Pianist Bertrand Chamayou's New Album, "Ravel: Complete Works for Solo Piano"

Released on Warner Classics and Erato, the album features Ravel's most important piano works

Warner Classics and Erato have released a new album featuring the complete solo piano works of Maurice Ravel, performed by the acclaimed French pianist Bertrand Chamayou. This album showcases Chamayou’s deep connection with Ravel’s music, presenting a collection that spans the composer’s entire career.

“Recording Ravel is not just a return to my roots, but also a natural stage in my development … my style of playing and the way I imagine sound can be largely attributed to Ravel.”

Bertrand Chamayou is recognized as one of today’s foremost interpreters of French piano music. Born in Toulouse, he studied at the Conservatoire de Paris and quickly gained international recognition for his virtuosity and poetic sensibility. A five-time Victoires de la Musique Classique award winner, Chamayou is especially celebrated for his performances of 19th- and 20th-century repertoire, with a particular affinity for Ravel.

This new recording includes Ravel’s most beloved piano works, such as Jeux d’eau, Miroirs, and Le Tombeau de Couperin, as well as Gaspard de la Nuit. Also featured are Menuet antique and Prélude. The album captures the full breadth of Ravel’s pianistic writing—from impressionistic to neoclassical—demonstrating Chamayou’s color and clarity.

Ravel’s piano music reflects his meticulous craftsmanship and fascination with sound and structure. Jeux d’eau, composed in 1901, is often considered a precursor to musical Impressionism, with its water imagery and luminous harmonies. Miroirs, written between 1904 and 1905, presents five soundscapes, including the mesmerizing Une barque sur l’océan. Le Tombeau de Couperin (1914–1917), composed during World War I, pays homage to the French Baroque style while honoring friends Ravel lost in battle.

To purchase and listen to this album, click here

Listen to Ravel's Pavane pour une infante défunte below

Since 2021, Bertrand Chamayou has been co-Artistic Director of Festival Ravel, the major new international festival celebrating Maurice Ravel in France’s Basque country. His vast repertoire includes major bodies of work such as the complete piano works of Ravel, Liszt’s Etudes and Années de pèlerinage, and Messiaen’s Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jésus. At the same time, the French pianist possesses a deep passion for new music, having worked with composers including Pierre Boulez, Henri Dutilleux, György Kurtág, Thomas Adès, Bryce Dessner, and Michael Jarrell.