Pablo Casals; Gaspar Cassadó - Catalan Poetry (Lluís Claret; Masaru Okada)

Information

Composer: Pablo Casals; Gaspar Cassadó

1. Casals - Pastoral
2. Casals - Rêverie
3. Casals - Full d'àlbum
4. Casals - Romanza
5. Casals - Poème
6. Cassadó - Partita: I. Alla tedesca. Allegro risoluto
7. Cassadó - Partita: II. Inno. Maestoso
8. Cassadó - Partita: III. Forte e piano. Gagliarda (moderato)
9. Cassadó - Partita: IV. La caccia. Giga (Allegro moderato)
10. Cassadó - Sonata nello stile antico spagnuolo: I. Introduzione e allegro. Largo
11. Cassadó - Sonata nello stile antico spagnuolo: II. Grave. Grave e maestoso
12. Cassadó - Sonata nello stile antico spagnuolo: III. Danza con variazioni
13. Cassadó - Requiebros
14. Anonymous - El cant dels ocells (arr. Pablo Casals)

Lluís Claret, cello

Masaru Okada, piano

Date: 2026

Label: 299 Music

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Luis Claret, the great cellist whose godfather was Pablo Casals, was born in Catalonia (Catalunya) and has long cherished the music of his homeland. The music he creates with pianist Masaru Okada, with whom he has performed regularly for the past fifteen years, becomes an intense and intimate dialogue made possible by their deep mutual trust. Together, they bring new life to the spirit and traditions of Catalonia.

Born in Andorra to exiled Catalan parents, Luis Claret is an acclaimed cellist whose musical path was inspired by his godfather, Pablo Casals. After early training from Enric Casals and graduating from the Liceu Conservatory, Claret achieved international prominence by winning the Bologna, Casals, and Rostropovich competitions in the late 1970s. He has performed globally with leading orchestras under renowned conductors and notably represented Catalonia at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics closing ceremony. A dedicated proponent of contemporary music, Claret has premiered works by Dutilleux and Boulez. He currently teaches at the New England Conservatory, performing on a 2024 Nicolas Gil cello.

Masaru Okada is a distinguished Japanese concert pianist and educator who achieved early prominence by winning first prize at both the All Japan Student Music Competition and the Japan Music Competition. After studying at the Mozarteum University Salzburg and the Berlin University of the Arts, Okada won top prizes at the Artur Schnabel Competition and the 1999 Franz Liszt International Piano Competition. He has performed extensively across Europe and the United States, collaborating with major ensembles like the Hungarian National Orchestra and prominent Japanese symphonies. Renowned for ambitious programming—including complete cycles of Bach's Partitas, Beethoven's Sonatas, and Liszt's Transcendental Etudes—the Idemitsu Award recipient currently serves as a professor at Kobe College.