Gounod: Piano Works

During his time in Italy and later in Leipzig, Charles Gounod was fascinated by the balance between tonal beauty and proportions in the music of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Johann Sebastian Bach. He developed a desire for simple directness, which can be heard in excerpts from the "Messe solennelle de Sainte Cécile" and the "Méditation sur le premier Prélude de J. S. Bach," better known today as "Ave Maria." Gounod's gift for melody and mood painting is evident in his "Romances sans paroles," while his sense of humor is expressed in the famous "Marche funèbre d'une marionnette." Steinway artist, award-winning composer, and pianist Warren Lee has also recorded Anton Rubinstein's "Le Bal" and Franz Liszt's "Hungarian Romany Rhapsody" in recent years, receiving much praise from the press. He has performed on four continents, often in collaboration with international artists and leading orchestras.