Paul-André Bempéchat

Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres & Honorary Fellow of the Royal Chapel and Academic Orchestra, Uppsala University

“I am attracted only to music which I consider to be better than it can be performed. Therefore I feel (rightly or wrongly) that unless a piece of music presents a problem to me, a never-ending problem, it doesn't interest me too much.”

~ Artur Schnabel

This sums up my approach to, and sense of responsibility, to music-making.  As I emerge from the library and back to the concert platform, I’m constantly awed by the impact scholarship can have on performance.

Call me a non-traditional traditional, exploring interpretative byroads of the forged highways of the standard repertoire.  For recitals, I pursue emotionally cohesive amalgams of works by composers who best sustain my intellectual curiosity: Scarlatti, the great Viennese and German masters, my beloved Chopin and the impressionists who impress me.

Repertoire and concert planning constantly evolve, as they should. So, my mixed-repertoire program varies from season to season, but these signature programs are readily available for both concerts and lecture-recitals:

Beethoven: The Final Sonatas, op. 109, 110 and 111

Schubert: The Final Sonatas, D. 958, 959, 960

Chopin: The 24 Préludes, op. 28; Polonaise-Fantaisie in A-flat, op. 61; Sonata in B minor, op. 58

Why did I enter only one competition and then abandon even the concept?  Because after that one experience, I realized that rarely does one win on one’s own strengths, but on the perceived or contrived – usually by a politicized jury – weaknesses of one’s colleagues.  Très Donald Trump.

And I could never live the life of an honest musician with that baggage.

Live Performances

 

BEETHOVEN

Sonata in E Major

I. Vivace ma non troppo
II. Prestissimo
III. Andante molto Cantabile ed Espressivo

Sonata in A-flat Major

I. Moderato Cantabile; molto Espressivo
II. Allegro molto
III. Adagio ma non Troppo
IV. Fuga

Sonata in C Minor

I. Maestoso
II. Arietta
 

Brahms

Fantasien, Op. 116

I. Capriccio. Presto Energico
II. Intermezzo. Andante
III. Capriccio. Allegro Passionato
IV. Intermezzo. Adagio
V. Intermezzo. Andante con Grazia ed Intimissimo Sentimento
VI. Intermezzo. Andantino Teneramente
VII. Capriccio. Allegro Agitato

Intermezzi, Op. 117

I. Andante Moderato
II. Andante non troppo e con Molto Espressione
III. Andante con Molto

Klavierstücke, Op. 118

I. Intermezzo. Allegro non assai, ma Molto Appassionato
II. Intermezzo. Andante Teneramente
III. Ballade. Allegro Energico
IV. Intermezzo. Allegretto un pocco Agitato
V. Romance. Andante – Allegretto Grazioso
VI. Intermezzo. Andante, Largo e mesto

Klavierstücke, Op. 119

I. Intermezzo. Adagio
II. Intermezzo. Andantino un pocco Agitato
III. Intermezzo. Grazioso e Giocoso
Rhapsody. Allegro Risoluto

Seven Fantasias, Opus 116

Presto Energico
Andante
Allegro Passionato
Adagio
Andante con Grazio ed Intimissimo
Andantino Teneramente
Allegro Agitato
 

Schubert

Sonata in C Minor, D. 958

I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Menuetto. Allegro – Trio
IV. Allegro

Sonata in A Major, D.959

I. Allegro
II. Andantino
III. Scherzo. Allegro Vivace – Trio. Un poco più Lento
IV. Rondo. Allegretto

Sonata in B-Flat Major, D. 960

I. Molto Moderato
II. Andante Sostenudto
III. Scherzo. Allegro Vivace con Delicatezza
IV. Allegro ma non Troppo

Sonata No. 18 in G Major, Op. 78

I. Molto Moderatoe Cantabile
II. Andante
III. Menuetto. Allegro Moderato
IV. Allegretto

Sonata in C Minor, D. 958

Allegro
Adagio
Menuetto and Trio
Allegro
 

SCHumann

Sonata No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11

I. Introduzione. Un poco Adagio – Allegro Vivace – più Lento
II. Aria
III. Scherzo. Allegrissimo ed Intermezzo
IV. Finale. Allegreo un poco Maestoso – più Allegro
 

Mendelssohn

Song Without Words in E Major, Opus 19, No. 1

Song Without Words
 

Cras

Deux Paysages (1917)

Maritime
Champêtre