About the album

La Belle Époque brings us works composed during the lifetime of Marcel Proust: Saint-Saëns’ First Sonata for Violin and Piano was one of the sources of inspiration for Vinteuil’s Sonata in In Search of Lost Time. The CD also shines a spotlight on Gustave Samazeuilh (1877-1967), pianist, composer and musicologist, introducing three important facets of his work: his compositions for piano, his chamber music and his mélodies. The mosaic of works, most of which are still too infrequently recorded, form a scintillating, poetic portrayal of the era.