Debussy: Rediscovered

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Debussy fans have cause to celebrate: this CD presents the world-premiere recordings of four fascinating works by Debussy and the first digital recording of his steamy, exotic Six Epitaphes Antiques, a series of piano duets, which were faithfully transcribed for orchestra by the fine Debussy conductor Ernest Ansermet. The "new" works--all of which were orchestrated or, in the case of Printemps--Suite Symphonique, "reconstructed" by someone else--are beauties as well. The Printemps is probably the oddest--it is for orchestra and wordless chorus, and it is alternately languorous and energized, much like spring itself. The Suite Bergamasque contains the composer's justly famous "Clair de Lune" as well as three dance movements, each lovelier than the last. The other two short pieces--"La Puerta del Vino" and "Pagodes"--contain suggestions of Spain and the Far East, respectively, and end this fascinating disc with the same type of familiarity and surprise with which it begins. Highly recommended. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Six Epigraphes Antiques: Pour Invoquer Pan, Dieu Du Vend D'ete
Six Epigraphes Antiques: Pour Un Tombeau Sans Nom
Six Epigraphes Antiques: Pour Que La Nuit Soit Propice
Six Epigraphes Antiques: Pour La Danseuse Aux Crotales
Six Epigraphes Antiques: Pour L'Egyptienne
Six Epigraphes Antiques: Pour Remercier La Pluie Au Matin
Ste Bergamasque: Prld
Ste Bergamasque: Menuet
Ste Bergamasque: Clair De Lune
Ste Bergamasque: Passepied
Printemps - Ste Symphonique: Tres Modere - Lisa Vroman/Micheline Steacy/Sonja Wohlgemuth/San Francisco Ballet Chor/David J. Xiques
Printemps - Ste Symphonique: Modere - Lisa Vroman/Micheline Steacy/Sonja Wohlgemuth/San Francisco Ballet Chor/David J. Xiques
Prlds - Book 2: La Puerta Del Vino
Estampes: Pagodes

Amazon.com

Debussy fans have cause to celebrate: this CD presents the world-premiere recordings of four fascinating works by Debussy and the first digital recording of his steamy, exotic Six Epitaphes Antiques, a series of piano duets, which were faithfully transcribed for orchestra by the fine Debussy conductor Ernest Ansermet. The "new" works--all of which were orchestrated or, in the case of Printemps--Suite Symphonique, "reconstructed" by someone else--are beauties as well. The Printemps is probably the oddest--it is for orchestra and wordless chorus, and it is alternately languorous and energized, much like spring itself. The Suite Bergamasque contains the composer's justly famous "Clair de Lune" as well as three dance movements, each lovelier than the last. The other two short pieces--"La Puerta del Vino" and "Pagodes"--contain suggestions of Spain and the Far East, respectively, and end this fascinating disc with the same type of familiarity and surprise with which it begins. Highly recommended. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Rediscovered indeed.......2002-12-28

It is very unfortunate that this absolutely marvelous CD seems to be unavalable anymore.

The selections of Debussy's previously unrecorded works is at time lush and evocative, and at times relaxing and comtemplative.

The "Six Epigraphs" were based on poetry pieces that had been written by Pierre Louys. It is very unfortunate that the poems that inspired Debussy are not included with the liner notes. I would have liked to be able to read what Debussy saw that made him want to write this fantastic music.

The only piece that people have heard before, the "Suite Bergamesque" is presented in probably one of the best sounding versions of that selection I have ever heard. The "Clair De Lune" is especially poignant.

The reconstructed version of "Printemps" is very modern for its time. Based on the original 1887 version, Emil De Cou does a fantastic job of making this sound like something that Debussy had completed.

"La Puerta Del Vino" has a very Spanish feel and it's a wonder why we don't hear this short work more often. Henri Busser does a great job of orchestrating this treasure.

"Pagodes" has a very oriental feel, and complements the spanish selection well. Andre Caplet provides a musical picture of the Far East with this almost unknow piece of Debussy's work.

Hopefully, someone of "The Powers That Be" will see this review and reissue this magnificent collection of Debussy's almost unknown and almost undiscovered works by the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra.

