diamonds’ imprint and to very warm reviews.

However, Ousset’s last recordings from this period encompassed the complete variations of Beethoven, issued by French Decca in two volumes (a 3LP and a 2LP box). Its disappearance particularly dismayed Ousset herself: ‘I made a big effort on that one,’ she remarked in a 1984 interview, ‘and it came off beautifully’.

‘Ousset has exactly the sort of glitteringly virtuosic technique, as well as the unflagging energy, which [these pieces] demand. Her playing is vividly recorded, giving an effect of real immediacy.’ Gramophone, January 1980 (French recital)

‘Ousset’s performance is vital and assured, grandly shaped where grandeur is in place, capable of brilliance and a certain cool aggression, tonally apt. In eschewing unnecessary colouring she never starves the music of tone.’ Gramophone, August 1975 (Brahms/Schumann)

Reviews

March/April 2020

The four Beethoven variations discs alone justify purchase of this set. The remaining three discs survey, respectively, French, Russian, and German repertoire. And in each case, Ousset is masterful in surmounting the wide and varied range of technical and interpretive challenges. All of these marvelous performances are captured in beautiful analog sound—rich, colorful, detailed, set in a realistic concert hall acoustic.

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Cecile Ousset - The Decca France Recordings

7 CDs

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