Belgian Romantic Works For Cello & Piano

Paul Heyman (cello) & Isil Bengi (piano)

Is a mystery the root cause of the fact that Henri Vieuxtemps, César Franck, Eugène Ysaÿe and Guillaume Lekeu were all born in such a small territory between Liège and Aachen? Or is it merely the result of the popular music practice there at that time? Anyway, the region of Liège and Verviers gave musical heroes of international standard to Belgium: violinists, pianists and composers. Vieuxtemps and Franck were dominant figures in the 19th century who united the best of two worlds, the Latin and the Germanic world, which at that time was not easily understood. We find this synthesis in the playing of Ysaÿe as well as in the composition of Lekeu. Solid structures – not necessarily traditional – are combined with an abundant lyricism and an assumed virtuosity; the influence of the late Beethoven, of Wagner and of the Northern mist adjacent to the clarity and the sun of the South.

Ysaÿe can be seen as the central composer of this album: he was a student of Vieuxtemps, but also the master of Franck and Lekeu. Both dedicate their sonata to Ysaÿe, who then created the work. His timbre, even in his lullaby for his sick son, is auburn, rich of autumnal inflexions: like his master, he liked to take the viola and even the cello to play music with his colleagues. It is striking how this program harmonises with the sound of the cello; it is known that Jules Delsart’s arrangement of the Franck sonata was highly successful. Peter Benoit, the herald of Flemish music and appreciated by his Walloon colleagues, deserves a special mention in this list. One of his melodies on a poem of Emmanuel Hiel « Heeft het roosje milde geuren » (How sweet, the smell of the young rose) knew a lasting success.

Duo Heyman-Bengi
The duo Heyman-Bengi consists of the Belgian cellist Paul Heyman and the Turkish-Belgian pianist Isil Bengi. These two passionate and dedicated artists find themselves in a musical expression which is both spontaneous and sophisticated, enriching their reading of works from the great classical repertoire as well as of contemporary works with a beneficial and inspiring authenticity. Dark, deep, expressive, virtuoso, brilliant, clear, delicate and powerful, the duo Heyman-Bengi moves away from the beaten tracks in search of the essence. Paul Heyman graduated from the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste in Switzerland under Raphael Wallfisch. He also studied with France Springuel, Vladimir Perlin, Gary Hoffman, Frans Helmerson e.o. Isil Bengi graduated from the “Koninklijk Conservatorium Brussel” in Belgium. She studied with Evgeni Moguilevsky, Aleksandar Madzar, Piet Kuijken, Anne Queffelec, Bernard Lemmens, Jean Fassina, Bruno Canino.

Benoit, Peter:
 Heeft het roosje milde geuren

Franck, C:
 Cello Sonata in A major

Lekeu:
 Violin Sonata in G major

Vieuxtemps:
 Elegie for viola and piano, Op. 30

Ysaÿe:
 Rêve d'enfant, Op. 14