Encore, Maestro!.......2002-12-11

This is one of the best CDs I've acquired in the last year. The music, the orchestrations, the playing and conducting are all wonderful. I've probably listened to it weekly for the better part of a year. I was first attracted by the promise of something new and/or unfamiliar, the lovely cover, and the local (Bay Area) connection, but I keep going back to it because of the great success of the venture. I'd be delighted to find more recordings by these forces. Encore, Maestro!

Lush and Transportive........2000-06-26

Maestro de Cou introduced this CD to me himself by showing it to me one night in a bar. My interest at the time was only cursory. However, I did eventually buy it, after having first purchased a recording of a Debussy string quartet and then wanting to hear many more of Debussy's works. I could not have made a better selection for this purpose. The music on this recording is so lovely, so well-performed, and so evocative, it will take you to another place. This was an excellent project for the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra, helping to set them apart from the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, which itself has dabbled in many recent interesting projects recently under the very able baton of Michael Tilson Thomas. I very much hope there will be future offerings from the SF Ballet Orchestra under Emil de Cou's directorship that will continue to take us to new and wonderful listening experiences.

Debussy Rediscovered.......2000-02-22

Outstanding rendition of previously unrecorded pieces by Debussy, as well as some favorites (Clair d'Lune, for example). The music is lush, full and played faultlessly. Hats off to Emil de Cou and the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. Here's hoping we'll hear more from this group!

Average customer rating:

Horowitz is Horowitz
He does what he does!
some spectacular stuff
Primarily for Horowitz fans
High Voltage Pianism

Horowitz Rediscovered

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Scherzo | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Horowitz: Discovered Treasures
Horowitz: The Private Collection, Vol. 1
Horowitz: The Last Recording
Horowitz: The Last Romantic
Horowitz at the Met

ASIN: B000092Q8V
Release Date: 2003-05-06

Tracks:

Applause
Sonata No. 3 In F Minor, Op. 14 'Concert Sans Orchestre'
Allegro Brillante
Scherzo: Molto Commodo
Quasi Variazioni: Andantino De Clara Wieck
Prestissimo Possible

Tracks:

Applause
Prelude In G, Op. 32 No. 5
Etude-Tableau In E-Flat Minor, Op. 39 No. 5
Valse Oubliee No. 1 In F-Sharp
Au Bord D'une Source (Annees De Pelerinage, 1er Annee, Suisse, No. 4)
Waltz In A Minor, Op. 34 No. 2
Scherzo No. 1 In B Minor, Op. 20
Serenade To A Doll (Children's Corner)
traumerei/Reverie (Kinderscenen, Op. 15 No. 7
Etincelles (Morceaux Caracteristiques, Op. 36 No. 6
Etude-Tableau In D, Op. 39 No. 9

Amazon.com

When Vladimir Horowitz was still alive, he insisted that his live performance recordings be corrected with retakes whenever he was dissatisfied with artistic or technical matters. This posthumous release is apparently the first major label publication of an unedited Horowitz recital. Listeners who never heard Horowitz in concert, or who haven't heard any of the bootleg releases of his live performances, may be surprised to hear "The Pianist of the Century" actually hitting wrong notes and having out of control moments, just like a real live human being. But this complete recital, recorded in Carnegie Hall on November 16, 1975, presents a more honest and, in some ways, more affecting portrait of Horowitz than his more heavily edited recordings. The Etude-Tableau Op. 39, No. 5 may be a little messy, and Horowitz's way with the Chopin Scherzo is rather heavy-handed and sometimes veers off the track. But the Schumann works (often one of Horowitz's best composers) are quite splendid, well worth the reasonable cost of the set in themselves, and the encores all sparkle. The professional-quality recording has been expertly remastered. This may not be Horowitz's "best" recording, but it may be the truest representation of his playing. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Horowitz is Horowitz.......2004-01-26

This concert is certainly a mixed bag filled with the gorgeous sounds only Horowitz can draw out of his piano, the exaggerated rhythmic variances that always skirt the line of good taste (usually managing to stay on the positive side), and the incredible daring this man would risk in front of a Carnagie Hall audience! In the end, although I might at times feel annoyance with what he is doing, I always feel deeply satisfied and pleased, and simply happy. Perhaps that has to do with the fact that Horowitz is always engaging, and one sits and listens attentively to what sonic information he will come up with next. Beautifully recorded... and what a Chopin's B Minor Scherzo!!!! Nobody but Horowitz ever reached THAT level!

