VÍKINGUR ÓLAFSSON PRESENTS NEW ALBUM IN BERLIN DEBUSSY • RAMEAU

 

 

“Ólafsson’s interpretations inhabit a unique, distinct and extraordinary world all their own.” – Gramophone

 

 

17 JANUARY 2020 (TORONTO, ON) - Last night, celebrated Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson unveiled his new album with an intimate lecture-recital at Berlin’s Konzerthaus, where he is currently Artist in Residence. He performed a handful of pieces from Debussy • Rameau – his third solo album on Deutsche Grammophon//Universal Music Canada, the country's leading music company, due for release on 27 March. The first single, Rameau’s "Les tendres plaintes" from his Pièces de clavecin, is out now.

 

“For me, Rameau is up there with Handel, Scarlatti, and second only to Bach,” said Ólafsson as he introduced the evening. “It is simply genius keyboard writing.” His new album juxtaposes Rameau’s music with that of Debussy, describing it as a “dialogue” between the two composers. He said that together they “defeat time and space with music”.

 

Ólafsson gave the audience an insight into his repertoire choices for the album and performed a selection of works, including Debussy’s Prélude from La Damoiselle élue, Rameau’s Le Rappel des Oiseaux and his own transcription of an interlude from the opera Les Boréades entitled "The Arts and the Hours".

 

Víkingur Ólafsson’s Debussy • Rameau follows his critically-acclaimed 2019 recording Johann Sebastian Bach which was on numerous album of the year lists and named one of the greatest ever Bach recordings by Gramophone, plus it won Best Instrumental and overall Album of the Year at the BBC Music Magazine Awards 2019. Ólafsson was honoured at the Opus Klassik Awards, he was named Gramophone’s Artist of the Year and Limelight’s International Artist of the Year.

 

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