FLORENT SCHMITT (1870-1958): Ombres, Op. 64, Mirages, Op. 70, La tragédie de Salomé, Op. 50bis (transcr. Schmitt).

Description: Plenty of formidably impressive piano work here, from the three pieces which make up the 1917 work Ombres (a dark, evanescent, sometimes vaguely sinister J'entends dans le lointain which has caused it to be compared to Gaspard de la nuit; a more relaxed short Mediterranean impression Mauresque and another slightly otherworldly and technically difficult Cette ombre, mon image) to the two Mirages of 1920-21 (a tribute to Debussy Et Pan au fond des blés lunaires, s'accouda, revelling in Impressionistic atmosphere and a cursed horseman's ride [Mazeppa again!] La Tragique Chevauchée) and ending with the World Premiere Recording of Schmitt's own piano version of his second, more compact (32 minutes here) version of La Tragédie de Salomé, another packet of knuckle-busting technical demands. Vincent Larderet (piano).