David Fray - Baroque Encores (2025)

David Fray stands out as one of today’s most distinctive French pianists, widely acclaimed for his profound interpretations of Bach. This new album draws its core from L’Enfant oublié (2023), a theatrical project co-created with actress and director Chiara Muti, premiered at the artist’s own festival L’Offrande musicale, dedicated to disability awareness.

It features masterpieces from Rameau to Scarlatti, including lesser-known composers like Royer, with a strong focus on Bach. The repertoire includes original keyboard works as well as piano transcriptions by legendary pianists such as Siloti, Kempff, Busoni, and Stradal.

Additionally, the album also includes the world premiere recording of Monsaingeon’s arrangement for piano of Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: Andante.

Tracklist
01 Organ Sonata No. 4 in E Minor, BWV 528_ II. Andante (Transcr. Stradal for Solo Piano)
02 Deuxième livre de pièces de clavecin, Suite en mi_ V. Le rappel des oiseaux
03 Keyboard Sonata in B Minor, Kk. 87
04 Keyboard Sonata in D Minor, Kk. 1
05 Keyboard Sonata in F Minor, Kk. 466
06 French Suite No. 4 in E-Flat Major, BWV 815_ I. Allemande
07 Keyboard Suite in F Minor, BWV 823_ II. Sarabande en rondeau
08 Second livre de pièces de clavecin, Sixième ordre_ V. Les baricades mistérieuses
09 Keyboard Suite in G Minor, HWV 434_ IV. Minuet (Arr. Kempff for Solo Piano)
10 Premier livre de pièces de clavecin_ No. 6, L'aimable
11 Premier livre de pièces de clavecin_ No. 11, Le vertigo
12 Flute Sonata in E-Flat Major, BWV 1031_ II. Siciliano (Arr. Kempff for Solo Piano)
13 Wir danken dir, Gott, wir danken dir, BWV 29_ Sinfonia (Arr. Kempff for Solo Piano)
14 Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068_ II. Air (Arr. Siloti for Solo Piano)
15 Das Orgel-Büchlein_ No. 41, Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639 (Arr. Busoni for Solo Piano)
16 Pastorale in F Major, BWV 590_ III. Aria
17 Organ Sonata No. 5 in C Major, BWV 529_ II. Largo (Arr. Feinberg for Solo Piano)
18 Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003_ III. Andante (Arr. Monsaingeon for Solo Piano)
19 Harpsichord Concerto in D Major, BWV 972_ II. Larghetto (After Vivaldi's Violin Concerto, Op. 3 No. 9, RV 230)