Madelon Michel & Fania Chapiro - Belle van Zuylen And Contemporaries (1995)

This CD is musical excellence captured for posterity! Fania Chapiro has nimble and musical phrasing of exquisitely difficult works. These are from the height of the Baroque era, pieces full to the brim with trills and mordants. The voice of Maelon Michel is so light and clear and bell-like, it is a joyous thing. I can't even be jealous of a voice this perfect, just delight in hearing it. The quality of her voice is also perfectly suited to this material. These pieces were written for earlier instruments, but played on an early pianoforte, but you won't miss it. The sound of this instrument is close enough to the original (and certainly these works were being played on these instruments as they replaced other keyboard instruments). The result is a sound that is satisfying to those who like historical purity, and to imagine that one has stepped back in time into the salon to hear these pieces. I purchased this CD to familiarize myself with the works of Isabelle Charriere/Belle Van Zuylen, as she is a bit of a rarity, but have found one of my favorite CDs. Included are other musical rarities, like the works of Rousseau (another writer who also composed). If you like Baroque music you can not top this! Composing was a side line for Belle, because of that - and her being a woman - she did not achieve the highest levels. How delightful it is then, to have these two world class talents, accomplished women artists, giving Belle's work it's overdue day in the sun!