Saint-Saëns works are doubly brilliant

Claire Chevallier and Jos van Immersel nimble fingers give works by, amongst others, Saint-Saëns and Franck a wonderful kick

Composer: Saint-Saëns, Franck, Infante, Poulenc
Repertoire: Pieces for Two Pianos
Artists: Claire Chevallier, Jos van Immersel (piano duo)
Rating:  4/5
Genre: Instrumental 
Label: Zig Zag ZZT 030903

On its own, this would be a well-played but otherwise unremarkable two-piano recital, though Saint-Saëns’s Danse Macabre and Franck’s Prélude, Fugue et Variations are rarely heard in these arrangements. What makes this disc special is the sound of the two pianos – Erard Grands of 1897 and 1904. Though stylistically anachronistic in the works by Infante and Poulenc, they bring a delicious piquancy to these attractive scores.