Gershwin Variations Lucas Debargue

• Georges Gershwin (1898 - 1937): Three Preludes:
• 1 Gershwin: Three Preludes: I. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso 01:28
• Piano Concerto in F:
• 2 Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F: I. Allegro 13:16
• 3 Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F: II. Adagio - Andante con moto 12:06
• 4 Gershwin: Piano Concerto in F: III. Allegro agitato 06:38
• Three Preludes:
• 5 Gershwin: Three Preludes: II. Andante con moto e poco rubato 03:27
• Rhapsody in blue:
• 6 Gershwin: Rhapsody in blue: Molto moderato 05:22
• 7 Gershwin: Rhapsody in blue: Meno mosso e poco scherzando 04:42
• 8 Gershwin: Rhapsody in blue: Andantino moderato 03:54
• 9 Gershwin: Rhapsody in blue: Agitato e misterioso 03:20
• Three Preludes:
• 10 Gershwin: Three Preludes: III. Allegro ben ritmato e deciso 01:24
• Georges Gershwin, Lucas Debargue: Embraceable You, Rumba in E:
• 11 Gershwin, Debargue: Embraceable You, Rumba in E 02:13
• Fascinating Rhythm, Valse in A
• 12 Gershwin, Debargue: Fascinating Rhythm, Valse in A 01:40
• Someone To Watch Over Me in D:
• 13 Gershwin, Debargue: Someone To Watch Over Me in D: Pavane 01:59
• 14 Gershwin, Debargue: Someone To Watch Over Me in D: Gaillarde 01:03
• It Ain't Necessarily So in G:
• 15 Gershwin, Debargue: It Ain't Necessarily So in G: Fantaisie 04:02
• 16 Gershwin, Debargue: It Ain't Necessarily So in G: Chaconne 02:22
• 17 Gershwin, Debargue: It Ain't Necessarily So in G: Fugue 02:01
• Liza, Gavotte § Double in C
• 18 Gershwin, Debargue: Liza, Gavotte § Double in C 01:50
• But Not For Me in F:
• 19 Gershwin, Debargue: But Not For Me in F: Prelude 01:53
• 20 Gershwin, Debargue: But Not For Me in F: Perpetuum Mobile 01:38
• I Want To Stay Here, Adagio Dekadent in B-Flat
• 21 Gershwin, Debargue: I Want To Stay Here, Adagio Dekadent in B-Flat 03:44
• The Man I Love, Mirage in E-Flat:
• 22 Gershwin, Debargue: The Man I Love, Mirage in E-Flat 02:53
• I Can't Take That Away From Me, Romance in A-Flat:
• 23 Gershwin, Debargue: I Can't Take That Away From Me, Romance in A-Flat 02:45
• I Got Rhythm (I Really Got Rhythm !), Boom Bap in D-Flat:
• 24 Gershwin, Debargue: I Got Rhythm (I Really Got Rhythm !), Boom Bap in D-Flat: Part I 01:50
• 25 Gershwin, Debargue: I Got Rhythm (I Really Got Rhythm !), Boom Bap in D-Flat: Part II 01:49
• 26 Gershwin, Debargue: I Got Rhythm (I Really Got Rhythm !), Boom Bap in D-Flat: Part III 01:42
• Lady Be Good, Berceuse in F-Sharp:
• 27 Gershwin, Debargue: Lady Be Good, Berceuse in F-Sharp 03:08
• Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B:
• 28 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Introduction 00:15
• 29 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Thème 01:01
• 30 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 1 : Tempestoso 00:31
• 31 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 2 : Tango 00:27
• 32 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 3 : Scherzo Alle Cinque 00:29
• 33 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 4 : Polonaise 00:47
• 34 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 5 : Féroce 00:41
• 35 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 6 : Scintillante 00:45
• 36 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 7 : Nocturne 00:56
• 37 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 8 : Marcia Funebre 00:57
• 38 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 9 : Sicilienne 00:38
• 39 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 10 : Intermezzo 00:29
• 40 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 11 : Reggae 00:23
• 41 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 12 : Con Fuoco 00:18
• 42 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 13 : Caccia 00:24
• 43 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 14 : Choral 00:47
• 44 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 15 : Toccatina Alle Sette 00:19
• 45 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 16 : Bossa Nova 00:34
• 46 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 17 : Largo Recitativo 00:59
• 47 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 18 : Teneramente 00:41
• 48 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 19 : Fugue 00:26
• 49 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Variation 20 : Tarentelle 01:09
• 50 Gershwin, Debargue: Summertime, 20 Concert Variations & Finale, on a Theme of George Gershwin in B: Finale : Alla Marcia 02:59
• Total Runtime 01:51:04

Info for Gershwin Variations

Internationally renowned pianist Lucas Debargue’s "Gershwin Variations" is an ambitious and unprecedented project, born of a desire to explore a radically different world after recording Scarlatti’s sonatas and the complete works of Fauré. This double album is an ode to George Gershwin, an unclassifiable composer straddling the boundary between classical music and jazz, whose uniqueness inspired Lucas to create, in turn, a work that defies categorization. The album is structured in two parts, each as grandiose and virtuosic as the other… yet each with its own distinct character.

