Debussy: Préludes; Suite bergamasque; Pour le piano

On this CD:

1. Préludes (12) for piano, Book I, L..117
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Dino Ciani

2. Suite bergamasque, for piano, L. 75
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Tamas Vasary

3. Tarantelle styrienne, for piano (or orchestra), L. 69 ("Danse")
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Tamas Vasary

4. Arabesques (2) for piano, L. 66
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Tamas Vasary

5. Préludes (12) for piano, Book II, L. 123
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Dino Ciani

6. Pour le piano, suite for piano, L. 95 Assez animé et très rythmé, Prélude
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Dino Ciani

7. Pour le piano, suite for piano, L. 95 Avec une élégance grave et lente, Sarabande
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Tamas Vasary

8. Pour le piano, suite for piano, L. 95 Vif, Toccata
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Tamas Vasary

9. La plus que lente, waltz for piano (or orchestra), L. 121
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Tamas Vasary

10. L'isle joyeuse, for piano, L. 106
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Tamas Vasary

11. Masques, for piano, L. 105
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Tamas Vasary

Debussy: Préludes; Suite bergamasque; Pour le piano,Claude Debussy,Dino Ciani,Tamas Vasary,Deutsche Grammophon,Classical,Classical Composers,Classical Music,Collection of Preludes for Keyboard,Individual Dance for Keyboard,Keyboard,Keyboard Work with Descriptive or Unclassified Title,Music for Keyboard,Prelude for Keyboard,Suite/Partita for Keyboard,Waltz for Keyboard
Debussy: Piano Works
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • of the 6 or 7 recordings
  • One of the best Debussy performances I've heard.
  • Luminescent performances of Debussy's piano music!
  • one of my favorites
  • A great performance by a great pianist
Debussy: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

PreludesPreludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Ravel: Piano Works
  2. Satie: Piano Works
  3. Liszt: Favourite Piano Works
  4. Debussy's Greatest Hits
  5. Beethoven: Favourite Piano Sonatas / Vladimir Ashkenazy

ASIN: B00000423A
Release Date: 1994-10-11

Tracks:

  1. Suite Bergamasque: Prelude
  2. Suite Bergamasque: Menuet
  3. Suite Bergamasque: Clair de lune
  4. Suite Bergamasque: Passepied
  5. Children's Corner: Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum
  6. Children's Corner: Jimbo's Lullaby
  7. Children's Corner: Serenade For The Doll
  8. Children's Corner: The Snow Is Dancing
  9. Children's Corner: The Little Shepherd
  10. Children's Corner: Golliwogg's Cakewalk
  11. Images - Premier Livre: Reflets dans l'eau
  12. Images - Premier Livre: Hommage a Rameau
  13. Images - Premier Livre: Mouvement
  14. Images - Deuxieme Livre: Cloches ravers les feuiles
  15. Images - Deuxieme Livre: Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut
  16. Images - Deuxieme Livre: Poissons d'or
  17. Deux Arabesques: Andantino con moto
  18. Deux Arabesques: Allegretto scherzando

Tracks:

  1. Prdes - Premier Livre: Danseuses de Delphe
  2. Prdes - Premier Livre: Voiles
  3. Prdes - Premier Livre: Le Vent dans la plaine
  4. Prdes - Premier Livre: Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir
  5. Prdes - Premier Livre: Les Collines d'Anacapri
  6. Prdes - Premier Livre: Des pas sur la neige
  7. Prdes - Premier Livre: Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest
  8. Prdes - Premier Livre: La Fille aux cheveux de lin
  9. Prdes - Premier Livre: La Snade interrompue
  10. Prdes - Premier Livre: La Cathale engloutie
  11. Prdes - Premier Livre: La Danse de Puck
  12. Prdes - Premier Livre: Minstrels
  13. Pour le piano: Prde
  14. Pour le piano: Sarabande
  15. Pour le piano: Toccata
  16. Estampes: Pagodes
  17. Estampes: La Soirdans Grenade
  18. Estampes: Jardins sous la pluie
  19. L'isle joyeuse
  20. Rrie

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars of the 6 or 7 recordings .......2007-05-10

I've heard almost every artist of Debussy's wonderful solo piano music, Pascal roge is the finest. the only one you need actually.

5 out of 5 stars One of the best Debussy performances I've heard........2006-10-12

There's obviously hundreds of options if you're just "looking for some Debussy", but keep in mind that the $3 CDs at Best Buy are $3 for a reason: They don't put any money into the production. It's near impossible to enjoy such amazing works as this if it's being recorded on a cheap microphone across the room from an amateur clanking away on an upright piano!

Great recording, great performances. I don't know what the other reviewer was talking about with the "volume problems", this CD is actually mastered a little bit louder than most of the genre.

5 out of 5 stars Luminescent performances of Debussy's piano music! .......2005-03-30

I bought this CD on the suggestion of a former piano professor with whom I studied. I'm really glad I followed his suggestion.

It's a rare performer who can take pieces that we've heard over and over and OVER again, and bring something fresh to them. Pascal Rogé has pulled this off -- and then some!

Of the two CD set, I really can't tell which is my favorite: I'll play one CD, and listen to it over and over again and decide that one is my favorite; then I listen to the other one and the same thing happens!

Which piece is the best? It's really difficult to tell, simply because the playing throughout is of such high caliber! L'isle joyeuse is ecstatic -- the timing of the phrases, the colors achieved are almost miraculous! (This is my favorite performance of L'isle joyeuse, hands down!) Le vent dans la plaine actually conveys the idea of wind moving over a plain; Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest (What the West Wind Has Seen) is just downright creepy in a musical description of an extratropical storm (what was a hurricane, until it lost its tropical characteristics -- but not its wind and the potential for damage).

