BENJAMIN GODARD (1849-1895): Sonate Fantastique, Op. 63, Piano Sonata No. 2, Op. 94, Valse Chromatique, Op. 88, Promenade en mer, Op. 86, Romance sans paroles No. 2, Op. 120, Venitienne (Barcarolle No. 4), Mazurka No. 1, Op. 25.

Description: The Sonate Fantastique is a tone-painting just in time for Halloween: its four movements ("The Spirits of the Forest", "Goblins", "The Fairy of Love" and "The Spirits of the Sea" offer many opportunities for pictorialism and virtuosic technical demands. The (presumably) later Sonata No. 2, of about the same length (c. 24 min.) uses the Dies irae motif in its first movement, has a big-boned, echt Romantic adagio of almost symphonic proportions and a Scherzo-finale which itself has a sort of demonic quality. Of the salon-style pieces which accompany, the Venitienne is fairly evocative work that borders on the depressive and sinister. None of these works are dated, either in the notes or in the New Grove. Jouni Somero (piano).