Alexandre Tharaud Plays Couperin

Alexandre Tharaud's recordings -- Chopin, Rameau, Bach -- are Ionarts favorites, and his 2008 Washington recital, postponed from this spring, is much anticipated. Here is a review by Jean-Louis Validire (Couperin en majesté, April 30) of Tharaud's latest concert in Paris for Le Figaro (my translation):

On Saturday night at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Alexandre Tharaud was pursuing a musical tour put together by Jeanine Roze who, by presenting four concerts by the pianist this season, has allowed us to appreciate the full range of a talent and repertory whose originality is matched by the breadth of the style that the young performer brings to his performances. On Saturday, he took up again the pieces by François Couperin he has just recorded for Harmonia Mundi, the faithful follower of his intellectual curiosity. Alexandre Tharaud is part of a rich tradition of French pianists who have explored and defended the Baroque repertory, like Marcelle Meyer, who was the inspiration for his recording of Rameau suites five years ago.

The new Couperin CD is called Tic-Toc-Choc, after the famous movement from one of Couperin's ordres, subtitled Les Maillotins. Obviously, we must have this CD immediately.