Gabriel Fauré (Faure)

[AnotherSpin]

As a person who earns a living creating intellectual property, I prefer to support content creators, rather than organizations that steal content. It feels right, and it directs resources to the creators, facilitating the creation of more content.

The last time I looked on line I didn't find anything definite about the label, but this time I came up with this page, which has a video by Alexandre himself.

https://www.patreon.com/cmrr/about?l=it

Thank you for the information. Since I am not an expert, I didn't understand much. What do you conclude about the legality of this label?

[Spotted Horses]

Thank you for the information. Since I am not an expert, I didn't understand much. What do you conclude about the legality of this label?

I can't conclude anything definite. The text of the web site refers to "purchasing recordings," which I guess could mean that he licenses recordings from the record labels. It could also mean he purchases the CD from amazon and duplicates it. If there were a physical CD with a printed booklet there might at least be a statement that the recording is licensed. I vaguely recall that when I looked last year I saw a web site which suggested to me that he is based in Russia. In the video he appears in what looks like a French bistro with a glass of red wine on the table and refers to his French accent. From this, I conclude he is Russian. He is willing to show his face, which say something, assuming it is him. I wonder if Apple Music and Qobuz vetted him before letting his content on their streaming services.

Your guess is as good as mine.

I really don't want to spend time trying to decide which version sounds better. I think I will keep looking for cheap copies of the Thyssens-Valentin Faure on Testament, and in the mean time stream the Alexandre Bak.

[AnotherSpin]

I can't conclude anything definite. The text of the web site refers to "purchasing recordings," which I guess could mean that he licenses recordings from the record labels. It could also mean he purchases the CD from amazon and duplicates it. If there were a physical CD with a printed booklet there might at least be a statement that the recording is licensed. I vaguely recall that when I looked last year I saw a web site which suggested to me that he is based in Russia. In the video he appears in what looks like a French bistro with a glass of red wine on the table and refers to his French accent. From this, I conclude he is Russian. He is willing to show his face, which say something, assuming it is him. I wonder if Apple Music and Qobuz vetted him before letting his content on their streaming services.

Your guess is as good as mine.

I really don't want to spend time trying to decide which version sounds better. I think I will keep looking for cheap copies of the Thyssens-Valentin Faure on Testament, and in the mean time stream the Alexandre Bak.

Undoubtedly, Russia has a long history of stealing Western products and disrespecting copyrights. I remember Beatles and Rolling Stones singles released in millions of copies in the USSR without naming the artist. However, this guy doesn't look Russian at all, and his accent is definitely not Russian, that's for sure. I think I've seen a link somewhere that directs Bak to Tunisia. A connection to the USSR or post-USSR is not out of the question, there were thousands of students from Tunisia studying here at various times. I had a mate from Tunisia in the 80s, a student of engineering college in Odessa. We used to smoke hookah and listen to Bob Marley at my balcony.

[Spotted Horses]

Undoubtedly, Russia has a long history of stealing Western products and disrespecting copyrights. I remember Beatles and Rolling Stones singles released in millions of copies in the USSR without naming the artist. However, this guy doesn't look Russian at all, and his accent is definitely not Russian, that's for sure. I think I've seen a link somewhere that directs Bak to Tunisia. A connection to the USSR or post-USSR is not out of the question, there were thousands of students from Tunisia studying here at various times. I had a mate from Tunisia in the 80s, a student of engineering college in Odessa. We used to smoke hookah and listen to Bob Marley at my balcony.

Not a Russian accent, I can't judge how authentic his French accent is, could be phony. My quick googling seems to indicate the surname Bak is typically slavic. As far as his looks, my initial impression was he could be a Pacific Islander, but he could be anything. I don't have to tell you there the Russian Empire/CCCP, encompassed many ethnic groups beside the Rus. Could be from the east somewhere.

Anyway, we're not going to figure anything out. I guess I'll be listening to some of his Faure since Testament won't put their stuff on the streaming services.

[Mandryka]

Opinions on Paul Crossley's Fauré? My first impressions is that it is both very distinctive and very interesting.

One striking thing about it is that it isn't smooth. The articulation is super clear. And that makes the music very easy to understand - structurally. Expressive too, a sort of sadness and nostalgia which is pretty special I think.

[AnotherSpin]

Not a Russian accent, I can't judge how authentic his French accent is, could be phony. My quick googling seems to indicate the surname Bak is typically slavic. As far as his looks, my initial impression was he could be a Pacific Islander, but he could be anything. I don't have to tell you there the Russian Empire/CCCP, encompassed many ethnic groups beside the Rus. Could be from the east somewhere.

Anyway, we're not going to figure anything out. I guess I'll be listening to some of his Faure since Testament won't put their stuff on the streaming services.

