Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

1. Barcarolle no. 2 in G major, op. 41 (00:15)
2. Barcarolle no. 3 in G flat major, op. 42 (06:44)
3. Nocturne no. 3 in A flat major, op. 33 no. 3 (15:52)
4. Barcarolle no. 5 in F sharp minor, op. 66 (21:30)
5. Nocturne no. 6 in D flat major, op. 63 (28:08)
6. Barcarolle no. 4 in A flat major, op. 44 (38:53)
7. Barcarolle no. 6 in E flat major, op. 70 (43:14)
8. Barcarolle no. 8 in D flat major, op. 96 (47:19)

John Kersey, piano
Live recordings: tracks 1-6 – All Hallows by the Tower, London, May 2014, tracks 7&8, Chingford Parish Church, May 2015.

Artwork: Francis Picabia – Effet de soleil couchant sur l’étang de Berre – Martigues (1908)

This recording presents a selection of Fauré’s Barcarolles and Nocturnes taken from live performances in London during 2014-15.

As a supplement to this main selection, I have included a further live and unedited performance of Barcarolles 3, 4 and 5. This is taken from a private concert given in 2014. In contrast to the performances above, which used vintage pianos by Blüthner (tracks 1-6) and Bechstein (tracks 7-8), these performances were given on a modern Steinway, giving access to a very different colouristic palette.

1. Barcarolle no. 3 in G flat major, op. 42 (00:15)
2. Barcarolle no. 4 in A flat major, op. 44 (09:31)
3. Barcarolle no. 5 in F sharp minor, op. 66 (13:45)

John Kersey, piano

Live, unedited recordings made in May 2014.

Artwork: Georges Seurat (1859-91) – Landscape at Saint-Ouen (1879-80)

The recordings below were made during the national lockdown of 2021.

1. Nocturne no. 4 in E flat major, op. 36 (00:15)
2. Barcarolle no. 1 in A minor, op. 26 (06:56)
3. Barcarolle no. 7 in D minor, op. 90 (12:41)
4. Barcarolle no. 9 in A minor, op. 101 (16:36)
5. Barcarolle no. 10 in A minor, op. 104 no. 2 (21:40)

John Kersey, piano

Recorded at home during the national lockdown of 2021

Artwork: George Frederick Watts (1817-1904) – Study of Clouds