He does what he does!.......2003-12-27

While listening to this recital I kept thinking of a comment a friend made after attending a Horowitz recital (possibly this very one). I called him and naively asked if it was a good recital. He informed me that Horowitz's playing has nothing whatever to do with good or bad. He is just Horowitz. He does what he does. If you don't like it, don't go!
That's pretty much the way I feel about this recital. There's certainly plenty to grumble about. The Blumenstuck is anything but semplice, and the last movement of the Schumann sonata seems to entirely confuse Horowitz, as he throws in everything but the kitchen sink in an unsuccessful attempt to make sense of it. (For a far more coherent rendition, try Pollini's stunning performance on DGG.) "Traumerie" is also pulled to pieces with all sorts of phony inner voices and changes of tempo. Worst of all is the poor Chopin Waltz, where Horowitz's tendency to set off little "bombs" in the left hand combines with endless fussing around with tempo and phrasing to produce a terminally annoying performance.
So why the five stars? Because ultimately none of the above matters much. This is still Horowitz in hs late prime, complete, unedited, and quite well-recorded. The Rachmaninoff and Liszt works are superb, as are the Debussy and Moszkowski and the first three movements of the sonata. Love him or hate him, it's HOROWITZ LIVE this very night in your living room. Be there!

some spectacular stuff.......2003-10-03

the entire first CD is works by Schumann which are played well,

but the reason to get this CD is for the terrifying version of the b-minor scherzo of Chopin, absolutely awesome!
and the a-minor waltz is beautiful.
the rachmaninoff prelude in g-major is stunningly sensitive

this is some exciting playing!

Primarily for Horowitz fans.......2003-06-10

I can add only a little to an earlier review of this concert - which was right on the money. But for those that might be looking for the earlier lp issue of the Schumann sonata, one can now obtain the original lp issue of the sonata on the Philips' Great Pianist series where that performance in question has finally been reissued on CD. (This should not be confused with the RCA Horowitz plays Schumann disc, where an alternate, inferior, take was used.)
It is a matter of fact that both Sony and BMG has volumes of complete Horowitz recitals in their vaults. Having several boots of his concerts from the 70's, RCA did not always issue the better takes. (Or for tha matter, why didn't RCA issue VH's rarely performed Scriabin Nocturne for the left hand, which he played in '79?)
As far as this recital goes, it's a bit of a mixed bag, but it is true that he never played the same piece twice the same way. Horowitz fans will jump on this set - yet at the same time crave more recitals to be issued! Sony and BMG: Are you listening?

High Voltage Pianism.......2003-05-30

2003 marks the centennial year of the birth of Vladimir Horowitz. In commemoration, RCA has released the complete, unedited recital of November 16, 1975. None of the repertoire on this release is new to the Horowitz discography, but as the pianist never played the same works twice in the same way, the performances contain new insights.

The first half of the recital featured two works by Schumann which were somewhat off the beaten path. The Blumenstück (Flower Piece) is played in a considerably different manner than his live performance from 1966. The tempo is dramatically slower, with more rubato as Horowitz occasionally slows down to smell the roses.

The Sonata in F Minor, (sometimes referred to as the Concerto Without Orchestra) is a problematic piece. Horowitz's go-for-broke performance here is in marked contrast to the version he approved for release on LP in 1976 (and far superior to the botched CD "outtake" version on RCA 6680-2-RG). The pianist takes considerably more liberties in regard to tempo and rubato, and he takes a great number of risks technically (particularly in the second movement, which is very fast) which don't always pay off. That was the thing about Horowitz in concert: rather like a box of chocolates, you never knew what you were going to get. In the final analysis, the LP version (which is not available on CD) remains the benchmark performance of this piece.

Rachmaninoff's G major Prelude is played with loving tenderness and astonishing control of the lower levels of dynamics. The two Rachmaninoff Etudes-Tableaux (one of them was an encore) are given spasmodic, occasionally brutal "go for broke" performances which teeter on the brink of disaster, but remain remarkable for all that.

