JOYEUX 150ÈME ANNIVERSAIRE À MAURICE RAVEL
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APOTHÉOSE INFERNALE

YI LIN JIANG

ANCLEF 20250307

APOTHÉOSE INFERNALE
Transcriptions pour piano réduite par l’auteur
«Fresque chorégraphique»

MAURICE RAVEL (1875–1937)
Joyeux 150ème anniversaire

DAPHNIS ET CHLOÉ
«Symphonie chorégraphique»
Ballet en trois parties de Michel Fokine
TABLEAU I
I. Introduction
II. Danse religieuse
III. Danse des jeunes filles
IV. Danse grotesque de Dorcon
V. Danse gracieuse et légère de Daphnis
VI. Danse de Lycéion
VII. Nocturne
TABLEAU II
VIII. Interlude
IX. Danse guerrière
X. Danse suppliante de Chloé
TABLEAU III
XI. Lever du jour
XII. Pantomime
XIII. Bacchanale

[World premiere recording of the entire ballet’s original 1910/11 piano reduction without any overlapping recording segments]

LA VALSE
«Poème chorégraphique»
Mouvement de Valse viennoise

YI LIN JIANG

The tradition of ballet transcriptions is probably one of the most technically demanding yet musically fulfilling challenges for any concert pianist. One of those tremendous transcriptions is Maurice Ravel’s La Valse, and his Daphnis et Chloé should be another one as well: this Symphonie chorégraphique somehow lacks an “official” solo transcription, which feels quite shocking as most of Ravel’s works include both a regularly performed piano and orchestra version. Recorded by nine-time GRAMMY Award winner Peter Laenger, the OPUS KLASSIK and Schallplattenkritik nominated pianist Yi Lin Jiang releases APOTHÉOSE INFERNALE, a birthday gift for the Basque composer to celebrate his 150th anniversary by unravelling his lesser-known piano reduction of the entire Daphnis et Chloé (as a world premiere recording without any overlapping recording segments), symbiotically completed with his well-known piano transcription of La Valse to honour his legacy.

∙ A FINE OPENING SALVO IN RAVEL’S ANNIVERSARY YEAR ∙
“Jiang has approached the score with both intelligence and daring … it’s an effective approach, painting original images that at extremes feel quite ‘other’ than in their orchestral guise … the showpieces here are the Lever du jour, shepherded to a clangourous climax, and the vibrant concluding Danse générale, a miracle of nifty finger work and muscularity … the recording, on Jiang’s own label, is convincing and up front.”
Clive Paget, Limelight (02/2025)
Full review

∙ A STAND-ALONE PIANISTIC TOUR DE FORCE ∙
“From the virtuoso velocity of the Danse guerrière to the limpid plushness of the Danse religieuse, I for one do not sit with the feeling that I’m missing out, and the excellent recording and juicy piano tone keep you involved right up to that jaw-droppingly mad, almost unplayable Bacchanale at the end. Talking of almost unplayable, the mountain of notes that is La Valse is performed with superlative panache here, right from the rumbling opening to the blood-letting glissandi towards the end and the insane final bars.”
Dominy Clements, MusicWeb International (01/2025)
Full review

∙ THIS RECORDING IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE ∙
“This version for solo piano, which is the origin of the orchestrated version, is something very special … the tonal refinement of his interpretation and many distinctive details make it absolutely worth listening to.”
Remy Franck, Pizzicato (01/2025)
Full review

DIGITAL BOOKLET
Download PDF

UPC/EAN: 198004333344
Distribution: iMusician & CDBaby

Release: 2025-01-03

Steinway & Sons (D 593173)
Peter Laenger (Tonmeister)
Christoph Fuchs (Stimmer)
Alexandra Helldorff (Lektorin)
Ron Eichler (Fotograf & Tattoo Artist)
Yi Lin Jiang (Produzent & Grafiker)
Kronenzentrum Bietigheim (2024·03·26/27/28)

“Yi Lin Jiang est si fan de Ravel qu’il s’est fait tatouer sur l’avant-bras droit la signature du compositeur.”
Betrand Boissard, Diapason (03/2025)

2025-03-07: Joyeux 150ème anniversaire à Maurice Ravel!