Samson François - The Unreleased Swiss Recordings / 2LP The Lost Recordings

As soon as you hear the first notes of Schumann's Papillons, recorded at the RTS studios in Geneva in 1961, you understand why François's fluid interpretation creates a synthesis between

two musical theories: that of Jean-Philippe Rameau, who saw music only as rhythm and order, and that of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, for whom music was the purest expression of emotion.

François emphasises the concentrated essence of the piece and presents us with a particularly captivating interpretation of the young Schumann's work inspired by a masked ball.

The next pieces, the two 'Songs without Words' by Mendelssohn, were recorded at the same time. Having succumbed to the hypnotic effect of the pianist's sound, with its unfathomable subtlety,

one can only wonder if there are more captivating renditions of these miniatures than this one.

The Lost Recordings team came across these special recordings through a private collector and have spent a great deal of time restoring this treasure and making it available to the musical world.

The first edition is hand-numbered and limited to 2,000 copies. “Samson François – The Unreleased Swiss Recordings” is an audiophile revelation too that proves how outstanding mono recordings can sound!

Title

Side A

Schumann:

1. Papillons Op. 2

Mendelssohn:

2. Songs without Words in B Minor, Op. 67, No. 5

3. Songs without Words in A Major, Op. 62, No. 6

Alabyev/Liszt:

4. The Nightingale, S. 250*

Side B

Liszt:

5. Sonetto 123 del Petrarca, S. 161, No. 6

6. Valse-Impromptu, S.213

7. Transcendental Étude No. 8 "Wilde Jagd", S. 139*

8. Transcendental Étude No. 7 "Eroica", S. 139*

Side C

Liszt:

Piano Concerto in E-flat Major, No. 1, S. 124**

9. I. Allegro maestoso

10. II. Quasi Adagio

11. III. Allegretto Vivace

12. IV. Allegro marziale animato

Chopin:

13. Waltz in C-sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2***

Side D

Liszt:

14. Hungarian Rhapsody in D-flat Major, S. 244, No. 6

Chopin:

15. Nocturne in G Minor, Op. 15, No. 3*

16. Étude in G-flat Major, Op. 10, No. 5*

17. Étude in C Minor, Op. 10, No. 12*

18. Grande valse brillante in E-flat Major, Op. 18*