Liszt's Valse Oublieé and Au bord d'une source had been recorded by Horowitz before, but it's interesting just how much more effective these live performances are. Whether it's due to superior recorded sound, or perhaps because Horowitz was "in the mood" that day, the pianist perfectly captures the prismatic mystique of the forgotten waltz, and the bubbling brook of the water piece.

Horowitz recorded more music by Chopin than any other composer. The A Minor Waltz (Horowitz's favorite) is played in a brooding, inward manner altogether different from his straightlaced 1971 studio version. The B minor Scherzo, a Horowitz staple, is given a feverish, slashing performance similar in tempo and mood to his 1951 recording, building to a stunning climax and concluding with interlocking octaves replacing the usual chromatic scales.

The encores by Debussy, Schumann, Moszkowski and Rachmaninoff are a typical Horowitzian show (the pianist announces the encores, which he usually didn't do), and bring an effective close for the recital.

Tracks:

Applause
Son No.60 in C, H.XVI/50: Allegro
Son No.60 in C, H.XVI/50: Adagio
Son No.60 in C, H.XVI/50: Allegro Molto
Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54
Ballade No.3 in A flat, Op.47
Prld in f#, Op.23 No.1
Prld in A, Op.32 No.9
Prld in b, Op.32 No.10
Prld in g#, Op.32 No.12
Jeux D'eau
La Vallee Des Cloches (Miroirs, No.5)

Tracks:

Applause
Son No.6 in A, Op.82:
Son No.6 in A, Op.82:
Son No.6 in A, Op.82:
Son No.6 in A, Op.82:
Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.3 Allegretto
Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.4 Animato
Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.5 Molto Giocoso
Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.6 Con Eleganza
Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.8 Commodo
Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.9 Allegretto Tranquillo
Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.11 Con Vivicita
Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.14 Feroce
Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.15 Inquieto
Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.18 Con Una Dolce Lentezza
(Mosque Theatre Encores) Applause
(Mosque Theatre Encores) Cinderella Ste: Gavotte, Op.95 No.2
(Mosque Theatre Encores) Visions Fugitives, Op.22: No.4 Animato
(Mosque Theatre Encores) Prlds, Book I. No.5: Les Collines D'Anacapri
(Mosque Theatre Encores) Etude in A flat, Op.10 No.10
(Mosque Theatre Encores) Etude in c, Op.10 No.12
(Mosque Theatre Encores) Mazurka in C, Op.24 No.2

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

RCA Victor's Richter Rediscovered lets us hear Sviatoslav Richter perform with intensity and purpose he rarely matched and still more rarely surpassed. This two-CD set comprises Richter's entire Dec. 26, 1960, Carnegie Hall recital and several encores from the same program two days later in Newark's Mosque Theater. Most transcripts of Richter's live performances miss details in his playing--the prismatic shimmer of his tone in all registers, for example, or the way he could instantaneously jump from triple pianissimo to triple fortissimo. But RCA's superb recorded sound does justice to the pianist's variety of nuance and range of dynamics. Younger listeners will now hear Richter "live" the way we older ones remember him: performing Haydn's Sonata No. 50 in C with lapidarian perfection as well as with freedom of rhythm and expression; diversifying, without diluting, the savagery of Prokofiev's Sonata No. 6 by employing softer colors than those usually heard; playing Rachmaninov's Prelude in A with gigantic chords made more all the more impressive by the subtle emergence of the delicate melody from within them; and endowing Chopin's Étude in A flat (Op. 10, No. 10) with breathtaking poetry through ingenious variations of touch and rhythm. --Stephen Wigler

Customer Reviews:

this set comes with intriguing documentaion.......2005-12-30

I have a hunch that the reviewer below who expresses some doubts about some of the playing could be right.Richter was never that happy playing in the USA and the hard driven Haydn which opens the disc only intermittently captured my attention.However,this set does come with some fascinating documentation including a thoroughly patronizing article (from 1961) by that doyen of American music critics Harold C. Schonberg '..in some respects Richter's playing tends to be provincial.One has noticed this again and again with Russian artists coming to the west for the first time.....now he must adapt his thinking to new influences'

A treasure for Richter's fans and all music lovers!.......2004-06-01

Richter was an outrageous pianist; you may admire or disagree with his musical conceptions; but instead of that statement, you must recognize the presence of the genius in this unforgettable russian artist.

