MARCELLE MEYER (1897-1958)
French Pianist

Marcelle Meyer could play Bach with infinite delicacy and poetry.  Her Scarlatti was perfect.  And when she played the Trois Movements de Petrouchka is sounded like ballet music rather than a fiendishly difficult transcription for piano.  Marcelle Meyer's playing of the great French Baroque masters, Rameau and Couperin, offers insights into this music rarely permitted by others whose lack of understanding of the meaning of the ornaments and what to do with them so often renders the music insignificant.

One could go on, waxing eloquent on the subject of Marcelle Meyer's Ravel, her Debussy, her Mozart, but why not listen to her playing instead.  Here are wonders of piano playing, perfection of a kind not often heard today.

Marcelle Meyer's performances of music by Bach and Romantic composers which alone demonstrate the breadth of her range, her playing of the Spanish composers, Albeniz and de Falla, is wonderful, and follow with her brilliant recordings of Debussy, Ravel, Chabrier and Poulenc.  The recordings of works by Chabrier that she left behind are a particular treat because his music is so seldom performed outside of France, and while it is not of the caliber of the music of the other composers represented here, it is nonetheless worthy of discovery.

Although I have found only one recording of her playing Chopin, Marcelle Meyer's performance of the Barcarolle is one of the best I have ever heard.  And wait until you hear her recording of the complete "Nights in the Gardens of Spain".  it is too wonderful for words.

[I am sad to say that once again, the shortsighted protectors of copyrighted material have cut off their noses to spite their faces. There were numerous recordings of the piano music of Chabrier and Mozart, and stunning performances of Brahms that are now denied to us.  Do they not understand that making these performances available to a large number of people who are not familiar with, or have never heard of, Marcelle Meyer might actually promote the sale of their precious CDs. They spend masses of money for advertising and then reject free advertising because of an outdated concept to which they cleave. Well, snuggle up to your copyrights boys, and keep on releasing CDs by artists who are and will continue to be virtually unknown in many of the worlds largest markets.]

Marcelle Meyer the soloist is a marvel.  I have found only five performances of her playing with orchestra, but these include two concerti by Mozart, the Emperor by Beethoven, the Burleske by Richard Strauss, and de Falla's all too infrequently performed masterpiece of a tone painting, Nights in the Gardens of Spain. [One of the Mozart concerti and the Emperor have now also been removed.]

Couperin  Pièces de Clavecin

Dodo ou l'Amour en berceau
02:42  Le tic choc ou le maillotins
04:35  Les fauvettes plaintives
08:28  La muse plantine
10:45  L'Arlequine
11:49  Les ombres errantes
14:09  Les barricades mistèrieuses
15:35  Les folies françaises ou les Dominos
21:48 Passacaille

recorded in 1946