Paul Lacombe: Piano Trio Nos. 1, 2 and 3 & Méditation

Even in his own lifetime, Paul Lacombe (1837-1927) was a neglected figure. Encouraged by Bizet in the 1860s, Lacombe’s music was played regularly at the Société Nationale de Musique in the 1870s alongside Franck, Saint-Saëns, and Fauré. But Lacombe never settled in Paris, preferring to live in the quiet obscurity of Carcassonne, his native town. He was praised by the critic and composer Henri Collet for chamber music in which the instruments were “admirably treated,” and for the imaginative freedom with which he used cyclic forms. This disc is a chance to rediscover a fascinating lost figure in French music: neglected but utterly distinctive.

it’s hard not to warm to the allure of this music…the performances are committed and confident. Fine sound and notes, too. Recommended. — Fanfare, March/April 2022