Debussy, Schubert and Ravel: Katia and Marielle Labèque (two pianos and piano duet) Cadogan Hall, London, 24.4.2008 (BBr)

Claude Debussy: En blanc et noir (1915)
Franz Schubert: Fantasy in F minor D940 (1828)
Maurice Ravel: Ma mère l’Oye (1908)
Maurice Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole (1895/1907)


The second half of this exhilarating and most satisfying recital started with Ma mère l’Oye with playing of the utmost tenderness, gentleness and love that it quite overshadowed what had gone before. The Labèque sisters played Ravel’s supposed children’s pieces with such affection that they emerged afresh, as something quite new and beautiful. I have recently had the pleasure of reviewing two new recordings of this work (Anthony Goldstone and Caroline Clemmow (Divine Art dda 25057) and Piano Duo Genova and Dimitrov (CPO 777 283-2)) and good as those recorded performances are, neither had the total childlike innocence of this performance. The Labèques seemed to, quite easily, perceive the music, and perform it, with the understanding of youth. Nothing was forced, and with the gentlest of touches they effortlessly introduced us to each of the five pieces and crowned the performance with a glowing walk in the Fairy Garden (Le jardin féerique), culminating in the most exuberant glissandi. I have no hesitation in writing that in over forty years of concert going I haven’t heard anything as perfect as was this music making.

The sisters started the recital by throwing themselves, literally and wholeheartedly, into Debussy’s exceptionally difficult, for the player as well as the listener, En blanc et noir, for two pianos, three pieces as elusive as anything he ever created; “I have been writing like a madman,” Debussy wrote to his friend Robert Godet, “or like a man condemned to die the next morning.” This music is wild and fantastique and the musicien français excelled himself in his compositional virtuosity. The Labèque’s gave us such a glowing and passionate account of the music, that it seemed to be a much more mainstream repertoire work than it really is, and throwing off the difficulties with aplomb.

Schubert’s great Fantasy in F minor, for piano duet, is one of the works from his final year, where his art flowered and grew and he achieved even greater heights than he had essayed before. It is a large work, filled with melancholy, but I question Jonathan Burton’s comment, in the programme book, where he stated that the work ends with a “despairing reprise of the opening theme”. Surely this is Schubert resigned to his lot, not despairing but standing stoical in the face of his imminent death? That’s how I felt this performance ended. But almost everything the Labèques did in this recital made me question my own understanding and ideas of the music they played.

After the wonderful Ma mère l’Oye (well worth a second mention) the sisters returned to two pianos and gave a barnstorming performance of Ravel’s high-spirited Rapsodie espangnole. There was poetry a-plenty in the quieter moments (and they truly achieved a pianissimo of great subtlety) but when they could they let go, and really played the piece, their virtuosity was staggering. The audience demanded more and was rewarded with an invigorating performance of Michel Camilo's Tropical Jam. Sheer joy.

This was a recital of such great musicianship and musical understanding that it will live long in the memory. Viva les soeurs Labèque! Viva ces véritables musiciennes françaises!

Bob Briggs


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