Bertrand Chamayou’s new recording of Mendelssohn’s complete Songs Without Words frames the cycle through a deeply emotional lens. Rather than merely executing the score, he illuminates the set’s underlying nostalgia.
While many pianists cherry-pick familiar favorites, presenting a complete cycle demands a unified vision. Chamayou enters a crowded field anchored by Daniel Barenboim’s 1970s recordings for DG, Howard Shelley’s and Lívia Rév’s respective cycles for Hyperion, and Ronald Brautigam’s period-instrument reading for BIS. It is also impossible to ignore the latest cycle by Peter Donohoe, which reached its completion on Chandos in 2023 (Vol. 1 – review).
Chamayou links these miniatures through careful attention to texture and balance. A major challenge in Mendelssohn is masking the intricate fingerwork behind a facade of elegance. He manages this gracefully, ensuring no song resembles a basic melody over an ordinary accompaniment.
For example, he draws steady momentum from a rolling left hand in the Con moto of Op. 38, giving the singing line a rich, resonant presence. In the Duetto from the same opus, he handles the voicing with sophistication, fluidly trading the distinct characters of the male and female lines to impart genuine dimension to the music.
When faced with the tricky repeated chords of the Agitato e con fuoco in Op. 30, Chamayou maintains level-headed control. Listeners seeking the visceral excitement of larger crescendos might still prefer Barenboim’s vivid take, yet Chamayou’s clear and steady approach remains highly effective.
Bertrand Chamayou. Photo © Audoin Desforges.
This clarity never obscures Mendelssohn’s deeper melancholy. In the Andante con moto of Op. 19b, Chamayou sets an unhurried, thoughtful pace, supporting the mellow E major melody with a soothing depth in the lower bass.
A quiet sadness colors the following Andante espressivo, and that sense of isolation deepens in the Venetian Gondola Song. Despite the resonant double-third passages, the playing here carries a profound aura of solitude and shadow.
As the cycle progresses, Chamayou conveys the shifting moods of the later opuses, transitioning effortlessly between the quiet charm and nervous energy found throughout Op. 53.
He leans fully into the dense chords of the Op. 62 Andante maestoso, producing an imposing, orchestral sonority that contrasts sharply with the delicate miniatures heard earlier.
Still, he is equally capable of crisp, effervescent playing. His take on the famous Spinner’s Song from Op. 67 is playful and light, capturing a caprice that closely matches the agility of Brautigam’s fortepiano recording.
In the album booklet, Chamayou forgoes academic musical analysis in favor of an honest foreword explaining his personal connection to these works. This intimate perspective resonates through the final notes, as he brings the cycle to a tranquil close with the serene Andante of Op. 102. Enhanced by impressive Dolby Atmos engineering, this release is a carefully shaped and highly personal musical journey.
Album Details |
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|---|---|
| Album name | Mendelssohn: Songs Without Words |
| Label | Erato |
| Catalogue No. | 0827568019615 |
| Artists | Bertrand Chamayou (piano) |
