Prokofiev: Cinderella Wilhem Latchoumia

• Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953): Three Pieces from Cinderella Op. 95:
• 1 II. Gavotte (Arr. For Piano) 02:40
• Six Pieces from Cinderella Op. 102:
• 2 III. Querelle (Arr. For Piano) 03:20
• Henry Cowell (1897 - 1965):
• 3 Aeolian Harp 02:46
• Sergei Prokofiev: Ten Pieces from Cinderella Op. 97:
• 4 I. The Spring Fairy (Arr. For Piano) 01:01
• 5 II. The Summer Fairy (Arr. For Piano) 01:48
• 6 V. Grasshoppers and Dragonflies (Arr. For Piano) 00:59
• 7 III. The Autumn Fairy (Arr. For Piano) 01:08
• 8 IV. The Winter Fairy (Arr. For Piano) 03:16
• Six Pieces from Cinderella Op. 102: IV. Waltz:
• 9 Cinderella Goes to the Ball (Arr. For Piano) 02:24
• Henry Cowell: The Tides of Manaunaun:
• 10 The Tides of Manaunaun 03:03
• Sergei Prokofiev: Ten Pieces from Cinderella Op. 97:
• 11 VII. Passepied (Arr. For Piano) 01:41
• 12 IX. Bourrée (Arr. For Piano) 01:42
• Six Pieces from Cinderella Op. 102:
• 13 I. Waltz: Cinderella and the Prince (Arr. For Piano) 05:30
• 14 V. Pas de Châle (Arr. For Piano) 03:50
• Ten Pieces from Cinderella Op. 97:
• 15 X. Adagio: Cinderella and the Prince (Arr. For Piano) 03:40
• Six Pieces from Cinderella Op. 102:
• 16 II. Cinderella's Variation (Arr. For Piano) 01:25
• Henry Cowell:
• 17 Banshee 02:41
• Sergei Prokofiev: Three Pieces from Cinderella op.95:
• 18 I. Intermezzo (Arr. For Piano) 02:54
• Ten Pieces from Cinderella Op. 97:
• 19 VI. Orientale (Arr. For Piano) 01:52
• 20 VIII. Capriccio (Arr. For Piano) 01:23
• Three Pieces from Cinderella op.95:
• 21 III. Valse lente (Arr. For Piano) 04:01
• Six Pieces from Cinderella Op. 102:
• 22 VI. Amoroso (Arr. For Piano) 03:56
• Henry Cowell:
• 23 The Fairy Bells 03:25
• Total Runtime 01:00:25

Info for Prokofiev: Cinderella

During the Second World War, Prokofiev composed a new ballet, Cinderella, based on the fairytale by Charles Perrault. Shortly afterwards he made three piano suites consisting of arrangements of pieces from the ballet. The piano writing is often virtuosic, combining irony and lyricism.

Wilhem Latchoumia has chosen to place the pieces in the sequence of the ballet in order to respect its narrative continuity. This has never been done before until now. Moreover, with his passion for rare repertory and the most varied contemporary aesthetics, the pianist has integrated four pieces by the American composer Henry Dixon Cowell into Prokofiev's ballet.

These compositions, written between 1912 and 1930, used new modes of writing and playing for the time, such as playing directly on the instrument’s strings.

The four pieces separate the key episodes of the ballet, offering each listener’s imagination new sonic horizons.

Cowell’s magical universe fits perfectly into Prokofiev’s world and brings a unique colour to the disc’s narrative - for in a piano recital, the notion of telling a story is always present.

More generally, recording transcriptions is always a challenge. For Wilhem Latchoumia, it was important not only to reproduce the colours of the orchestra on the piano but also to give the work a pianistic colouration, to be active on both levels at the same time, thus giving the transcription its fullest dimension in performance.

Wilhem Latchoumia, piano

Wilhem Latchoumia
Began piano with Rose Marie Cabestany, then entered the C.N.R of Lyon where he studied with Anne Marie Lamy. He left with the gold medal and the felicitations of the jury. He joined the C.N.S.M.D of Lyon where he studied with E. Heidsieck, D.Renault-Fasquelle and G. Moutier and obtained the prize with more congratulations from the jury.

Continuing his training with G.Moutier always seeking perfection. Elsewhere he took a university course and obtained his Licence of Musicology at the “Lumière” University Lyon 2. He has his DE and C.A of piano and is a specialist of contemporary music at the teaching centre of C.E.F.E.D.E.M in the Rhône-Alpes. In 2004 he was Lauréat of the HP Foundation and took 2nd prize in the Xavier Montsalvatge competition in Girona – Spain. In 2006 he gained 1st prize “Blanche Selva” at the International Piano XXth Century Competition of Orléans as well as 5 other prizes (Prix Spedidam,Hiachi,Beaux-Arts,Caisse de Dépots et Consignations and a prize to record a c.d).

He performs all over France as well as abroad. Salle Cortot-Musée D’Orsay-Invalides-Cité de la Musique (Paris)-Festival La Roque d’Anthéron-L’Emperi-Piano en Vallois-Besançon-Whynote (Dijon)-“Retour au Pays Natal” en Martinique-Gubbio (Italy)-Festival Encuentros (Argentina)-Mannes College (New York) also tours of Lebanon – South America –Estonia-Lithuania-Poland-China…The first performance of the Piano Concerto by Unsuk Chin in France with the National Orchestra of Lille under the direction of Jean Deroyer.

Booklet for Prokofiev: Cinderella