Alban Gerhardt, Cecile Licad - Gabriel Fauré - Cello Sonatas (2012)

Cellist Alban Gerhardt and pianist Cecile Licad present the two cello sonatas of Gabriel Fauré on this 2012 Hyperion release, giving them warm and highly expressive performances in an intimate recital space. These were among Fauré's late works, and they have a strikingly melancholic coloration that is convincingly communicated by Gerhardt in his intense concentration and dark, vibrant tone. Licad is a sensitive accompanist, and she provides flexible support to the cello's long, lyrical lines, and is always alert to her colleague's subtle handling of phrasing and syncopation. The program would be quite short with only the sonatas, so Gerhardt and Licad provide a subtantial number of Fauré's short works for cello and piano to round out the album, including the Élégie, the Romance, Papillon, the Sérénade, the Sicilienne, and the Allegro commodo, which is a faster version of the Finale of the Sonata No. 1. These pieces are tinged with the same poignant harmonies and nostalgic moods that dominate the two cello sonatas and Fauré's music as a whole, and thanks to the musicians' consistent interpretations, the album feels all of a piece. While Fauré's small body of chamber music is far from neglected, this album is a welcome addition to the catalog, and the performances are among the finest on disc.