French-American Piano Society

in partnership with

SOFITEL NEW YORK

present

David Bismuth, Piano

2023 Fall Recital

“A 1780’s Academy”

Performing on the James J. Sheeran Piano

Tuesday OCTOBER 17 2023 AT 7:30 PM

CONSULATE OF FRANCE

IN NEW YORK

The French-American Piano Society is a non-profit organization designed to promote cultural exchange, education, and networking between France and the United States through French pianists and music. Founded in 2014 by Dr. Mathieu Petitjean, the French-American Piano Society provides scholarships for aspiring young French pianists to attend competitions and festivals in the United States, presents world-renowned artists in recital, and endeavors to promote the activities of French pianists in America and American pianists dedicated to French piano music.

Named one of the ten most gifted pianists of  his  generation  by «Pianiste » magazine, David Bismuth has been praised by critics for the brilliance and depth of his performances, which combine the science of architecture and the poetry of his timbre.

Recently, two new albums came to enrich his discography: the first for solo piano, dedicated to “Beethoven and his masters”, published by AmeSon ('' ffff '' of Télérama). The second, “Paris 1900” in duet with the violinist Geneviève Laurenceau, published by Naïve.

David Bismuth made his orchestral debut in Russia under the direction of Yuri Bashmet. Along with his debut at the Philharmonie de Paris with the Orchestre Pasdeloup (Brahms Concerto 2). He also made his first tour in South Korea and performed in China and Macao.

In 2020, David Bismuth will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven, notably at the Philharmonie de Paris (Concerto No. 1) and at Carnegie Hall (Recital Hall) in New York.

In the past few seasons, Bismuth has performed with the Orchestre de Paris (Salle Pleyel), the Orchestre National de France (Théâtre du Châtelet), the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, and the Orchestre de Nice, under renowned conductors such as Andris Nelsons, Jaap van Zweden, Jean-Christophe Spinosi, Cornelius Meister, Michel Plasson, and Rinaldo Alessandrini.

He has also taken part in his share of festivals: La Roque d’Anthéron, Radio France - Montpellier, Piano aux Jacobins, the Nohant Chopin Festival, La Chaise Dieu, Colmar, Saintes, Menton, Piano à Lyon, L’Esprit du piano (Bordeaux), La Folle Journée (Nantes and Warsaw), the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, the BBC Hay Festival, Palazzetto Bru-Zane in Venice, Villa Medici in Rome, Dom Muzyki in Moscow...

With a focus on French music, Bismuth offers a rich discography. He has several back-to-back recordings of composers such as Franck and Fauré, Debussy and Dukas, and Rachmaninov and Saint-Saëns (**** Classica). Noteworthy are his recordings B.A.C.H.ianas & Transcriptions (rated ffff by Télérama), Bach Père et Fils (earning a Maestro from Pianiste) and Made in France, recorded along with clarinetist Pierre Génisson, winner of a Diapason d’Or.

Bismuth received his initial training from Catherine Collard in the Nice Conservatory and entered the CNSMD in Paris at age fourteen, studying under Gabriel Tacchino and then Brigitte Engerer. He refined his skills with Monique Deschaussées, successor to Alfred Cortot, and Maria João Pires, who provided much enrichment and inspiration, both artistically and humanly. These two artists have since performed together, with four hands and on two pianos.

For several years, Bismuth was her assistant at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium, where he remains an Associate Artist.

In addition, he gives numerous master classes every year, particularly in Russia, as part of the Educational Centers for Musicians directed by conductor Yuri Bashmet.

PROGRAM

David Bismuth, Piano

“A 1780’s Academy”

“ The program of this recital is freely inspired by the 'Academies', named after the concerts that existed in Mozart's days in the 1780s. « Academies » were private and exclusive musical events. Mozart took to the keyboard to play his own compositions, as well as those of his contemporaries and the masters of the past. Composers and ensembles followed each other with great freedom mixing solo works and chamber music.

I have chosen pieces by Mozart, Haydn, Bach, Couperin and Rameau, and I will have the pleasure of sharing the stage with pianist Matthieu Cognet to perform a Mozart Sonata for 4 hands” . David Bismuth to the French-American-Piano Society. July 2023.

