Dolly Suite is one of the brightest and most delicate pieces by the French composer Gabriel Fauré. This collection consists of six short piano duets for four hands. The performance by the Eranova Ensemble has perfectly captured the delicacy and charm of these pieces.
The Chinese duo of Michelle Yip and Cao Hui have been performing as the Eranova Ensemble for almost twenty years. For their debut album, they’ve chosen the lively and enchanting Dolly Suite, a selection that showcases both their technical brilliance and their deep musical sensitivity.
Composed between 1893 and 1896, the suite was written for Hélène Bardac, nicknamed "Dolly," the young daughter of Fauré’s mistress, Emma Bardac (who later married Claude Debussy). Each of the six pieces reflects a different aspect of childhood:
Berceuse – A gentle lullaby that opens the suite, originally written for Dolly’s first birthday. The Eranova Ensemble brings out the warmth and tenderness of this piece with perfectly weighted phrases and a soft, flowing touch that envelops the listener in nostalgia.
Mi-a-ou – Inspired by the nickname of Dolly’s older brother, Raoul, rather than an actual cat.
Le jardin de Dolly – A piece that evokes the innocence of a child’s garden.
Kitty-valse – Originally titled Ketty-valse after the family dog, later changed due to a publishing error. Eranova’s performance shines here, with a light and playful energy that gives the waltz a delightful sense of movement.
Tendresse – A warm and affectionate piece, likely portraying a tender moment between mother and daughter.
Le pas espagnol – A lively Spanish-style dance that closes the suite with vibrancy and excitement. Yip and Hui bring a remarkable rhythmic precision and fiery spirit to this piece, infusing it with color and dynamic contrast.
The execution of these pieces by Eranova Ensemble is nothing short of masterful. Their notes are exquisitely controlled and full of life—clear and expressive, yet never harsh. Despite their strong and articulate touch, they play with a gentleness that perfectly embodies the delicacy of childhood.
There’s an undeniable playfulness in their performance. The staccatos are bright and crisp, while the legato passages flow with warmth and clarity. Their interpretation of Berceuse is particularly moving, drawing out the lullaby’s soft lyricism, while Kitty-valse sparkles with elegance and charm. Le pas espagnol, the suite’s lively conclusion, bursts with energy, as the duo delivers Fauré’s Spanish-tinged rhythms with dazzling precision.
Michelle Yip and Cao Hui, two world-class pianists based in Beijing with a shared vision of bringing classical music to new audiences. Dolly Suite marks the first chapter in their journey as the Eranova Ensemble, and with such an extraordinary debut, we eagerly await their second album next year.
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