French Impressions

Pianist Jeremy Denk speaks of what makes French music French in the second paragraph of his marvelous liner notes to this recording, “…sounds that float, hover, harmony like a scent, a perfume evaporating into air.” Denk and violinist Joshua Bell speak fluent French on French Impressions, a recital of the sonatas of Camille Saint-Saëns, Cesar Franck and Maurice Ravel. Bell and Denk are frequent recital partners, but I believe this is their first collaboration on CD since they recorded John Corigliano’s sonata back in 2007. It’s worth the wait.

With the sublime Franck and quirky Ravel sonatas on the program, Saint-Saëns’ might be overlooked, but Bell and Denk make a fine case for it. The impassioned dialogue of the opening Allegro agitato gushes with intensity as both performers muscle-up. The second movement Adagio showcases Bell’s gorgeous tone (he’s playing a 1713 Gibson ex Huberman Stradivarius) in a dreamy reverie that’s Denk dots with sparkles of color. The third movement’s lilting waltz comes off beautifully and the zippy perpetual motion of the last movement is a breathless display of virtuosity. This performance finally made me a believer in this sonata.

Bell recorded the Franck sonata with pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet some years ago, but this new performance surpasses it (no small task). Denk speaks of Franck’s “almost spiritual attention” to color in the piece and he and Bell  draw from a seemingly limitless tonal palette, especially in their stunning reading of the otherworldly third movement. This is a magnificent performance with lyrical sweep, eloquence and is suitably feverish.

After the surging drama of the Franck, the witty Ravel sonata is an ideal digestif. Bell plays with a light, almost wispy tone that’s perfect for the opening movement. The famous second movement “Blues” has Bell dipping into a trick bag of effects that includes slippery glissandi and banjo-like pizzicati. The finale, a dark-edged perpetual motion (a remarkable contrast to Saint- Saëns’) puts Bell through the wringer with a series of sizzling sixteenth notes.

This is highly recommended for fans of these two superstar musicians as well as those looking for a perfectly played introduction to this repertoire.

French Impressions, Joshua Bell's 2012 release on Sony, presents three great violin sonatas, prime examples of French chamber music which have been cherished for their emotional power and nostalgic coloration. Indeed, the Violin Sonata in D minor of Camille Saint-Saëns and the Violin Sonata in A major of César Franck are so significant in French culture and evocative of their time, they are thought by literary scholars to have served as inspiration for the fictional Vinteuil Sonata in Marcel Proust's À la recherche du temps perdu. With Maurice Ravel's Violin Sonata reflecting a more modern and playful approach to the genre, the program explores the warm sonorities and subtle moods of French music, as channeled through the classical sonata form, and the refined expression of all three works is lovingly handled by Bell and his accompanist, Jeremy Denk. Bell's playing ranges from gossamer fine lines to thickly resinous attacks, and his command of the violin's timbres reveals the rich possibilities to be found in these pieces. For his part, Denk provides flexible and understated support, with a piano part that ranges from robust activity where needed to atmospheric delicacy. Sony's sound is clear and focused, and gives the violin central placement, so all the shades of expression and dynamics are easily heard above the piano.