Francois COUPERIN (1668 - 1733)

Les Barricades mystérieuses

WILHELM FRIEDEMAN BACH (1710 - 1784)

Sonata in A minor

Poco Allegro - Largo – Presto

JEAN-PHILPPE RAMEAU (1683 - 1764)

Le Rappel des oiseaux

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756 - 1791)

Fantasy K397

JEAN-PHILPPE RAMEAU (1683 - 1764)

Les Sauvages

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756 - 1791)

with Matthieu Cognet, artistic Director, French-American Piano Society

Sonata for 4 hands in D Major

Allegro - Andante - Allegro molto

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756 - 1791)

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685 - 1750)

Suite in C

Ouverture - from Suite K399 by Mozart

Allemande - from Suite Française n.2 by Bach

Allemande - from Suite K399 by Mozart

Courante - from Suite Française n.2 by Bach

Gigue in G Major K574

FRANZ JOSEPH HAYDN (1732 - 1809)

Sonata in E minor

Presto - Adagio - Vivace molto

We are grateful to our 2023 RECITAL partners:

THE JAMES J. SHEERAN STEINWAY PIANO

At its inaugural recital on January 16th 2018, S.E. Anne Claire Legendre, Consul General of France in New York, in the company of S.E. Bertrand Lortholary, Ambassador of France in Vietam, Former Consul General of France in New York, and S.E. Francois Delattre, Ambassador of France to the United Nation, former Ambassador of France to the USA, and former Consul General of France in New York, dedicated our Steinway concert piano to

JAMES J. SHEERAN

(1923 - 2007)

A GREAT AMERICAN PATRIOT, WWII VETERAN, SON OF FRANCE, AND CHEVALIER DE LA LEGION D'HONNEUR (2006) OF THE REPUBLIC OF FRANCE

2023-2028 YOUNG PIANISTS SCHOLARSHIPS

A post-COVID expansion of our successful scholarship program to sponsor (2023 to 2028) 10 talented young French pianists to attend U.S. based piano festivals, competitions and present their Debut Recitals in New York City and Washington D.C.

We are deeply thankful to the generous patrons

 who helped us fund our James J. Sheeran Steinway piano

CREDIT AGRICOLE CIB

NJ CURE

JCDECAUX

ALICE ROSNER FOUNDATION

COLAS, INC

COMMITTEE OF FRENCH SPEAKING SOCIETIES

CONNECTHINGS

CONSEILLERS DU COMMERCE EXTERIEUR DE LA FRANCE

MEDNEST

RATP DEV

VERONIQUE TRAVEL

and

The “88 Keys” Society Members and Patrons:

    Helene Buchen (C1#, D1#, F1&#, G1#, A1&#, F2#, G2#, A2#)

    Gilles Rousseau (G2,A2,B2,C3,D3,E3,F3,G3)

    Veronique and Pascal Carpentier (C6#, D6#, F6#, G6#, A6#)

    Ariane Daguin (B6, A6, G6, C7)

    Anne-Julia Audray (D5, F5, A4)

    Jean-Pierre Bizzari, MD (A5, B5)

    Laurence Chertoff (D2#, D3#)

    Thomas and Albane Duplan (C8, B1)

    Valerie and Gerard Duval (G7#, F7#)

    Lily Hsia (D5#, D7#)

    Susan Mackenzie (E6, C7#)

    Martha and Rick Olson (E4, G4)

    Daniel and Teresa Petitjean (F7, G7)

    Helene and Mathieu Petitjean (A0#,A4#)

    Dr. Ellie Abdi (B0)

    Catherine Munera and Alfredo Basurto (E5)

    Carey and Brett August (C6)

Veronique et Serge Banzet (A5)

    Arnaud Boyer (E7)

    Nigel Brown (G1)

    Florence and Eric Brun (G5)

    Eric and Isabelle Chaboureau (F2)

    Vésine de La Rue (D2)

    Philippe Dreano (G3#)

    Yoni Elmalem (A7#)

    Sylvie Epelbaum,MD (D4#)

    John F. Bennet, Paris-American Club (G4#)

    Bernard Frelat (F6)

    French-American Choir of New York (A4)

    Simone Galton (B3)

    Guy Geslin (D7)

    Anthony Gilroy (A3)

    Robert Gorman (D1)

    Odile Gorse (C1)

    Herve Houdre (C2)

    Laurent Kleitman (C5#)

    Remy Lumbroso (D6)

    Pierre Martin (F3#)

    Andrea Mayes (C5)

    Hanyi Meng (A7)

    Jean-Hugues Monier (E2)

    Mark Morris (A3#)

    Rick and Mary O'Connell (E1)

    Elizabeth Olson (C4)

    Claudine and Bernard Parisot (C4#)

    Joseph Patrych (G5)

    Michel and Judith Pautrat (F4)

    Jean Perrette (B7)

    Dmitry Rachmanov (F4#)

    Jerome Rose (A0)

    Sophie Schyler - Chateau Kirwan  (F5#)

    Guy Sorman (D4)

    Annaliese Soros (C2#)

    Marie-Monique Steckel (B4)

Code of Conduct

It is the policy of the French-American Piano Society that all attendees of Society hosted recitals, events, and associated activities are expected to exhibit respectful, and ethical behaviors.

Please review our Code of Conduct Policy here.

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