Mai Yamada, Leading Interpreter of Damase, Releases Long-Awaited New Album: The World's First Complete Recording of Études

 

Jean-Michel Damase (1928–2013), a celebrated French composer known for his chamber works featuring flute and harp, was also a brilliant pianist. He composed 30 etudes, ranging from concert repertoire to pedagogical pieces. Pianist Mai Yamada, acclaimed for her previous album "Damase: Piano Works", took on a remarkable challenge of bringing these etudes to life in their world premiere recording. The 8 Etudes are highly demanding works that Damase himself described as being written with the legendary pianist Georges Cziffra in mind - whose technique was said to be the reincarnation of Franz Liszt. Meanwhile, “The Bicycles”, bearing the subtitle ‘Étude’, is a rare gem in Damase’s catalog, brimming with a sense of drive that is sure to surprise even his most devoted fans.

 

Mai Yamada has dedicated herself to performing Damase’s complete piano works. Her second album, "Damase: Piano Works", released in 2023 on "Mollis Records", was named Critic’s Choice by "Record Geijutsu" and "The Asahi Shimbun", and featured in "The Tokyo Shimbun", "The Chunichi Shimbun", "Monthly Chopin", and "Weekly Toyo Keizai".

Damase: Piano Works 2 - Complete Etudes

 

・8 Études pour le piano [1977]

1. Allegro

2. Allegretto

3. Vivace

4. Scherzando

5. Allegro deciso

6. Andantino

7. Allegro vivo

8. Presto

 

・Les Bicyclettes – Étude pour piano (from “La Croqueuse de Diamants”) [1950] *

 

・L’Art de délier les doigts [1966] *

 

・Formules et problèmes – Exercices-Études pour piano [1983] *

I

II

III

IV

V

VI

VII

VIII

IX

X

 

・Petites corvées –10 Études pour piano [2001] *

1. Moderato

2. Allegretto

3. Moderato

4. Allegro

5. Andantino

6. Allegro

7. Allegretto

8. Allegro moderato

9. Moderato

10. Allegro

 

Bonus Track

 

・La Valse à Cinq Temps (from “La Croqueuse de Diamants”) [1950] *　Digital Only

 

・Promenade pour piano ou harpe [1972]　Apple Only

 

*World Premiere Recording

 

Recorded at Akigawa Kirara Hall, Tokyo

26, 27 November 2024

 

Musical advice & Sound produce: Yoshihiko Mazda

Recording Director: Keiji Ono

Editor: Tomohito Takeishi

Co-Producer & Piano technician: Michiko Mikata

Producer: Mai Yamada

Photographer: Hiroyuki Nagato

Hair and Makeup artist: Kyoko Kajita

Design: Toru Yoshioka, Tomoka Sugieda (asahi edigraphy)

Management: Yumiko Tsuchiya