Gaspar Cassadó; Pablo Casals - Sonate; Suite; Cello Pieces (Valérie Aimard; Cédric Lorel)

Information

Composer: Gaspar Cassadó; Pablo Casals

1. Cassadó - Requiebros
2. Casals - Pastorale
3. Casals - Rêverie
4. Cassadó - Serenade for Cello and Piano
5. Cassadó - Suite for Cello Solo: I. Preludio – Fantasia
6. Cassadó - Suite for Cello Solo: II. Sardana (Danza)
7. Cassadó - Suite for Cello Solo: III. Intermezzo e danza finale
8. Casals - Romance for Cello and Piano
9. Casals - Feuillet d'album for Cello and Piano
10. Granados - Goyescas: Intermezzo (transc. Gaspar Cassadó)
11. Cassadó - Sonata for Cello and Piano in A Minor: I. Rapsodia
12. Cassadó - Sonata for Cello and Piano in A Minor: II. Aragonesa
13. Cassadó - Sonata for Cello and Piano in A Minor: III. Saeta
14. Cassadó - Sonata for Cello and Piano in A Minor: IV. Paso doble
15. Casals - El cant dels ocells

Valérie Aimard, cello

Cédric Lorel, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Aparté

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Commemorating the 2026 anniversaries of Gaspar Cassadó’s death (60th) and Pablo Casals’s birth (150th), cellist Valérie Aimard and pianist Cédric Lorel present a tribute to these two iconic Catalan cellist-composers. The album contrasts the vibrant Spanish palette of Cassadó—featured in his rarely performed Sonata in A minor, Requiebros, and the centenary of his Solo Cello Suite—with the poetic, dreamlike Romanticism of Casals’s early works and his moving Cant dels ocells. Bound by a long-standing collaboration, Aimard and Lorel showcase the noble expressiveness, passionate phrasing, and singing lyricism that define the enduring legacies of both masters.

Born 1969 in Lyon, French cellist Valérie Aimard trained at the Conservatoire de Paris under Michel Strauss and Philippe Muller, later mentoring with Bernard Greenhouse. A first-prize winner at the 1991 Maria Canals International Music Competition, she has performed in over twenty countries, including appearances at the Marlboro Music Festival, Edinburgh Festival, and Théâtre des Champs-Élysées alongside her brother, pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard. Her acclaimed discography includes award-winning recordings of Mendelssohn and Kodály. Currently, Aimard serves as a lecturer and chamber music professor at the Conservatoire de Paris while also presenting solo pantomime performances.

Admitted to the Paris Conservatory (CNR) at thirteen under Billy Eidi, French pianist Cédric Lorel subsequently completed seven years of advanced study at the CNSM Paris, earning first prizes and diplomas in piano, chamber music, accompaniment, and harmony. A winner of numerous competitions—including the JS Bach and Steinway competitions—he performed early in his career at venues such as the Salle Gaveau and the Berlin State Opera. Lorel maintains a diverse career spanning chamber music, theater, and Nuevo Tango as the long-time pianist for Quatuor Caliente. A holder of the French Accompaniment Certificate, he currently teaches at the CNSM Paris and the Maurice Ravel Conservatory.

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