Poetic narrative pieces

Two hands, twelve keys, the joy of playing and inspiration - this is what it takes to write miniatures, as the pianist and composer Thierry Huillet (*1965) does with Treize à la douzaine has done. These thirteen tales, actually counting rhymes, for piano (Comptines pour piano) are ideal for introducing lower intermediate pupils to newer music. The very short pieces with titles such as Plus loins, Pierrot, Arc-en-ciel or Larme are written in a very personal tonal language, and despite the sparse means, they are not lacking in poetry and tonal charm. "A la douzaine" refers to the 12 notes of the octave, which often all appear in one piece. This colorful music is conceived entirely from the piano and its clear structures help to overcome the fear of unfamiliar sounds and many accidentals. Played as a continuous cycle, it lasts five and a half minutes. More advanced players should also enjoy these pieces and I can definitely recommend them as short recital pieces.

Thierry Huillet, Treize à la douzaine, comptines piano, AL 30 595, ca. € 12.50, Alphonse Leduc, Paris 2011