Urlicht on the Road: Report from Paris

Our owner is still shaking off jet lag following an enormously rewarding two days of marathon recording sessions at Temple Saint-Pierre in Paris La Villette. The indefatigable pianist Pascal Rogé and friends — violinist Elmira Darvarova (the first ever woman-concertmaster in the history of the Metropolitan Opera), Orchestre de Paris principal clarinetist Pascal Moraguès, New York Philharmonic horn virtuoso Howard Wall, and Pascal’s wife, pianist Ami Rogé — recorded some of Francis Poulenc‘s most rewarding chamber and piano four-hands music. Audiophile engineer George Vassilev, who was an enormously perceptive set of “second ears”, and François, the master piano technician from Régie Pianos who was present for the entire session keeping a stunning Steinway in perfect condition, played a huge role in making these demanding sessions a complete success. Urlicht is grateful beyond words to every one of these terrific musicians, and can’t wait to get this recording on the market.