In this recording Richter has peaks and lows; his Haydn's sonate performance lacks of humor and spirit naif; his Chopin sounds cold; even expressive.

But listen Ravel's jeux; with the only exception of Cortot achievement's from 1928 , I've never heard such sound; loiaded with warm imagination and deep nuance.

The Prokoviev's sixth is the best of the record.I've matched with Sandor; Bronffman and an ancient russian pianist Yuri Boukoff (not released in CD yet) and forgive all the items. It's a winner.

In general terms it's an important document that lets you approach to Richter's craft.

Buy this one.

Interesting document, both historically and musically.......2004-01-06

These performances from one of Richter's first Carnegie Hall recitals offer amany interesting insights, although they are not of a uniform level, as we will see. Richter plays the Haydn admirably, but the sonata misses some necessary charm and humour. His Chopin Scherzo strikes me as a bit weird, although the Ballade is majestic and rathe convincing, despite the idiosyncratic tempo changes. In Rachmaninov, Richer is entirely in his element and he delivers spectacular, wonderfully autumnal performances of the Preludes on the programme. The Ravel, the last on the first disc, is splendid: Richter plays with the least probable ponderousness in Jeux-d'eau, going almost to a higher realm. The entire second disc is great. The Prokofiev Sonata no.6 has only been surpassed by Richter himself, in his Praga live recording (which also has more liquid sound) The sonata's final movement, where Richter plays with a stunning sense of rhythm and incredible virtuosity, is one of his finest moments. Richter runs through the ensuing Visions fugitives as if he was made to play this music. Follow a fine Debussy piece, two incredibly speedy Chopin etudes and a Mazurka, all played with much relaxation and authority. The Revolutionary Etude could have been fierier, but still. The only problem with the second disc is hat it is overloaded with applauses. Additionally, I do find he price a bit exorbitant when considering that both discs do not contain as much music as they could. In sum, a fine, recommendable set, with some historical value too (it was part of Richter's first American tour). The liner notes are good, but some of Harold Schonberg's remarks are doubtful (he says, among other things, that Richter lacks the power of Serkin or the technique of Cherkassky, wboth of which statements do not seem true to me). There may be other Richter recordings of this repertoire available that surpass these readings, however, and the price is definitely too high for the amount of music that is given.

Richter live, for better and for worse.......2003-05-25

These live recordings, taken from recitals in New York's Carnegie Hall and New Jersey in 1960, vividly capture Sviatoslav Richter's gargantuan technique and equally outsize musical personality.

Not surprisingly, the Russian music receives close to definitive treatment, with the Prokofiev Sixth Sonata breathtaking in capturing both the hard-edged virtuosity of the outer movements and decadent elegance of the Tempo di valzer lentissimo third movement. The Rachmaninov Preludes are a feast of warm tone and clear textures. The Prokofiev Visions Fugitives, performed as encores at both concerts, slip by like the quicksilver glimpses of fantasy they are.

The rest of the material is more controversial. The Haydn Sonata is notable for the incredible speed of its opening movement; the technique is dazzling but there is little else. The finale, oddly, proves to be on the sedate side. The Adagio, however, is beautifully shaped and balanced. The Chopin Scherzo and Third Ballade remind this listener of Horowitz, not in a good way: the music is driven too hard and loses poise, the end of the Ballade particularly difficult to endure in its overplayed clangor.

Nevertheless, as a whole, these performances are vivid and essential documents of one of the great pianistic personalities of the twentieth century. The sound is clear and perfectly acceptable, though there is little "live" ambience.

Magnificent Prokofiev.......2003-03-21

Richter played an unrivaled Prokofiev at this concert, especially the sonata No. 6 in A, Op.82. I have rarely heard him play with so much intensity, love, spontaneity, passion. The splendid remastered sound adds more grandeur to his powerful and moving performance.
Besides the impressive Prokofiev, I also appreciate his Rachmaninov preludes, surpassing the other Russian pianists I know, Pletnev, Gavrilov, Ashkenazy, etc.
Richter's Chopin usually leaves me cold. Like Sofronitsky, an incomparable Scriabin performer, Richter played Chopin with too much virility, too much strength, lacking something subtle, refined, deep, romantic, touching.
Listening to Richter's Chopin, I yearn for Grigory Sokolov, the romantic pianist who can express all the emotions and passions of Chopin.

