A re-issue of Hannes Minnaar's stunning disc of Gabriel Faure's piano music.
Thirteen Nocturnes and as many Barcarolles form the core of the collected output of Gabriel Urbain Faure for the piano. Night-time meditations, then, along with inspiration drawn from rippling water (the origins of the barcarolle lie in the songs sung by Venetian gondoliers and the word itself comes from the Italian 'barca', a boat.) Along with some impromptus, preludes and other works, one might rapidly gain the impression of a delightful collection of salon music, whose titles may actually display the influence of Chopin. But this music is so very much more than pretty salon music. In the intimacy of these genres, Faure succeeded time and again in nothing short of exposing his very soul. And the French composer's style is entirely his own original and personal, from the first note to the last.
Hannes Minnaar received international acclaim after winning prizes at the Queen Elisabeth Competition (2010, 3rd prize) and the Geneva International Music Competition (2008, 2nd prize) and being awarded a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship (2011). He studied with Jan Wijn at the Amsterdam Conservatory, graduating with the highest distinction and took master classes with Menahem Pressler and Ferenc Rados. In addition, he studied organ with Jacques van Oortmerssen.
Minnaar's debut album was awarded an Edison and Gramophone published a full-page article about this album. The same magazine wrote about his second album "Bach inspirations": "After Minnaar's debut disc, this makes two hits in a row". BBC Music Magazine selected it as "Instrumental choice of the month" with 5 stars.
Minnaar is currently recording all of Beethoven's piano concertos for Challenge Classics.
