LDV102

28 FAURÉ ∙ THE MUSIC FOR CELLO AND PIANO Does the very tight-knit counterpoint of the sonatas present a special difficulty for performers? Cédric Tiberghien: It’s a highly complex, unusual type of counterpoint, very different from the classical counterpoint we’re used to with Bach. It was often the focus of our discussions. Xavier Phillips: Yes, it is very disconcerting. This counterpoint is composed with colour. An added note, coming from some unexpected quarter, brings a colour to a specific moment. It flatters the ear. I was brought up on this music from childhood onwards, and it has always seemed natural to me. I’ve never found it bizarre, but rather strangely beautiful. That quality of strangeness generates a special emotion that you only experience with Fauré.