And then, by contrast, Rogé's performance of Debussy's Toccata has the necessary dryness to pull off the feeling of a clavecin and yet conveys a vivid sense of tonal color!

I've had the CD a week, and I can already tell this is going to be one of my very favorite CDs. I've heard Horowitz and Gieseking playing these pieces, as well -- the Rogé is definitely my favorite. If you're going to buy a comprehensive CD of Debussy's piano music -- this one is the one to get!

5 out of 5 stars one of my favorites.......2004-10-27

I am a young, yet avid, piano fan, and when I began playing Debussy last year I knew I had to get a cd. This cd is really amazing, the whole Children's Corner Suite is so much fun to listen to and each song is true to it's title. I would highly recommend this, both cds have earned themselves in my nightly rotation of classical music, and will continue to fill the boring hours of homework with amazing background music.

5 out of 5 stars A great performance by a great pianist.......2002-01-31

If you ask me - they ought to put Pascal Roge in the series of "Great Pianists of the 20th century". His recordings of Debussy, Ravel and Satie's piano music are among the best I know for these composers, if not the very best. Roge's tender touch is especially good for their dreamy, hovering style. Indeed, in pieces like "l'Isle Joyeuse" I prefer Horowitz's powerful dynamism, and Roge sounds a little pale - but these are the exceptions, not the rule. His performance of the "Reverie" - in my view Debussy's best work and one of the masterpieces of piano music in all times - is touching, exciting, lovely; and so is the "Clair de lune" and many other pieces. Most recommended.
Debussy: The Complete Piano Music
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Debussy with a difference!
  • One Star for Charity's Sake
  • Beautifully interpreted
  • Complete Debussy
Debussy: The Complete Piano Music

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
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  5. Fauré: Piano Music complete [Box Set]

ASIN: B0001Z2RSM
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Tracks:

  1. Reverie
  2. Prelude
  3. Menuet
  4. Clair De Lune
  5. Passepied
  6. Lent (Melancolique Et Doux)
  7. Tres Vite
  8. Prelude
  9. Sarabande
  10. Toccata
  11. Reflets Dans L'eau
  12. Hommage A Rameau
  13. Mouvement
  14. Cloches A Travers Les Feuilles
  15. Et La Lune Descend Sur Le Temple Qui Fut
  16. Poissons D'or

Tracks:

  1. Arabesque No.1
  2. Arabesque No.2
  3. Danse Bohemienne
  4. Ballade Slave
  5. Tarantelle Styrienne
  6. Valse Romantique
  7. Mazurka
  8. Nocturne
  9. Danseuses De Delphes
  10. Voiles
  11. Le Vent Dans La Plaine
  12. Les Sons Et Les Parfums
  13. Les Collines D'Anacapri
  14. Des Pas Sur La Neige
  15. Ce Qu'a Vu Le Vent D'Ouest
  16. La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin
  17. La Serenade Interrompue
  18. La Cathedrale Engloutie
  19. La Danse De Puck
  20. Minstrels

Tracks:

  1. L'isle Joyeuse
  2. Pagodes
  3. La Soiree Dans Grenade
  4. Jardins Sous La Pluie
  5. D'un Cahier D'esquisses
  6. Morceau De Concours
  7. Masques
  8. Brouillards
  9. Feuilles Mortes
  10. La Puerta Del Vino
  11. Les Fees Sont D'exquises Danseuses
  12. Bruyeres
  13. General Lavine - Eccentric
  14. Les Terraces Des Audiences
  15. Ondine
  16. Hommage A S. Pickwick Esq. PPMPC
  17. Canope
  18. Les Tierces Alternees
  19. Feux D'artifice

Tracks:

  1. Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum
  2. Jimbo's Lullaby
  3. Serenade For The Doll
  4. The Snow Is Dancing
  5. The Little Shepherd
  6. Golliwog's Cake-Walk
  7. Hommage A Haydn
  8. Le Petit Negre
  9. La Plus Que Lente
  10. Berceuse Heroique
  11. Elegie
  12. Page D'album (Piece Pour Le Vetement Du Blesse)
  13. Pour Les Cinq Doigts
  14. Pour Les Tierces
  15. Pour Les Quartes
  16. Pour Les Sixtes
  17. Pour Les Octaves
  18. Pour Les Huit Doigts
  19. Pour Les Degres Chromatiques
  20. Pour Les Agrements
  21. Pour Les Notes Repetees
  22. Pour Les Sonoritees Opposees
  23. Pour Les Arpeges Composes
  24. Pour Les Accords

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Debussy with a difference!.......2007-03-10


Do not let the dismissive review below make you dismiss this amazing and breath taking complete set. Like his Scriabin recordings, Gordon Fergus-Thompson works wonder with the well known piece like Clair de Lune, Arabesque and Reverie, and breathes new life into the music by his keen sense of tonal colours and delicacy. When it comes to impressionist music, no pianists can match Richter, who played Clair de Lune, Pavane or miroirs like a miracle, but Fergus-Thompson creats his own unique soundscape.

He is one of very few pianists alive who pay careful attention to how a note produced on the instrument decays and merges with other notes, while most of pianist nowadays focus mostly on starting point of the sound. That's a secret of the richness of colours and expression in his pianism.

He is often criticised for lack of technical prowess, compared to past masters like Gieseking or Michelangeli, but I can not detect even a hint of technical weakness or instability in this set. This is simply a different and highly personal interpretation, and it is a shame to miss out this magical music making simply because it is different from the mainstream interpretation.