Average customer rating:

Golden Genius
Another grande dame of the piano worth further attention

Rediscovered Master
Madeleine de Valmalète , Claude Debussy , Manuel de Falla , Gabriel Faure , Franz Liszt , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Modest Mussorgsky , Sergey Prokofiev , Sergey Rachmaninov , and Maurice Ravel
Manufacturer: Arbiter
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Dances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Bartók in the Desert: The Art of Irén Marik

ASIN: B0007WFXW6
Release Date: 2005-03-29

Customer Reviews:

Golden Genius.......2006-06-06

Born of French aristocracy, First Prize at the Paris Conservatory at age 14 with diploma handed her by Faure, a favorite of Saint-Saens, recitals and engagements across Europe with major conductors, devotion ultimately to teaching, first in her own school and later ,at his request,joining Cortot at his Ecole Normale, setting the stage for worthy performances unhindered by pretense or ego. A life and career spanning the 20th Century,1899-1999.

Her 1992 Mozart K.397 Fanatsy and K.576 Sonata are satisfying;make you want to hear them immediately again. Romantic, big-boned,but true to the music's heart . At 93, we have timeless readings of music simple for children, difficult for adults, spun of pure gold in her hands.

Then come a series of works from 1928 Polydor sessions in Berlin:

The Ravel Tombeau is relevatory,and apparently the first recording of this work. In her view, the work is not an exercise in "impressionistic" composition; or a virtuoso display; but an earnest tribute to and re-creation of the great harpsichord style,sound,and ornamentation. Her Prelude, Fugue, Forlane,and Menuet are especially telling, left-hand voicing overlooked by many,reverent,sparingly pedaled performances. Even the accomplished Casadesus recording misses some of her depth of detail. Her hands work in concert to create integral wholes, not unrelated gestures. Valmalete shows there is more Couperin in the Ravel than Rameau in Debussy's Hommage.

Then, great Liszt!! The first 2/3 of her 11th Rhapsodie reminds me of the elegance and color suggested in Busoni's 13th Rhapsodie recording, and dePachman. Then, at the end, a powerful, free-wheeling display, in total simply playing the excellent Kentner version under the table, Kentner at 6:05, Valmalete 5:17.

A French pianist who is not uncomfortable with the stoicism and tragedy that informs the best of Russian music. Her Rachmaninoff Bacarolle is unaffected, yet strong . She avoids having the flickering figurations in the Rachmaninoff too prominent . She provides a more melancholy reading than Graffman's somewhat brighter view, her waters darker, ominously quieter. Then, Prokofieff's Oranges March colorful, brilliant, rich.

Having established herself equally at home in Ravel,Liszt,Mozart, Prokofieff,and Rachmaninoff, we then are treated to a remarkable string of selections which bring us a cool,modern Debussy Feux d'artifice; the passion of deFalla Fire Dance; the liquid colors of classicist Ravel in Jeux d'Eau;and finally warm,restrained romanticism of Faure; all different styles and sound; all perfectly realized.

Her Debussy Feux must be one of the great recordings ever of anything, jaw-dropping,split-second control, technically and intellectually staggering,even Paul Jacobs not extending the bounds of this score as Valmalete does, Jacobs at 4:22,Valmalete an incandescent 3:36.

In sharp contrast,the Faure Op.36 Nocturne, recorded in 1961, my favorite moment of the cd,exquisitely shaped. Collard's excellent recording is top of the keys playing, colorful and etherial at times, but in Valmalete we have gentle rubato and more emotional depth,with still all the filigree and color.

A small sample, but sufficient to support Allan Evan's assessment as surely one of the greats.The range from Mozart to Rachmaninoff exemplifies the Golden Age tradition,while the Debussy performance reflects a transitional pianist at home in the 20th Century. While a student of Philipp and the Conservatoire, one does not have an impression of a "French" pianist.It would have been wonderful to hear her Schubert,Schumann,Brahms,Chopin.Apparently, at age 80 she was still playing the Liszt Sonata and complete Chopin Etudes.Perhaps with this Arbiter cd , EMI will be encouraged to release her 1975 Chopin Ballades,withheld by EMI for some reason.

