Claude Debussy - Piano Duets Vol. 2 (Hélène Mercier; Louis Lortie)

Information

Composer: Claude Debussy

1. Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, L 86b
2. Clair de lune, L 75/3
3. Nocturnes, L. 91: I. Nuages
4. Nocturnes, L. 91: II. Fêtes
5. Nocturnes, L. 91: III. Sirènes
6. Lindaraja, L. 97
7. La Soirée dans Grenade, L. 100/2
8. Deux Danses, L. 103b: I. Danse sacrée
9. Deux Danses, L. 103b: II. Danse profane
10. Rêverie, L. 68
11. En blanc et noir, L. 134: I. À mon ami A. Kussewitsky
12. En blanc et noir, L. 134: II. Au Lieutenant Jacques Charlot
13. En blanc et noir, L. 134: III. À mon ami Igor Strawinsky
14. La plus que lente, L. 121a

Hélène Mercier & Louis Lortie, pianos

Date: 2026

Label: Chandos

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Hélène Mercier and Louis Lortie are a highly sought-after piano duo whose musical partnership dates back to the 1980s in Montreal. Over decades of international performances, they have developed a profound musical intimacy across a wide-ranging repertoire. This release marks their ninth collaborative album for Chandos, continuing their dedicated exploration of Claude Debussy's music. The program features original compositions for two pianos, including Lindaraja and En blanc et noir, alongside celebrated transcriptions of his famous orchestral and solo works by Ravel, Dutilleux, and others. Demonstrating complete artistic complicity, Mercier and Lortie seamlessly alternate first and second player responsibilities throughout the album.

Hélène Mercier (born 1960) is an eminent Canadian pianist and chamber musician. Following early competitive success in Montreal and Prague, she pursued extensive international training at institutions including the Juilliard School and the Vienna Academy of Music. She has established a prolific career as a soloist, performing at prestigious global festivals and collaborating with leading orchestras under renowned conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Kurt Masur, and Seiji Ozawa. A highly sought-after collaborative artist, Mercier regularly performs chamber music with legendary virtuosos and maintains a celebrated, long-standing piano duo partnership with Louis Lortie. She is a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

Louis Lortie (born 1959) is a distinguished French-Canadian pianist celebrated for his vast musical range and award-winning discography. After studying under pedagogues linked to Cortot, Weber, and Fleisher, Lortie achieved major competitive success in 1984 by winning the Busoni International Competition and placing at Leeds. He has built enduring partnerships with premier orchestras and conductors worldwide, spanning North America, Europe, and Asia. As a prolific recording artist, his thirty-year relationship with Chandos Records has produced over forty-five albums, including acclaimed complete cycles of Beethoven and Liszt. Additionally, Lortie serves as the co-founder of the LacMus Festival and a Master in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel.

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