Frédéric Vaysse-Knitter (piano)
CD Polskie Nagrania ECD 070 (distributed by Disques Concord).
Music notes translated into French.
Recorded in 1996 - Playing time: 64'.
DDD - Technique: 8 (piano balance and good resonance).
The young French pianist, Frédéric Vaysse-Knitter studied at the Paris Conservatory with Ventcislas Yankoff and Michel Béroff. At the age of twenty-one, he was already tackling one of the most well-known repertoires. After working under Dimitri Bashkirov and György Sebök, he is now under the counselling of Krystian Zimerman.
With Chopin, he convinces and charms through his elegance of touch (Mazurkas op. 50), restrained sensitivity (Ballade No. 4) and his sense of tempo (Fantaisie op. 49) usually found in more experienced pianists. In the Mazurkas, whose very conciseness demands rigour, perfection of rhythm and varied tone-colour, Frédéric Vaysse-Knitter has grace, freedom and "the wind in his heels". In the Fantaisie the unity of the work comes from perfectly constructed articulations.
In Liszt, the epic heroism of the Funérailles and the progression of the Sonata "Après une lecture du Dante" demonstrate a knowledge of the language of Liszt with its accompanying silences, recurrent themes, frantic phrases and controlled dramatisation. Finding exactly the right balance, from tenderness and generosity through to vehemence, is the mark of a pianist who, with his first recording, rises to the level of acclaimed performers.
Michel Le Naour, Le Monde de la Musique