Roger Benedict, Simon Tedeschi - Debussy - Ravel (2022)

Following on from their highly successful recording "A Winter’s Tale", viola virtuoso Roger Benedict and renowned pianist Simon Tedeschi present a new studio album reimagining masterpieces by Debussy and Ravel for the rich, mellow tone of the viola – the "melancholy dreamer", as Berlioz described it. With its wistful sound, the viola gives a new and fresh character to these pieces, which, even now, seem radical in their conception.

The album opens with Benedict’s arrangements of four of Debussy’s evocative Préludes, and closes with the composer’s kaleidoscopic Cello Sonata. In between, we hear viola arrangements of Ravel’s lyrical Violin Sonata – a youthful work, left unpublished at his death – as well as his sensual Piece in the form of a Habanera and the soulful, melancholy Kaddisch, with the viola singing the hauntingly beautiful melodic line. The album also features Ravel’s radiant Sonatine in its original version for solo piano.
Tracklist
01. Préludes, Book 2, L. 123: No. 3, La puerta del vino (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Roger Benedict)
02. Préludes, Book 1, L. 117: No. 6, Des pas sur la neige (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Roger Benedict)
03. Préludes, Book 1, L. 117: No. 8, La Fille aux cheveux de lin (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Roger Benedict)
04. Préludes, Book 2, L. 123: No. 6, Général Lavine – eccentric (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Roger Benedict)
05. Pièce en forme de Habanera, M. 8 (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Paul-Louis Neuberth)
06. Deux mélodies hébraïques, M. 22: I. Kaddisch (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Roger Benedict)
07. Sonatine pour le piano, M. 40: I. Modéré
08. Sonatine pour le piano, M. 40: II. Mouvement de menuet
09. Sonatine pour le piano, M. 40: III. Animé
10. Sonate posthume, M. 12 (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Roger Benedict)
11. Cello Sonata, L. 135 (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Roger Benedict): I. Prologue. Lent, sostenuto e molto risoluto
12. Cello Sonata, L. 135 (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Roger Benedict): II. Sérénade. Modérément animé
13. Cello Sonata, L. 135 (Arr. for Viola and Piano by Roger Benedict): III. Finale. Animé, léger et nerveux