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The French Collection (Jazz Impressions Of French Classics) album cover

Album guide

The French Collection (Jazz Impressions Of French Classics)

Fred Hersch

Released
1989
Label
Angel
Forces
Piano
Personnel
Fred Hersch piano, with Eddie Daniels clarinet, James Newton flute, Kevin Eubanks guitar, Toots Thielemans harmonica, Steve LaSpina bass, Jeff Hirshfield and Joey Baron drums

Hersch has said that he improvised on classical music as a child, imitating Mozart and Bach before he found jazz.

His trio version of the Prelude from Le tombeau de Couperin arrived twelve years before Gary Burton and Makoto Ozone recorded their own, giving The French Collection an unusually early place in this repertoire.

Hear both

The classical side contains only the source pieces used on the album, in album order. The jazz side presents the complete album whenever a dependable copy can be embedded.

The originalsDebussy, Ravel, Fauré, Poulenc, Satie · classical source works

“Valses Nobles” draws on Nos. 2 and 3 of Ravel’s Valses nobles et sentimentales, so it has a recording of each. Every other track has one recording.

Jazzed upFred Hersch · 1989
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Source works

The album’s complete track listing, with each classical source identified and original compositions marked plainly.

  1. Prélude From “Suite Bergamasque”Debussy: Suite bergamasque, CD 82: I. Prélude
  2. 1st Movement (Modéré) From “Sonatine”Ravel: Sonatine, M. 40: I. Modéré
  3. Sicilienne, Op. 78Fauré: Sicilienne, Op. 78
  4. Prélude From “Le Tombeau De Couperin”Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin, M. 68: I. Prélude
  5. Après Un Rêve, Op. 7 No. 1Fauré: “Après un rêve”, Op. 7 No. 1
  6. Clair De Lune From “Suite Bergamasque”Debussy: Suite bergamasque, CD 82: III. Clair de lune
  7. Cantilena From Flute SonataPoulenc: Flute Sonata, FP 164: II. Cantilena
  8. PavaneFauré: Pavane, Op. 50
  9. Nos. 2 & 3 From “Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales”Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: II. Assez lent; Ravel: Valses nobles et sentimentales, M. 61: III. Modéré
  10. Pavane Pour Une Infante DéfunteRavel: Pavane pour une infante défunte, M. 19
  11. Gymnopédie No. 1Satie: Trois Gymnopédies, No. 1