The Works

This week’s headline track comes from Alexandre Tharaud’s new album of French music, Mémoire—this short, delightful Impromptu by Gounod shows the intimate side of a composer more normally known for his large-scale operas and vocal works. In fact, Alexandre Tharaud tells Apple Music Classical, Gounod’s piano works could indeed be appreciated as kinds of “mini operas.” “The piece evokes for me the world of the Paris Opera, where I went so often as a child.” He says. “My mother was a dancer in that great institution.” It’s as if the pianist is taking the place of a singer, continues Tharaud. As you listen to this waltz-like Impromptu, he says, you can hear how the right hand sings during the first page. “Then in the central section, the left hand begins to sing, like a baritone.” We regularly update The Works, so if you find a piece of music or a performance you particularly love, don’t forget to add it to your library.