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Cécile Ousset, pianist

Reviews

After hearing Cécile Ousset perform Saint-Saens Concerto no.2 ..I will never be satisfied with anyone else’s interpretation…Ms Ousset displayed a light touch, a gracefulness and a fluidity that made the glittering showpiece shine in a new light.
Cincinatti Symphony/Carlos Kalmar, Saint-Saens Concerto no.2

Cecile Ousset sought out the heart of the work and of its composer with resounding success… Even in the first movement cadenza, Ousset managed to tease out previously undiscovered details. Her refined cascades of notes, cantabile phrasing, and unselfconscious immersion in Schumann’s dreamworld – all these are talents which allowed her to reveal the very best qualities of the music.. Enthusiastic applause for an enchanting balancing act between discipline and emotion…
Leipzig Gewandhaus/Belohlavek, Schumann Concerto

Ousset’s way with the work’s final minutes (Saint-Saens no.2) has long been one of the most exciting fixtures on the circuit, and it was good to hear her mix of robustness and vivacity so energetically partnered.
BBC Philharmonic Orchestra/Tortelier on BBC Radio 3, Saint-Saens Concerto no.2 - The Independent

The French pianist Cécile Ousset gave a brilliant interpretation of Saint-Saens Piano Concerto no.2, full of impulsive passion right through to the overwhelming finale. Whether in the purely virtuosic passages, which she played with sovereign command, or the more musical passages, she approached the work with good taste and praise-worthy sincerity.
Orquesta Filharmonica de Gran Canaria/Adrian Leaper, Saint-Saens Concerto no.2

The opening phrase was exquisitely articulated but it was with the entry into the slow movement’s world of poetic sweet dreams and Ousset’s brilliant bravura and dashing wit in the finale…which made this memorable.
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Richard Hickox, Beethoven Concerto no.1

Commanding a firm, extrovert touch for the thrusting confident first movement she fell into a timeless, lyrical reverie for the adagio before launching into a breathlessly ebullient finale.
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Matthias Bamert, Beethoven Concerto no.2

Cécile Ousset gave a finely-honed performance, providing the orchestra with plenty to engage with. She maintained the pulse excellently at all times and her organic approach to the piece produced a perfect interpretation of this work.
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra/Arnold Ostman, Mozart Concerto no.26

Ousset was magnificent…her presence and control throughout held the audience rapt.
Hallé Orchestra/Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, Tchaikovsky Concerto no.1

Her magnificent playing, full of brilliance, and characterised by chiselled articulation, delighted the audience with its elegance, charm and flair for romantic sensibility; her tangible sense of joy in Mendelssohn’s genial, instinctive music corresponded perfectly with her completely natural, straightforward and relaxed approach.
Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland Pfalz/Bernhard Klee, Mendelssohn Concerto no.1

Radio 3’s live Chopin and Ravel recital by Cécile Ousset reminds us of her robust clarity and musicianship. Her encores have a racy, virtuoso aplomb.
Wigmore Hall/BBC Radio 3 live recital on CD (Gramophone Magazine review)