1 out of 5 stars One Star for Charity's Sake.......2007-03-01

Avoid this set!!! The man is a gifted pianist but has no understanding on how to interpret the music. This is the nadir of all the Debussy piano sets. With Walter Gieseking's superlative set available why would you want dog food when you can eat supreme cuisine!!!

5 out of 5 stars Beautifully interpreted.......2007-02-13

Gordon Fergus-Thompson does an amazing job of playing and interpreting Debussy's music. I have been playing piano for years--especially Debussy--and this CD really captures the essence of the music. I'd recommend this to anyone.

5 out of 5 stars Complete Debussy.......2006-12-13

These recordings are some of the highest quality Debussy you'll find. There is a freedom that comes across in Fergus-Thompson's playing that you won't find in other so-called great recordings. Instead of trying to sound "Debussy-like", the music is played naturally while maintaining accuracy and original intent of the composer. Recording quality is up to date. Box set is 4 discs, with the body nicely separated into larger works with dates included.
Debussy for Relaxation
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Debussy is the BEST
  • Beautiful!
  • Debussy IS for Relaxation
Debussy for Relaxation

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000IFOY
Release Date: 1999-04-13

Tracks:

  1. For Relaxation: Prelude: L'Apres-midi d'un faune (Prelude To The Afternoon Of A Faun)
  2. For Relaxation: Suite Bergamasque: 3 - Clair de Lune
  3. For Relaxation: Reverie
  4. For Relaxation: Preludes, Book 1 No. 4: Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir (Sounds And Perfumes Stir In The Evening Air)
  5. For Relaxation: Quartet In G Minor, Op. 10: 3 - Andantino, doucement expressif
  6. For Relaxation: Fantaisie pour piano et orchestre: 2 - Lento et molto espressivo
  7. For Relaxation: La plus que lente
  8. For Relaxation: Nocturnes: Nuages (Clouds)
  9. For Relaxation: Preludes, Book 1 No. 8: La fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl With The Flaxen Hair)
  10. For Relaxation: Children's Corner: V - Le petit berger (The Little Shepherd)
  11. For Relaxation: Pour le piano: Sarabande
  12. For Relaxation: Danse sacree et danse profane

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Debussy is the BEST.......2002-03-05

This CD is Excellent for relaxing. I listen to it every night.

5 out of 5 stars Beautiful!.......2001-03-14

If you are new to Debussy, this CD is great to start. If you are already a fan, this CD is the perfect weekend companion. It features a well chosen selection of pieces from several of his works, both orchestral and solo piano. Best of all (as the title indicates) these pieces are all adagio/lento that are pleasant to listen to and relax... It is also very well priced, so it is a good CD to recommend.

4 out of 5 stars Debussy IS for Relaxation.......2000-06-13

This CD's title says it all - just for relaxation.

Debussy is for soul searching time, contemplation of the universe or just vegging out.

If this is what you're looking for you've found it.
Van Cliburn - My Favorite Debussy
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • rather dry and unevocative playing
  • Van Cliburn at his best.
  • Cliburn's Debussy and Ravel
  • Romantic Impressions
Van Cliburn - My Favorite Debussy

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00002JXEM
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

  1. Douze Etudes, Book I, No. 5: Etude In Octaves
  2. Douze Preludes, Book II, No. 7: The Terrace For Moonlight Audiences
  3. Suite Bergamasque, No. 3: Clair de lune
  4. La plus que lente
  5. Estampes, No. 3: Gardens In The Rain
  6. Reverie
  7. Images, Set I, No. 1: Reflections In The Water
  8. Douze Preludes, Book II, No. 12: Fireworks
  9. Douze Preludes, Book I, No. 8: The Girl With The Flaxen Hair
  10. Estampes, No. 2: Evening In Grenada
  11. The Isle Of Joy
  12. Pavane For A Dead Princess
  13. Le Tombeau de Couperin, No. 6: Toccata

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars rather dry and unevocative playing.......2006-10-04

I feel that Debussy's music requires a very sensitive and free (lots of "rubato") approach that I do not find in Van Cliburn's performances. Unfortunately, I rarely hear a Debussy performance that really sounds "Impressionistic," so perhaps I am expecting too much. But, I can listen to this entire CD and feel that I have not yet heard a single note of Debussy. It is not mysterious, sensitive, and evocative enough for my taste.

5 out of 5 stars Van Cliburn at his best........2006-03-17

As a lover of Debussy's music, I've had a hard time finding recordings that I liked, or that I thought did justice to his work. This album, for me, stands above the rest. Mr. Cliburn gives the best performance of "Clair de Lune" I've ever heard (which is the piece most people will recognize). Others that stood out for me were "Reverie" and "Reflections In the Water." This is a first-class album. It sounds wonderful, with breathtaking performances by a true virtuosic genius.

5 out of 5 stars Cliburn's Debussy and Ravel.......2001-08-20

This beautiful and transporting CD is a "rainy day" favorite of mine. Van Cliburn has created a gorgeous, shimmering watercolor for his listeners' ears. In May of 1998, I heard Maestro Cliburn play many of these works in recital. The two hour recital was sold out and I don't recall hearing a single cough, a rustle of paper or squeak of a chair - we were all completely riveted, completely absorbed in the mood and the music. Maestro Cliburn's gossamer arpeggios in "Reflets dan l'eau" are so liquid, so seamless, one envisions water rippling on a stream; and his sensitive and melancholy "Girl with the Flaxen Hair" is the most beautiful and heart-felt interpretation of this piece that I have heard. Mr. Cliburn makes these pieces look absolutely effortless, yet they are among the most difficult in piano repertoire. I look upon each of these tracks as a mini-masterpiece. No one plays the Impressionists with the sensitivity, the poetry of Van Cliburn. Although the overall mood is one of melancholy, Cliburn never lets the music become too sweet. In fact, just as Maestro Cliburn's beautiful music lulls one into a sleepy reverie, his powerful and spine-chilling keyboard run in Debussy's "Fireworks" catapults one right of it - a playful "Gotcha!" from one of the truly Great Pianists.