The first part, recorded at the Philharmonie de Paris on Stephen Paulello’s one-of-a-kind SP/287 piano, features iconic works by Gershwin, including the Concerto in F with the Orchestre de Paris conducted by Elim Chan, the three piano preludes, and a personal interpretation of *Rhapsody in Blue* enriched by the pianist’s own cadenzas.

The second part, recorded at the Paulello Studio, is entirely devoted to twelve virtuoso études composed by Lucas based on Gershwin’s most popular songs, spanning the entire chromatic range. This cycle represents the most ambitious creation of his career as a pianist to date, affirming a desire for freedom and invention, and follows in the tradition of the great composers who wrote their own études.

The Gershwin Variations are neither a classical album nor a jazz album, but a hybrid work that reflects Gershwin’s nonconformist spirit and the American dream he embodied. Lucas thus offers a bold and poetic reinterpretation, in which counterpoint, shifting harmonies, and unconventional rhythms reveal the richness of Gershwin’s melodies. He invites the listener to rediscover a repertoire where popularity is never synonymous with triviality, and where music becomes a space of freedom, daring, and vitality.

Lucas Debargue, piano

Lucas Debargue
The incredible gift, artistic vision and creative freedom of Lucas Debargue was revealed by his performances at the Tchaikovsky International Competition in Moscow in 2015. He was awarded fourth prize and received the special prize of Moscow Music Critic Association.

After his success, Debargue started his career quickly. In 2015 Debargue signed with Sony Classical. He is performing in concert halls like Philharmonie de Paris, Carnegie Hall in New York, Wigmore Hall in London. the Theatre des Champs Elysées, Louis Vuitton Fondation in Paris, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Musikverein Vienna, Konzerthaus Vienna, the Prinzregententheater in Munich, Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Berlin Philharmonie, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Beijing National Centre for the Performing Arts, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Wuhan Qintai Concert Hall, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, Victoria Hall in Geneva, Tonhalle in Zürich, L’Auditori in Barcelona, MüPa Budapest, the Konserthuset in Stockholm, National Philharmonic Warsaw, Odessa Philharmonic, Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow, the Mariinsky Theatre Concert Hall, the St Petersburg Philharmonic Hall, Zaryadye Concert Hall and many others. He is a regular artist at the festivals such as Verbier festival, Tsinandali festival, Festival de La Roque-d’Anthéron and Festival de Pâques d’Aix-en-Provence.

Debargue has collaborated with conductors like Ludovic Morlot, Lorenzo Viotti, Andrey Boreyko, Laurence Equilbey, Tarmo Peltokoski, Tugan Sokhiev, Sascha Goetzel, Bertrand de Billy, Roberto González-Monjas, Gabor Takacs-Nagy, Andras Keller, Maxim Emelyanychev, Eugene Tzigane, Christian Schumann, Stanislav Kochanovsky, Joshua Weilerstein, Leon Botstein, Valery Gergiev, Mikhail Pletnev, Vladimir Spivakov, Vladimir Jurowski and many others.

Born in 1990, Lucas forged a highly unconventional path to success. Having discovered classical music at the age of 10, the future musician began to feed his passion and curiosity with diverse artistic and intellectual experiences, which included advanced studies of literature and philosophy. The encounter with the celebrated piano teacher Rena Shereshevskaya proved a turning point: her vision and guidance inspired Lucas to make a life-long professional commitment to music.

A performer of fierce integrity and dazzling communicative power, Lucas Debargue draws inspiration for his playing from literature, painting, jazz and cinema and develops very personal interpretation of a carefully selected repertoire. Though the core piano repertoire is central to his career, he is keen to present works by lesser-known composers like Karol Szymanowski, Nikolai Medtner, or Milosz Magin.

Lucas devotes a large portion of his time to composition and has already created over twenty works for piano solo and chamber ensembles. These include Orpheo di camera concertino for piano, drums and string orchestra, premiered by Kremerata Baltica, and a Piano Trio was created under the auspices of the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris. As a permanent guest Artist of Kremerata Baltica, Lucas has been commissioned to write a chamber opera.

Sony Classical has released five of his albums with music of Scarlatti, Bach, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Liszt, Ravel, Medtner and Szymanowski. His monumental four-volume tribute to Scarlatti, which came out at the end of 2019, has been praised by The New York Times and selected by NPR among “the ten classical albums to usher in the next decade”. August 2021 sees the release of an album devoted to the Polish composer Miłosz Magin. A true discovery of a fascinating yet unknown composer recorded with Kremerata Baltica and Gidon Kremer.

Lucas’s breakthrough at the Tchaikovsky Competition is the subject of the documentary To Music. Directed by Martin Mirabel and produced by Bel Air Media, it was shown at the International Film Festival in Biarritz in 2018.

Booklet for Gershwin Variations