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Artist: Francine Kay
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Things Lived And Dreamt

Canadian pianist Francine Kay presents a collection of Czech piano music from the late 1800’s to the first half of the 20th century. This much anticipated recording marks Francine Kay’s return to disc after having recorded three discs for the Analekta label, which received international acclaim.

Kay champions the little known masterpiece by Josef Suk, Things Lived and Dreamt op.30, a set of ten fantastical pieces that Suk himself described as “a sort of artist’s diary”. This recording also shines a light on Vítezslava Kaprálová, whose youthful composition, April Preludes op.13, reveals the brilliance and vitality of a composer whose life was cut tragically short at the age of twenty-five. The great Sonata 1.X.1905 (From the Street) by Leoš Janácek, a composer of extraordinary depth and originality, commemorates the death of a Moravian carpenter who was killed during a demonstration supporting the right to a Czech-speaking University in Brno. This piece runs the full gamut of emotional energy-- its two movements are entitled The Presentiment and The Death. Charming and melodious works by Antonín Dvorák, (including Dvorák's most famous melody in the Humoresque No. 7), Smetana (Polka No.2 in A minor), and a lyrical composition by Suk from Spring op. 22a round out this colorful and intriguing album.

About Francine Kay : Noted for having “an extraordinary range of color” (Montreal Gazette) and “poetic brilliance” (Toronto Star), pianist Francine Kay is acclaimed for the beauty of her sound and the intensity and depth of her interpretations.
Since making her debut at the Carnegie Recital Hall as winner of the Pro Piano Competition, Francine Kay has been a regular guest at international festivals such as Music Mountain, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the Nowy Sacz International Music Festival (Poland), the Chopin Festival in Mariánské Lázne (Czech Republic), and the Zodiac Academy and Festival (France).

Ms. Kay’s recordings have received international accolades. Her Debussy recording was nominated for a JUNO award and was chosen as Disc of the Month by the German publication Fono Forum. Her performances are broadcast frequently on CBC, NPR, the BBC, WFMT, Radio France, and the EBU.

Ms. Kay has performed at venues such as Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium and Weill Recital Hall, the Lincoln Center’s Rose Studio, Salle Gaveau in Paris, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. She has also appeared on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts and the Bargemusic series in New York City, and she has been a soloist with orchestras across Canada and the United States.