5 out of 5 stars Romantic Impressions.......2000-08-01

When one thinks of Van Cliburn one usually thinks of the power of Rachmaninoff or Tchaikovsky. Fortunately, this beautifully remasterd collection of impressionistic pieces from Debussy and Ravel done in the 1970's gives us a look at a different side of his virtuosity. The power is there but tempered in a beautiful way. The dynamics are more sensitive than I have heard before and so I'm hearing new views of this music. I purchased this out of curiosity, and the music is not my favorite, but it is wonderfully executed and not cloying as these pieces are sometimes played. I would highly recommend this recording.
Debussy: Piano Music
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Claude Debussy is largely responsible for my love of classical music.
Debussy: Piano Music

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

PreludesPreludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Character PiecesCharacter Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00008PX9H
Release Date: 2003-04-01

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Claude Debussy is largely responsible for my love of classical music........2007-01-08

I work in a bookstore, and, like all large bookstores eventually get around to doing, we sell music. One day, looking to broaden my horizons, I asked a co-worker if he cared to recommend something. He handed me this disc - at $6.99, who can say no? - and I took his word for it, on the strength of "Claire de Lune," which was to my knowledge the only Debussy I'd heard prior to buying this disc. Imagine my surprise as I discovered the total beauty of everything Claude laid down on paper... There is a wealth of music on this disc, but my favorites would have to be "Deux Arabesques" and "Children's Corner" (and, of course, "Claire de Lune" - possibly the most beautiful piece of music ever written). I am not acquainted with anything else Phillipe Entremont has done, but he does a spectacular job with the music, adding in his own subtle flair. I play this disc at work all the time, now. Go for it!
Debussy & Ravel: Piano Works - Samson Francois (6 CD's)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • great pianist!!!!
  • Yesterday Francois would be celebrating his eighty-two anniversary
Debussy & Ravel: Piano Works - Samson Francois (6 CD's)
Samson Francois , Claude Debussy , and Maurice Ravel
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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EtudesEtudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
PreludesPreludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Character PiecesCharacter Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
SonatasSonatas | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
PianoPiano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
Lullabies & BerceuseLullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Chopin: Piano Works, Vol. 3
  2. Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works
  3. Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas / Daniel Barenboim
  4. Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet
  5. Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra

ASIN: B0002RUAEM
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Tracks:

  1. 1. Danseuses De Delphes
  2. 2. Voiles
  3. 3. Le Vent Dans La Plaine
  4. 4. Les Sons Et Les Parfums Tournent Dans L'Air Du Soir
  5. 5. Les Collines D'Anacapri
  6. 6. Des Pas Sur La Neige
  7. 7. Ce Qu'a Vu Le Vent D'Ouest
  8. 8. La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin
  9. 9. La Serenade Interrompue
  10. 10. La Cathedrale Engloutie
  11. 11. Danse De Puck
  12. 12. Minstrels
  13. 1. Brouillards
  14. 2. Feuilles Mortes
  15. 3. La Puerta Del Vino
  16. 4. Les Fees Sont D'Exquises Danseuses
  17. 5. Bruyeres
  18. 6. General Lavine (Eccentric)
  19. 7. La Terrasse Des Audiences Au Clair De Lune
  20. 8. Ondine
  21. 9. Hommage A S. Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C.
  22. 10. Canope
  23. 12. Feux D'Artifice

Tracks:

  1. 1. Reflets Dans L'eau
  2. 2. Hommage A Rameau
  3. 3. Mouvement
  4. 1. Cloches A Travers Les Feuilles
  5. 2. Et La Lune Descend Sur Le Temple Qui Fut
  6. 3. Poissons D'or
  7. Reverie
  8. 1. Andantino
  9. 2. Allegretto Scherzando
  10. La Plus Que Lente, Valse
  11. 1. Pour Les Degres Chromatiques
  12. 2. Pour Les Agrements
  13. 4. Pour Les Sonorites Opposees
  14. 5. Pour Les Arpeges Composes
  15. 6. Pour Les Accords
  16. Masques
  17. L'Isle Joyeuse
  18. Berceuse Heroique

Tracks:

  1. 1. Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum
  2. 2. Jimbo's Lullaby
  3. 3. Serenade For The Doll
  4. 4. The Snow Is Dancing
  5. 5. The Little Shepherd
  6. 6. Golliwogg's Cake-Walk
  7. 1. Pagodes
  8. 2. La Soiree Dans Grenade
  9. 3. Jardins Sous La Pluie
  10. 1. Prelude
  11. 2. Menuet
  12. 3. Clair De Lune
  13. 4. Passepied
  14. 1. Prelude
  15. 2. Sarabande
  16. 3. Toccata

Tracks:

  1. 1. Allegramente
  2. 2. Adagio Assai
  3. 3. Presto
  4. Lento/Allegro
  5. 1. Pavane De La Belle Au Bois Dormant - Pierre Barbizet
  6. 2. Petit Poucet - Pierre Barbizet
  7. 3. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes - Pierre Barbizet
  8. 4. Les Entretiens De La Belle Et De La Bete - Pierre Barbizet
  9. 5. Le Jardin Feerique - Pierre Barbizet

Tracks:

