Separated by a generation and the English Channel, the cello sonatas of
Claude Debussy and
Benjamin Britten are more similar than one might expect. Their parallels are not so much technical or in their harmonic language, but in their temperament; both sonatas are profoundly dark and introspective. Add to this at-times somber program the works of
Nicolas Bacri (who, incidentally, was born in the same year that the
Britten sonata received its premiere), and listeners get a full set of ominous, pensive compositions. The ray of light among all this heaviness is cellist
Marie Hallynck and her very successful collaboration with pianist
Cédric Tiberghien. Her playing is technically brilliant and extremely refined, allowing her to focus her energies on the musical content of these works rather than their sometimes lofty technical demands. Beginning with the
Debussy,
Hallynck uses a seemingly inexhaustible array of dynamics, rubato, and tone colors to lend this late work an almost improvisatory characteristic. Her
Britten is enthusiastic and succeeds in conveying the wryness
Britten had intended. The works of
Nicolas Bacri, perhaps less known to most listeners, are heavily influenced by
Britten, a fact
Hallynck clearly conveys in her playing. Pristine tone, immaculate intonation, and a brilliant sense of true chamber music collaboration between cello and piano, this album is a welcome addition to any collection.