Chaminade: Piano Music

Late-Romantic French piano music of unfailing elegance and wit, chosen by a rising piano star and gifted young advocate of under-rated composers. Cécile Chaminade (1857-1944) was a highly successful female pianist and composer. As a pianist she toured the European countries, in 1892 making her debut in England, making acquaintance with one of her biggest fans, Queen Victoria. In 1908 she made her American debut, gaining instant and immense popularity. The reason for Chaminade's popularity is the charm, tunefulness and general accessability of her music. It touches a ready chord with every music lover, and the fancy titles and not overly virtuosic piano writing made that her works became drawing room favourites of the epoch. British pianist Mark Viner made a generous selection of piano works. He plays with exquisite charm and wit, with deep sentiment which never spills over into sentimentality.