Jeux d’enfants

Bizet was a remarkable pianist, but he composed relatively little for his own instrument. Nevertheless, Jeux d’enfants, his only score for piano four hands, is now one of his most famous works. When he completed it, he knew that he was about to become a father (his son Jacques was born on 10 July 1872). But these pieces were written for children to listen to, rather than to play; indeed, most of them are too difficult for amateur pianists and require seasoned performers, like those of the Duo Shalamov. Two musicians on one piano bring out the orchestral capacities of the instrument, which lends itself well to transcriptions of operatic arias. Here Gounod and Gouvy also celebrate the composer of Carmen.