  1. Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
  2. 1. Modere, Tres Franc
  3. 2. Assez Lent
  4. 3. Modere
  5. 4. Assez Anime
  6. 5. Presque Lent
  7. 6. Vif
  8. 7. Moins Vif
  9. 8. Epilogue: Lent
  10. Prelude
  11. Jeux D'Eau
  12. Menuet Sur Le Nom D'Haydn
  13. 1. Noctuelles
  14. 2. Oiseaux Tristes
  15. 3. Une barque Sur L'Ocean
  16. 4. Alborada Del Gracioso
  17. 5. La Vallee Des Cloches
  18. Emmanuel Chabrier (Paraphrase Sur Un Air De Gounod)
  19. Borodine

Tracks:

  1. 1. Ondine
  2. 2. Le Gibet
  3. 3. Scarbo
  4. 1. Modere
  5. 2. Mouvement De Menuet
  6. 3. Anime
  7. 1. Prelude
  8. 2. Fugue
  9. 3. Forlane
  10. 4. Riguadon
  11. 5. Menuet
  12. 6. Toccata
  13. Menuet Antique

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars great pianist!!!!.......2007-02-16

samson was one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century his debussy was sublime and his color palete to impresionism is unsurpassed. could someone tell me if these recordings of his debussy are the stereo ones

5 out of 5 stars Yesterday Francois would be celebrating his eighty-two anniversary .......2006-05-19

Samson Francois figure has evidenced slow but increasing enhancement through the years. His notable pianism, aristocratic approach and refined phrasing are some of his virtues.

If you still do not know about this legendary artist, no itý s the time for you to convince by yourself about the supreme level occupied by him.

When he left us in 1970 at his 46, he had so much to give. The musical world remained legitimately orphan and much more vile since his premature death.

But, fortunately his legacy will live among us, every time you listen any record you acquire of this peerless musician.

His Ravel is loaded not only of notable, sensual and asserive expressiveness. If you know about some other performance able to equal his Gaspard de la nuit, please, be my guest.

His Debussy is sober, eloquent with Impresionist flair and sublime musicality.

A true artistic and a fundamental treasure in your collection.
Debussy: The Complete Works For Piano
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Happy to be the first 1 star.
  • Murky
  • Debussy and Gieseking
  • EMI IS ATROCIOUS!!!!!!!!!
  • Hello Sky, Hello Trees
Debussy: The Complete Works For Piano

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
MazurkasMazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
WaltzesWaltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
BalladsBallads | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
EtudesEtudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
PreludesPreludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Character PiecesCharacter Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
NocturnesNocturnes | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
PianoPiano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
Gieseking, WalterGieseking, Walter | ( G ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by DebussyAll Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Lullabies & BerceuseLullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Ravel: The Complete Works for Solo Piano
  2. Brahms: Works for Solo Piano
  3. Debussy: Orchestral Music
  4. Liszt: Piano Works
  5. Chopin: The Piano Works

ASIN: B000002S6Z
Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

  1. Prdes Book I: I. Danseuses de Delphes (Lent et grave) - Walter Gieseking
  2. Prdes Book I: II. Voiles (Mod) - Walter Gieseking
  3. Prdes Book I: III. Le vent dans Ia plaine (Anim- Walter Gieseking
  4. Prdes Book I: IV. Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir (Mod) - Walter Gieseking
  5. Prdes Book I: V. Les collines d'Anacapri (Trmod) - Walter Gieseking
  6. Prdes Book I: VI. Des pas sur la neige (Triste et lent) - Walter Gieseking
  7. Prdes Book I: VII. Ce qu'a vu le vent d'Ouest (Animt tumultueux) - Walter Gieseking
  8. Prdes Book I: VIII. La fille aux cheveux de lin (Trcalme et doucement expressif) - Walter Gieseking
  9. Prdes Book I: IX. La snade interrompue (Modment anim- Walter Gieseking
  10. Prdes Book I: X. La cathale engloutie (Profondnt calme) - Walter Gieseking
  11. Prdes Book I: Xl. La danse de Puck (Capricieux et lr) - Walter Gieseking
  12. Prdes Book I: XII. Minstrels (Mod) - Walter Gieseking
  13. Prdes Book II: I. Brouillards (Mod) - Walter Gieseking
  14. Prdes Book II: II. Feuilles mortes (Lent et mncolique) - Walter Gieseking
  15. Prdes Book II: III. La Puerta del Vino (Mouvement de Habanera) - Walter Gieseking
  16. Prdes Book II: IV. Les f sont d'exquises danseuses (Rapide et lr) - Walter Gieseking
  17. Prdes Book II: V. Bruys (Calme) - Walter Gieseking
  18. Prdes Book II: VI. General Lavine - eccentric (Dans le style et le mouvement d'un Cakewalk) - Walter Gieseking
  19. Prdes Book II: VII. Le terrasse des audiences du clair de lune (Lent) - Walter Gieseking
  20. Prdes Book II: VIII. Ondine (Scherzando) - Walter Gieseking
  21. Prdes Book II: IX. Hommage . Pickwick, Esq., P.P.M.P.C. (Grave) - Walter Gieseking
  22. Prdes Book II: X. Canope (Trcalme et doucement triste) - Walter Gieseking
  23. Prdes Book II: XI. Les tierces altern (Modment anim- Walter Gieseking
  24. Prdes Book II: XlI. Feux d'artifice (Modment anim- Walter Gieseking

Tracks:

