An interview with

Lise de la Salle

What was your starting point for this recording?

I really adored dance when I was a young girl and it never went away. It started with ballet and then later on I discovered modern, contemporary and jazz. The essential thing for this, though, was movement and rhythm, the two big notions that are fundamental in music and dance. I knew I wanted big pieces like the Ravel, and I really wanted to play ‘Tea for Two’ because it has been with me for years and I adore it.

Why did you want to focus on this specific time period?

The idea really was to explore all the diversity, characters and emotions that were happening at that time, all over the world. I’ve always had a big fascination for that century, because I think you really see the end of an era and the beginning of something totally different. There’s a kind of freedom, rule-breaking, new techniques and movement during this time. It felt like a revolution. You do a very convincing job with the jazz pieces...

Thanks. I’m a big fan of jazz, so it was a big fantasy to be able to play some. But I was afraid, because I had experienced so many disappointments with classical musicians trying to play jazz. So I carefully picked the pieces I absolutely loved, and felt I could play. My best friend is a jazz pianist and my manager is a jazz fan, so they were great ears for me. Before I decided to include the pieces, I recorded some on my phone and asked them to tell me the honest truth, and that I wouldn’t be offended if they told me to stick with Beethoven! It was a big challenge, but I really enjoyed it.