I've never met the last name Bak. Of course, there were hundreds of different peoples living in the USSR, but nothing familiar. The guy looks Arab.

Happy listening!

[Florestan]

Not a Russian accent, I can't judge how authentic his French accent is, could be phony.

I'm not French but I lived in France and speak French fluently. Most certainly he is not a native French speaker.

[ritter]

I'm not French but I lived in France and speak French fluently. Most certainly he is not a native French speaker.

Yep...vaguely middle-Eastern, I'd say..

[Mandryka]

I'm not French but I lived in France and speak French fluently. Most certainly he is not a native French speaker.

Well he's speaking English. I don't see why he couldn't be a native francophone, not necessarily from the hexagon but it could be.

Listen to where he puts the stress in the words Beethoven and Mozart and lovers, the way he sometimes misses the final consonants of English words especially plural s, the way he pronounces the o in "notes", and the th in "thankyou". Look at his hand gestures. . .  . He's a francophone or I'm a Dutchman.

[Florestan]

He's a francophone

So am I, just not a native one --- and I stand by his not being a native one either, or to be more precise: he might very well have been born in a Francophone country but French is probably not his maternal tongue.

[Mandryka]

So am I, just not a native one --- and I stand by his not being a native one either, or to be more precise: he might very well have been born in a Francophone country but French is probably not his maternal tongue.

Agreed -- he may just come from a cité in, let's say, Beziers or Marseille.



My accent in French is stronger than his in English -- I just can't manage those French o vowels!   

[Florestan]

he may just come from a cité in, let's say, Beziers or Marseille.

Agreed.

[Papy Oli]

He has a video on YT called "10 years thanks to you" where he speaks in French after an introduction in English for a minute or two.

I'd say native French myself, no russian sounding nor southern France either. Well spoken, with a slight posh hint.

[Irons]

He has a video on YT called "10 years thanks to you" where he speaks in French after an introduction in English for a minute or two.

I'd say native French myself, no russian sounding nor southern France either. Well spoken, with a slight posh hint.

You should know.

[Spotted Horses]

What we need is Henry Higgins to analyze his accent.

But to change the topic to Faure

Opinions on Paul Crossley's Fauré? My first impressions is that it is both very distinctive and very interesting.

One striking thing about it is that it isn't smooth. The articulation is super clear. And that makes the music very easy to understand - structurally. Expressive too, a sort of sadness and nostalgia which is pretty special I think.

I've decided to start my listening to Faure back at the first Nocturne. I did put on Crossley, I see what you mean. It is more interesting than satisfying to me, and the audio still bugs me. Hamelin and Le Sage both pleased, in different ways. And Stott, my "imprint" still satisfies greatly. I don't want to keep going with multiple artists, maybe I'll do Le Sage Nocturnes, Hamelin Barcarolles, and maybe switch in some Heidsieck.

Finally, I find it interesting that the two giants of French piano, Cortot and Gieseking have no significant Faure in their discographies.

[Mandryka]

Finally, I find it interesting that the two giants of French piano, Cortot and Gieseking have no significant Faure in their discographies.

Indeed, and Cortot even wrote a book on Fauré.

[Mandryka]

What we need is Henry Higgins to analyze his accent.

But to change the topic to Faure

I've decided to start my listening to Faure back at the first Nocturne. I did put on Crossley, I see what you meat. It is more interesting than satisfying to me, and the audio still bugs me. 

I just think Crossley's way with the music is like a revelation of Fauré's counterpoint. 

[Spotted Horses]

I just think Crossley's way with the music is like a revelation of Fauré's counterpoint. 

I get what you mean. I had a similar revelation with Hewitt's recital disk, and I think Le Sage may produce an impression along those lines, as well.

[Mandryka]

I get what you mean. I had a similar revelation with Hewitt's recital disk, and I think Le Sage may produce an impression along those lines, as well.

Le Sage is definitely more soulful than Crossley. His vision of the music is too robust for me really, what he does isn't how I would play it. The Fauré performances of my dreams are never declamatory, never forceful. I'm filling my boots with Naoumoff (Do Americans say that?)

By the way, I listened to your favourite Stott play Koechlin this morning - not bad at all.

[Spotted Horses]

I actually only just found out, thanks to Debargue's chronological arrangement, that the 8th nocturne is in fact the final part of the op 84 Pièces Brèves. The whole op 84 is new to me in fact - I'm appreciating Debargue's piano more.

I had forgotten that. In Stott's set the Nocturne No 8 appears twice, once between the 7th and 9th Nocturnes, and once in the Opus 84 set. The track timing is different, she might have recorded it twice. I'm up to the 8th Nocturnes in my traversal, and I think I will have to listen to the entire Op 84. That means diverting from Le Sage, since he didn't record the rest of Opus 84.