Trois Michael Houstoun

• Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): Sonatine:
• 1 Ravel: Sonatine: I. Modéré 04:39
• 2 Ravel: Sonatine: II. Mouvement De Menuet 03:33
• 3 Ravel: Sonatine: III. Animé 03:56
• Erik Satie (1866-1925): Gymnopédie No. 1:
• 4 Satie: Gymnopédie No. 1 04:17
• 5 Satie: Gnossienne No. 1 03:55
• Claude Debussy (1862-1918): Images Oubliées:
• 6 Debussy: Images Oubliées: I. Lent 04:41
• 7 Debussy: Images Oubliées: II. Sarabande 05:25
• 8 Debussy: Images Oubliées: III. Très Vite 03:25
• Erik Satie: Gymnopédie No. 2:
• 9 Satie: Gymnopédie No. 2 03:37
• 10 Satie: Gnossienne No. 2 01:41
• Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924): Nocturne Opus 33:
• 11 Fauré: Nocturne Opus 33 in E-Flat Minor 07:08
• 12 Fauré: Nocturne Opus 33 in B Major 05:33
• 13 Fauré: Nocturne Opus 33 in A-Flat Major 04:30
• Erik Satie: Gymnopédie No. 3:
• 14 Satie: Gymnopédie No. 3 03:14
• 15 Satie: Gnossienne No. 3 03:04
• Francis Poulenc (1899-1963): Trois Novelettes:
• 16 Poulenc: Trois Novelettes: No. 1 in C Major, Modéré Sans Lenteur 02:47
• 17 Poulenc: Trois Novelettes: No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, Très Rapide Et Rythme 01:35
• 18 Poulenc: Trois Novelettes: No. 3 in E Minor, Andantino Tranquillo 02:23
• Gabriel Fauré: Impromptu:
• 19 Fauré: Impromptu: No. 2 in F Minor-Major, Opus 31 03:57
• Barcarolle:
• 20 Fauré: Barcarolle: No. 1 in A Minor, Opus 26 04:39
• Valse-Caprice:
• 21 Fauré: Valse-Caprice: No. 1 in A Major, Opus 30 06:36
• Total Runtime 01:24:35

Info for Trois

Michael Houstoun's second release in 2017, following the exceptional tour de force of the Diabelli Variations, is an album of his favourite French piano music.

Michael is one of New Zealand’s most acclaimed concert pianists. His commitment to excellence and enthusiasm for works by contemporary New Zealand composers has seen his path cross with Rattle's numerous times, and has resulted in many of our finest releases.

Trois is an album of absolutely beautiful music by French composers Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy, Erik Satie, and Francis Poulenc, and it’s some of Michael’s favourite music.

“Trois was conceived as a result of Michael recording the three movements of Ravel’s Sonatine, which led him to consider other groups of three by French composers—hence the collection of works assembled here. Having had the privilege and pleasure to produce his recording of the complete Beethoven Piano Sonatas, I was keen to assist him as he embraced this collection of French piano music, certain that it would be a rewarding endeavour.”

“What I most admire about Michael’s musical artistry is his integrity towards the music and, as a result, the composer. The clarity of line he brings to each of the pieces on Troisironically stems from his approach to Beethoven. He has an understanding of inherent counterpoint, a subtle sense of harmonic blend, no overwrought rubato or excessive sustaining pedal, and he adheres to indicted tempi and their gradations. Michael allows the composer and his music to speak for themselves, rather than ‘enhancing’ the work for his or our benefit.” — From Kenneth Young’s liner notes

Michael Houstoun, piano

Engineered by Steve Garden
Produced by Kenneth Young

Michael Houstoun
is New Zealand’s most respected and acclaimed classical musician. His commitment to excellence and enthusiasm for the work of contemporary New Zealand composers has seen his path cross with Rattle's numerous times, and has resulted in many of our finest releases.

Michael became interested in the piano when he was a small child and began lessons at the age of 5, and by the age of 18 had won every major competition in New Zealand. He performed abroad for almost a decade before following his heart back home in 1981, where he has lived and worked ever since. He plays from a large repertoire that stretches from JS Bach to the present day, including 40 concertos and chamber music. A strong advocate of New Zealand music, works from Douglas Lilburn to John Psathas regularly feature in his programmes. During the 1990s he concentrated on the music of Beethoven, playing the complete sonatas in five cycles around NZ. He has recorded the cycle twice, most recently in 2013 with Rattle, for which he was awarded the 2014 Classical Album of the Year.

In late 2015 Michael recorded another cherished programme of Beethoven, the great Diabelli Variations. It is a stunning performance, beautifully captured by Rattle's in-house engineer Steve Garden, and produced with great concentration and perception by Kenneth Young. Michael, Steve, and Ken have enjoyed a very fruitful recording partnership since they first worked together on the award-winning INLAND in 2007. They picked up the Best Classical Album Award again in 2012 for LILBURN (a programme of Michael's favourite pieces selected from Douglas Lilburn's piano music), but their most ambitious and widely-acclaimed project was of course the monumental 14-CD set of the complete Beethoven piano sonatas.

This album contains no booklet.