Water

Having risen to, and recorded, many of the piano repertoire’s biggest challenges, the ever-questing Hélène Grimaud sought out the composer, producer, and performer Nitin Sawhney to curate this 2016 album, inspired by water. It scoops up many of the greatest 19th- and 20th-century portrayals of it, with music by Liszt, Ravel, Fauré, Albéniz (a particularly delicious “Almería”), Janáček, Takemitsu, and Berio, all linked by interludes composed and produced by Sawhney. As a concept album, *Water* was trailblazing, showcasing two artists of imagination in a program that broke the traditional mold and ushered in a new approach to themed classical programs.