SORTILEGES - FAT, VENETIAN

We first encountered Lucien Garban when studying his transcription for piano four hands of La Valse. We immediately found it extremely interesting, with highly successful piano solutions, many references to the orchestral version, and some original elements, albeit naturally in the most absolute respect for the autograph writing. We were very fascinated by this figure of transcriber and composer, a pupil of Fauré, and a friend of his peer, the more celebrated and brilliant Ravel. Garban followed him with affection and admiration throughout his musical life: from the first performance, of revolutionary importance, of Pelléas et Mélisande to Ravel's requests for transcriptions or arrangements of his works, to Lucien's suggestions, who in his maturity became musical director of the Durand editions, for his friend Maurice, to Garban's professional and personal support during Ravel's last years, severely marked by illness.
We then tackled some of his other transcriptions, giving precedence to Ravel's music, namely Valses Nobles et Sentimentales and the three excerpts from L'Enfant et le Sortilège, these works being particularly dear to Garban, cited several times in correspondence. To also embrace another important part of the French musician's work, we chose to record his transcription for piano four hands of Carnival of the Animals, undoubtedly one of the most performed versions of the famous "zoological fantasy."
The album aims to highlight the figure of Garban, who worked extensively in Ravel's shadow but fell into an oblivion that we do not believe does him justice...
Eliana Grasso & Irene Veneziano