  1. Pour le piano: I. Prde (Assez anime et tres rythme) - C. Debussy
  2. Pour le piano: II. Sarabande (Aved une elegance grave et lente) - C. Debussy
  3. Pour le piano: III. Toccata (Vif) - C. Debussy
  4. Estampes: I. Pagodes (Moderement anime) - C. Debussy
  5. Estampes: II. La soirdans Grenade (Mouvement de Habanera) - C. Debussy
  6. Estampes: III. Jardins sous la pluie (Net et vif) - C. Debussy
  7. Images, Set I: I. Reflets dans l'eau (Andantino molto) - C. Debussy
  8. Images, Set I: II. Hommage ameau (Lent et grave) - C. Debussy
  9. Images, Set I: III. Mouvement (Anime) - C. Debussy
  10. Images, Set II: I. Cloches ravers les feuilles (Lent) - C. Debussy
  11. Images, Set II: II. Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut (Lent) - C. Debussy
  12. Images, Set II: III. Poissons d'or (Anime) - C. Debussy
  13. Children's Corner: I. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum (Moderement anime) - C. Debussy
  14. Children's Corner: II. Jimbo's Lullaby (Assez modere) - C. Debussy
  15. Children's Corner: III. Serenade for the Doll (Allegretto ma non troppo) - C. Debussy
  16. Children's Corner: IV. The Snow is Dancing (Moderement anime) - C. Debussy
  17. Children's Corner: X. The Little Shepherd (Tres modere) - C. Debussy
  18. Children's Corner: VI. Golliwogg's Cakewalk (Allegro giusto) - C. Debussy

Tracks:

  1. 12 Etudes: I. Pour les cinq doigts (d'apres Monsieur Czerny) (Sagement) - C. Debussy
  2. 12 Etudes: II. Pour les tierces (Moderato, ma non troppo) - C. Debussy
  3. 12 Etudes: III. Pour les quartes (Andantino com moto) - C. Debussy
  4. 12 Etudes: IV. Pour les sixtes (Lento) - C. Debussy
  5. 12 Etudes: V. Pour les octaves (Joyeaux et emporte, librement rythme) - C. Debussy
  6. 12 Etudes: VI. Pour les huit doigts (Vivamente, molto leggiero e legato) - C. Debussy
  7. 12 Etudes: VII. Pour les degrchromatiques (Scherzando, animato assai) - C. Debussy
  8. 12 Etudes: VIII. Pour les agrnts (Lento, rubato e leggiero) - C. Debussy
  9. 12 Etudes: IX. Pour les notes rt (Scherzando) - C. Debussy
  10. 12 Etudes: X. Pour les sonoritoppos (Modere, sans lenteur) - C. Debussy
  11. 12 Etudes: XI. Pour les arps compos(Dolce e lusingando) - C. Debussy
  12. 12 Etudes: XI. Pour les accords (Dedide, rythme, sans lourdeur) - C. Debussy
  13. Masques (Tres vif et fantasque) - C. Debussy
  14. D'un cahier d'esquisses (Tres lent-sans rigueur) - C. Debussy
  15. L'Isle joyeuse (Quasi una cadenza - Tempo : Modere et tres souple) - C. Debussy
  16. La plus que lente (Lent - Molto rubato con morbidezza) - C. Debussy
  17. Le petit negre (Cakewalk. Allegro giusto) - C. Debussy
  18. Berceuse heroique (Modere - sans lenteur) - C. Debussy
  19. Hommage aydn (Mouvement de Valse lente) - C. Debussy

Tracks:

  1. Suite Bergamasque: I. Prde (Moderato - tempo rubato) - C. Debussy
  2. Suite Bergamasque: II. Meneut (Andantino) - C. Debussy
  3. Suite Bergamasque: III. Clair de lune (Andante tres expressif) - C. Debussy
  4. Suite Bergamasque: IV. Passepied (Allegretto ma non troppo) - C. Debussy
  5. Danse bohenne (Allegro) - C. Debussy
  6. Rrie (Andantino sans lenteur) - C. Debussy
  7. Mazurka (Scherzando - assez anime) - C. Debussy
  8. Valse romantique (Tempo di valse - Allegro moderato) - C. Debussy
  9. Deux Arabesques: I. Andantino con moto - C. Debussy
  10. Deux Arabesques: II. Allegretto scherzando - C. Debussy
  11. Nocturne en re bemol majeur - in D flat - Des-dur - C. Debussy
  12. Danse (Tarentelle styrienne) (Allegretto) - C. Debussy
  13. Ballade (Andantino con moto) - C. Debussy
  14. Fantaisie For Piano And Orchestra: I. Andante - Allegro - C. Debussy
  15. Fantaisie For Piano And Orchestra: II. Lento e molto espressivo- - C. Debussy
  16. Fantaisie For Piano And Orchestra: III. Allegro molto - C. Debussy

Amazon.com essential recording

These classic performances belong in the collection of anyone who cares about Debussy's piano music. Walter Gieseking's career was a troubled one--his pandering to the Nazi party cast a shadow over his last years, but the greatest irony of all was that this German nationalist turned out to be the greatest exponent of French music of his era. His Debussy playing marries an effortlessly subtle control of the keyboard to a real sense of fantasy. The music truly shimmers in his hands, and despite the limited range of the mono recording, the ear quickly adjusts. This is, in short, one of those classic recordings that critics and music lovers have enjoyed for nearly 50 years. So should you. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

1 out of 5 stars Happy to be the first 1 star........2007-07-14

I should probably qualify my distate for these albums by saying that, like many piano players I don't particularly care for, the playing is not bad, is in fact even fine, but I can't stand the style; the recording quality itself was only a minor issue for me, as sometimes I like the sound of an older recording, it gives it more weight, more dream quality.

I bought this set about 10 years ago, for about $60, which at the time was an exorbitant amount (being a broke college student). I knew and loved many of Debussy's pieces, and liked none of them here. I was so dissappointed that I didn't buy another classical cd for about 9 years, the next actually being the BCO's awesome recording of Suk's Asreel Symphony.

