French classical pianist Cédric Tiberghien is renowned for his versatility, technical brilliance, and innovative approach to programming. Taking his early inspirations from legends like Arthur Rubinstein, Artur Schnabel, Sviatoslav Richter, and Emil Gilels, Tiberghien developed an expressive and nuanced style by blending intellectual rigour with poetic sensitivity.
Cédric Tiberghien © Jean Baptiste Millot
His international breakthrough came in 1998 when he won the First Grand Prize and five special prizes at the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition. Celebrated for his wide-ranging repertoire and openness to innovative concert formats, Tiberghien is one of today’s most compelling pianists.
To celebrate his birthday on 5 May, let us sample some of his most iconic performances and recordings.
Cédric Tiberghien Performs Debussy: “La cathédrale engloutie”
Bartók
Cédric Tiberghien recorded his three-volume survey of Béla Bartók’s solo piano works for Hyperion Records. Released between 2006 and 2011, these recordings are a landmark achievement in his discography. Covering Bartók’s piano oeuvre, from early compositions to mature masterpieces, Tiberghien showcases his affinity for the rhythmic vitality, folk-inspired idioms, and modernist complexity of the music.
Each volume is carefully curated to highlight different facets of Bartók’s output, offering a holistic portrait of the composer’s stylistic evolution. Tiberghien emphasises the music’s structural clarity, percussive energy, and lyrical introspection, reflecting a long-standing fascination with Bartók’s sound world.
Béla Bartók: Szabadban (Out of Doors), BB 89 (Cédric Tiberghien, piano)
Ravel Concertos
Cédric Tiberghien recorded the Ravel piano concertos with Harmonia Mundi in 2022. Performed with Les Siècles under the direction of François-Xavier Roth, this release stands out for its use of period instruments, fresh interpretive insights, and vibrant execution. The historically informed approach captures Ravel’s wit and elegance with a blend of historical fidelity and modern vitality.
Tiberghien’s pianism is characterised by crystalline clarity, rhythmic vitality, and his ability to shift between Ravel’s varied moods. Alternating between jazzy exuberance, lyrical tenderness, and dramatic intensity, Tiberghien presents a “refreshingly different interpretation,” creating a “vivid and transparent sound.” In essence, the Ravel project showcases his ability to tackle canonical 20th-century works with a large dose of originality.
Maurice Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major (Cédric Tiberghien, piano; Les Siècles; François-Xavier Roth, cond.)
The Cage Project
The “Cage Project” is an innovative, multidisciplinary performance that reimagines John Cage’s Sonatas and Interludes for prepared piano. A fusion of music, kinetic sculpture, and visual art, Tiberghien’s performance is augmented by Matthias Schack-Arnott’s massive kinetic sound sculpture floating above the piano.
Tiberghien, a long-time admirer of Cage, brings a nuanced and passionate interpretation to the score. His performance is described as “exquisite and masterful,” with theatrical gestures conveying his joy at producing unconventional sounds. Tiberghien views the “Cage Project” as “an exploration of different human emotions” and a “long meditation towards tranquillity.”
Cédric Tiberghien Performs Cage: Sonatas and Interludes (excerpt)
Beethoven Variation Cycles
Cédric Tiberghien
Cédric Tiberghien’s ongoing project to record and perform Beethoven’s complete variation works is a cornerstone of his career. Launched with Harmonia Mundi, the recording series began in 2020 and continues with performance cycles that present the Beethoven variations alongside works by other composers.
Tracing the evolution of variation form, this ambitious endeavour has garnered significant critical acclaim for its scholarly insight, expressive nuance, and bold interpretive choices. His approach to Beethoven’s variations is characterised by a balance of structural clarity, emotional depth, and interpretive freedom. Tiberghien has the ability to maintain coherence across diverse transformations of the theme while highlighting the unique character of each variation.
The performances and recordings by Cédric Tiberghien reveal a pianist who approaches music as both a scholar and a poet, uncovering fresh perspectives through meticulous preparation and expressive freedom. His artistry invites audiences into a world of vivid contrasts and transformative beauty, cementing his legacy as one of today’s most compelling and versatile pianists.
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