From the liner notes,copyright, by her student Eric N'Kaoua:

"Critics praised her varied artistry,passionate temperment, and staggering technique...She was a force of nature...the second Frenchwomen ever to earn a driver's license,yet still lived with her much-respected mother,whose constant presence may have discouraged potential suitors.. (Valmalete married in 1949)...Her playing draws forth the phrases without affection,making exteme pianissimi speak,and is never harsh,even in the most violent fortes...Although these performances may be impregnated with the heritage of the Romantic pianism, I believe they transcend schools of interpretation and stylistic questions.They offer an all too brief glimpse into her own musical world,marked by a sort of sublimated childlike grace,spiritual innocence,and intensity. But then playing the piano can be likened to those Tibetan monks who painstakingly sculpt evanescent statues out of yak butter. Like Tibetan monks,pianists must begin again every morning to communicate to those who know how to listen.They much live each day,however fleeting,to the fullest.This may be the price for men and women to truly advance."

A price paid gladly by Valmalete, her wonderfully sculpted readings hopefully not a fleeting legacy.

Another grande dame of the piano worth further attention.......2005-04-18

When Allan Evans asked me to write a review, I warned him that it would be difficult for me to give a "fair and balanced review" since I had spoken so glowingly of her "Tombeau de Couperin" in various Internet piano-groups. My unconscionable delay between receiving this disc and actually writing a review can be traced to one thing - after hearing the disc (repeatedly), I knew that the quality of my writing could never match the quality of this artist's playing.

Although Madeleine de Valmalete (a pupil of Isidor Philipp and Joseph Morpain) performed extensively in Europe, often giving concerto performances with major conductors, she is virtually unknown in America, because she never toured here, and she made few recordings. Her only commercial releases were a series of 78s for Polydor in 1928 - some of these were issued in the US on Brunswick. This CD contains all of the Polydors, as well as some private recordings from 1961 and 1992.

The disc opens with a 1992 digital recording of the Mozart Fantasia in D Minor, K. 397. Producer (and longtime pupil of Valmalete) Eric Ferrand-N'Kaoua, who arranged for these sessions, stated that she wanted to "treat herself to some Mozart", and in his words, "the burden of her 93 years seemed to dissolve as soon as she sat down at the piano." Contemporary "Mozart specialists" may frown upon some of the interpretive things she does in her Mozart, but it still makes for enjoyable playing - with a heck of a lot of history behind it. The last item on the disc is the technically taxing Mozart Sonata in D, K. 576. In some of the bristlier passages here, we may be reminded of her age, but at 93 the playing is still miraculous and certainly worth hearing. I presumed that these performances were "live" and unedited, and private correspondence with Allan Evans assures me that if any edits were done, they were minimal. We should all play that well at 63.

The 1961 recordings are of Faure - a composer she knew personally - the Nocturne in E Flat, op. 36, and the Impromptu in F minor, op. 31. Hearing these, I understand for the first time why the F Minor Impromptu was once so popular. Her phrasing, and sense of "breath", makes the music so much more than a rush of notes.

The last topic for discussion is the 1928 Polydors. The "Tombeau de Couperin", its first complete recording, is a brilliant performance as well as an important historical document. If this work was written between 1914 and 1917, we are hearing a recording of a standard repertoire work "in its eleventh year" - and in my humble opinion this recording alone would assure her reputation. Crystalline playing and a certain rhythmic "snap" throughout make this performance one that should not be overlooked by pianists wishing to study this work. I cannot find concrete evidence that she coached this with Ravel, but certainly he at least heard her at some point.

The remaining Polydor discs are of smaller works, and what an eclectic mix! Mussorgsky, Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Falla, Ravel, and Alabieff/Liszt. Each piece is beautifully executed - often with her own personal touches (a more brilliant ending to the Falla, glissandos substituted for the short rapid scale passages near the end of the Prokofiev "Love of Three Oranges", for example. Each of these recordings is a standout, and the listener will soon choose his or her favorites. I keep returning to the Prokofieff and the Liszt Rhapsody - a particularly engaging performance.

Production is of the quality that one expects (and gets) from Arbiter releases.

This disc is a "must-have" for anyone interested in French pianism, and hopefully it will restore interest in Valmalete.

Recommended with enthusiasm.

Rick Robertson