I now own Thibaudet's Debussy, and while I'm stile not completely satisfied there, that set goes up from the 1 star here to 3 stars, and is enjoyable enough that I don't mind having spent the money.

This set, however, will forever mark itself in my mind as the archnemesis of that other iconic Purple album - Jean Francois Paillard's 'The Pachelbel Canon', which is the only one to own (well, the second one to own - the ultimate recording being on the disc with the two Fasch trumpet concertos).

3 out of 5 stars Murky.......2007-04-01

I have to agree with the reviewers complaining about the sound quality on these CD's. I first discovered Debussy's piano music through these recordings when I was left my grandfather's record collection and I was obsessed. I bought this hoping to get back that vinyl magic but this is a murky compressed sounding thing, with none of the charm it should have. Boo.

5 out of 5 stars Debussy and Gieseking.......2007-01-10

Historical 1950s recordings that demonstrate Gieseking's well attested shades of piano sound that are unique and outstanding.

3 out of 5 stars EMI IS ATROCIOUS!!!!!!!!!.......2006-10-28

I despise EMI and for good reasons.
They have terrible recorded sound... from what I heard, i thought gieseking performed these pieces during the 1940s. I have remastered recordings from the 1920s and 30s that sound better than this!! But then again, EMI was never known for providing top-notch sonics.
Sheesh few years ago i purchased pablo casals on emi and it was simply horrible. i had to go get the one on testament (which is, by the way, superior to the Naxos remastering - believe it or not!).
I can't believe that much of gieseking's sound is lost and there's not much we can do about it!!!! emi will burn in hell... lol.

5 out of 5 stars Hello Sky, Hello Trees.......2006-04-04

While there are those individuals, less sophisticated than my wonderful self, who are wont to dismiss Debussy as music only for those whose horticural inclinations run contrary to the course of gravity, I would have to venture that they don't know a good thing when they see one, and that to shun a composer merely because his fan base is given to lifting shirts would be nothing short of childish. After all, Debussy is really rather good, brilliant in fact, and if the good people at EMI should happen to let his liner notes be written by an inveterate pillow-biter, that does nothing to detract from his merits. "Bravo Debussy!" I say, and as I knock back another pastis enquire nonchalantly, "Anyone for tennis?"
Debussy: Clair de lune & Other Piano Favourites
Average customer rating: 3 out of 5 stars
  • The perfect rain music, but I wish for more
  • Debussy Favorites in OK Performances, Variable Sound
Debussy: Clair de lune & Other Piano Favourites

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
MazurkasMazurkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
WaltzesWaltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
PreludesPreludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Character PiecesCharacter Pieces | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by DebussyAll Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
4-for-3 Classical4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
4-for-3 All Music4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Clair de lune
  2. Debussy: Piano Works
  3. Call Me Irresponsible

ASIN: B0001N9ZCA
Release Date: 2004-05-18

Tracks:

  1. Clair De Lune
  2. La Plus Que Lente
  3. Arabesque No.1
  4. Le Petit Negre
  5. The Snow Is Dancing
  6. The Little Shepherd
  7. Golliwog's Cakewalk
  8. La Soiree Dans Grenade
  9. Jardins Sous La Pluie
  10. Arabesque No.2
  11. Valse Romantique
  12. Danse (Tarantelle Styrienne)
  13. Toccata
  14. Reflets Dans L'eau
  15. Poissons D'or
  16. Mazurka
  17. Reverie
  18. La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin
  19. Minstrels
  20. La Cathedrale Engloutie

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars The perfect rain music, but I wish for more.......2007-04-26

Collections are tricky. Either they fulfill your needs perfectly, leading to you wanting more, or they don't fulfill enough, leading to you wanting more. Either way, you're left with the uncomfortable feeling that "something"'s missing. Is that the case with this "favorites" CD? Yes.

Oh, this is a nice enough collection to get you into a Debussy mood, but after listening to it, I felt frustrated. Why, I thought, did I buy a collection? Now I would have to find MORE. Yes, I got the generic favorites. I now have "Clair de lune" and "Reverie" (my reasons for purchasing the CD), but the musical beauty made me want more and more, to the point where I got very frustrated. After all, collections only give you a taste. Now I need to find... MORE.

The rain quality can be either a plus or a minus. By "rain quality" I'm referring to a slightly fuzzy sound. Not the best quality, that is. It sounds like the radio on a rainy day, so while getting you in the mood perfectly, it's a bit... well. It's of lower quality, though it does enhance the mood. I personally like it, but facts are facts.

While I listen to this CD often, I think that it's probably better just to jump straight to full CDs. No snippets. While enjoyable, it's not amazing and it leaves you with the slight sense of, "...well?". So... well?

3 out of 5 stars Debussy Favorites in OK Performances, Variable Sound.......2004-05-24

Francois-Joël Thiollier has recorded much of Debussy's piano music for Naxos. This CD appears to be a 'favorites' album drawn from several previous issues. The most familiar and probably the best-loved Debussy pieces are here, beginning with a dreamy (but somewhat soupily-recorded) 'Clair de lune' ('Moonlight'). [The cover illustration is a nice reproduction of Eugène Boudin's gorgeous 'The Effect of the Moon.'] As of yet Amazon has not listed the contents, so I shall do so: Clair de lune, La plus que lente, Arabesque Nos. 1 & 2, Le petit nègre, excerpts from The Children's Corner (The snow is dancing, The little shepherd, Golliwog's cakewalk), La soirée dans Grénade, Jardin sous la pluie, Valse romantique, Tarantelle styrienne, Toccata, Reflets dans l'eau, Poissons d'or, Mazurka, Révérie, The Girl with the Golden Hair, and The Engulfed Cathedral.

