The accordion suits Haydn perfectly

Would Haydn have disliked the accordion? Certainly not! He would have loved the instrument, just as Austrian as himself, invented only twelve years after his death. Born in the Rohrau countryside, young Joseph would have been seduced by the instrument's folkloric character, and the prankster chorister of Vienna's St. Stephan's Cathedral would have taken advantage of the multiple "accordionistic" effects to make his colleagues laugh! And Joseph, who proved himself a master of opera - even if this dimension of his work is largely ignored on today's stages - would certainly have loved the quasi-operatic qualities offered by the accordion. So he would certainly have appreciated the breathing cantabileViviane Chassot's wide-ranging phrasing, rapid and precise attack, dramatic contrasts and truly scenic humor. Not to mention the Swiss pianist's natural musicality, evident in her previous CD of Haydn's Piano Sonatas: a true listening pleasure, also appreciated by Alfred Brendel! (Genuin 89162)

The faithfulness of the recording made at the Martinskirche in Müllheim is exemplary. During the tutti of the Basel Chamber Orchestra, the music lover wonders how the warmth of the gut strings will marry with the sonorities of the accordion? While the soloist asserts herself with breathtaking virtuosity and crystal-clear clarity, she also knows perfectly how to become one with the excellent Basel phalanx.

The cadenzas, composed by herself, suggest jazz and sometimes flirt naughtily with light music, without bad taste, frequently leaping between a ppp intimate and a fff dynamic! - Two CDs to discover without hesitation!

Joseph Haydn: Keyboard Concertos (Version for Accordion. Viviane Chassot, Kammerorchester Basel. Sony 889854074524