Chabrier: Piano Music
Those who were relatively certain that Chabrier's only claims to fame wereEspanaand the charming operettaL'Etoilewill be pleased to learn that this composer's wit and elegance also extended to solo piano music. He wrote 26 pieces for solo piano; here, Angela Hewitt plays 18 of them, equaling an hour and 16 minutes of delightful miniatures. The ten-part "Dix pièces pittoresques" examines moods and dances: pensive melancholy, a big-footed village dance, a minuet (which is far more aggressive than what we normally know as a "minuet"), and the countryside. The final piece, Scherzo-Valse, is a genuine virtuoso showpiece. Hewitt loves the dance rhythms and treats all of the music  with respect, making us realize, at times, the serious composition that went into making these pieces sound so facile. The languorous Habanera is a particularly evocative work, and Hewitt plays it with as much subtlety as she does verve in the concluding Bourée fantastique. This off-the-beaten-track recital is well worth exploring.--Robert Levine