Après un Rêve Belle Époque – Nights at the Piano

"Après un rêve" is an album that holds a special significance to me on a personal level. It is an ode to the French Belle Époque repertoire, depicting the beauty of dreams and the night. The title is inspired by Fauré's mesmerising song, which I have arranged here for piano solo. I have always been drawn to the evocative and poetic nature of this music, as well as its remarkable diversity, finesse, and capacity to create exquisite orchestral textures on the piano. This album is also a tribute to my grandfather, Jacques Charpentreau, a French poet who adored this repertoire and frequently drew inspiration from the night in his works. I have curated some of his poetry, as well as works by other poets he admired to complement this music, taking the listener on an immersive poetic and musical journey through this nocturnal landscape: Le piano dans la nuit Écoute le piano Comme une voix qui chante Cette complainte lente C'est la nuit qui descend Sur la peine du monde Caresse de l'espace Quelques notes qui passent Comme un souffle de l'air Comme un soupir du feu Comme un chant de la terre Comme un frisson de l'eau La grâce la douceur Le battement d'un coeur Écoute le piano — Jacques Charpentreau