Carte Blanche

Works by Barber, Brahms, Chopin, Elgar, Granados, Liszt, Marianelli, D Scarlatti et al Jean-yves Thibaudet (piano)

Decca 485 2081 79:09 mins

What do ‘When You Wish Upon A Star’, Chopin’s Waltz No. 19 and Morton Gould’s Boogie Woogie Etude have in common? As the album title suggests, the only thread tying this eclectic lot together is Jean-yves Thibaudet. But given that the French pianist has made over 50 albums, and that he’s marking a ‘significant birthday’ (60), he’s surely allowed what he calls a bit of ‘selfindulgent’ programming?

After a perfectly paced Consolation No. 3 (Liszt), zippy A prole do bebê (Villa-lobos) and charming transcription of Salut d’amour (Elgar), Thibaudet slips in some of his own arrangements. His version of Poulenc’s ‘Hôtel’ (No. 2 in Banalités) is silky and sumptuous, while Barber’s Adagio for Strings is still and introverted. There’s also a new arrangement of Dario Marianelli’s music for Pride and Prejudice, which, when recorded in 2005, brought Thibaudet legions of new fans. In all, best served to those with a sweet tooth. Claire Jackson PERFORMANCE ★★★★ RECORDING ★★★★