Thiollier often takes slower than usual tempi, and he often sounds rather deliberate or even stodgy as a result. This is not to say there aren't some quicker tempi taken: 'Le petit nègre' starts off with a real Gottschalkian verve, but when he comes to the second theme he backs off. 'Poissons d'or' ('Goldfish') swim excitedly (and beautifully). 'The snow is dancing' all right, but it seems to be doing a sarabande. These are pretty straight interpretations; one misses the drama or sadness in, say, Golliwog's Cakewalk. I think one problem in all these performances is a lack of crisp articulation. Debussy's soft-edged harmonies can lead a pianist to play in a flaccid, dreamy fashion and that works for some of the pieces, but on the whole Debussy requires more rhythmic spine, and that is often lacking here.

The primary thing going for this compilation is the price. But I couldn't recommend it to anyone other than someone on a sharply restricted budget and who wants these particular pieces. For somewhat more outlay, one could have performances by say, the fabled Michelangeli or the spectacular Kocsis or the legendary Gieseking.

TT=78:10

Scott Morrison
Friedrich Gulda, Piano
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Rare Gulda Recordings (& Repertoire) from Austrian Radio
Friedrich Gulda, Piano

Manufacturer: Andante
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ravel, MauriceRavel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by SchubertAll Works by Schubert | Schubert, Franz | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by DebussyAll Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
PreludesPreludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
ImpromptusImpromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
SonatinasSonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
SonatasSonatas | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Decca Beethoven Recordings, 1950-1958

ASIN: B0007MR0Y0
Release Date: 2005-03-22

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Rare Gulda Recordings (& Repertoire) from Austrian Radio.......2005-04-06

When people think of the great Austrian pianist Friedrich Gulda (1930-2000) they tend to think of two things: the classic and romantic Austro-German repertoire, and jazz. Gulda was a child prodigy who came to fame early and whose reputation was made playing Bach, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. He recorded the complete Beethoven sonata cycle three times. In his mid-twenties he discovered jazz and from that point on his career combined both the European classics and jazz gigs in places like Birdland in New York. At one point he even had his own big band. He made relatively few recordings and this 4 CD set gives us an opportunity to hear performances never widely available before. It includes some repertoire he certainly is not usually associated with, namely that of the 20th-century French piano giants, Ravel and Debussy. Indeed the set is preponderantly drawn from the French. Since Amazon has not yet listed the contents of the four CDs, let me do that work by work.

CD1: Schubert: Piano Sonatas in A minor, D845 and in B flat major, D960, recorded in 1967. These are straightforward, exceptionally clean performances whose primary strength is their sense of architecture and line. I love how he emphasizes in Mvt. IV of the A minor that little figure that presages the famous Paganini Caprice that has been used so many times as the basis for sets of variations. His emphasis here is a sly homage to those few notes that are so beloved by composers subsequent to Schubert. Of course, Gulda was a master Schubertian and these are masterful performances start to finish.

CD2: Schubert: Four Impromptus, D899; Moments musicaux, D780, also recorded in 1967. Debussy: Pour le piano, and Suite bergamasque, recorded in 1957 as are the rest of the works here. (All these 1957 recordings are in mono, and strangely, their sound is marginally clearer and warmer than those for 1967.) Gulda played a lot of Schubert in his earlier years, but less and less of it as time went on. These performances are not as nuanced as some I prefer, such as those of Perahia. They sound more like Brendel, say, in their clarity and reticence. The Debussy, on the other hand, is light in spots, warm in others, and entirely idiomatic. Gulda, not a pianist one associates with humor, has tongue in cheek in the Toccata in 'Pour le piano.' Who knew that Gulda would be a terrific Debussyan? I certainly didn't.

CD3: Debussy: Prludes, Books I & II; Reflets dan l'eau; L'Isle joyeuse. Gulda's Debussy is a big surprise to me. It partakes of his usual clarity but it also is more than usually romantic in tone. Just listen to No. 8, 'Ce qu'a vu le Vent d'Ouest' ('What the West Wind Saw'); this is a big-boned, ultra-Romantic reading. Whatever the West Wind saw it was more than a little scary! Wow! This is exciting stuff! And it is followed by one of the sweetest and most innocent readings of 'La fille aux cheveux de lin' ('The Girl with the Flaxen Hair'). In 'La puerta del vino' from Book II one feels the languor of the Iberian summer. 'Hommage à Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C' is a chuckle.

CD4: Ravel: Sonatine; Gaspard de la nuit; Le Tombeau de Couperin; Valses nobles et sentimentales. This is patrician Ravel. Again, Gulda's clarity--his chord voicings are remarkable--is completely appropriate for this most classical of the modern French composers for piano. In 'Gaspard,' 'Scarbo' could be a bit more reckless, but 'Le gibet' is breathtaking. The 'Rigaudon' from 'Tombeau' is cheeky, as it should be. And the 'Toccata' takes one's breath away. The Noble and Sentimental Waltzes are excitingly rhythmic. People don't often comment about Gulda's way with rhythm, but he was a master whom we perhaps took for granted.

So, why only four stars for this set? It's the sound. I hate to say it, because these are radio tapes that have clearly been cleaned up nicely, but there still is a bit of compression and at fortissimo there is some clangor. It is distressing in a few spots -- like that first rat-a-tat in the first section of the Waltzes. Is this enough to put you off? Only you can tell, but I confess I've been listening to this set off and on for a couple of weeks and I've not been put off in the least. Perhaps, though, I am, because of my interest in historic recordings, less distracted by not quite modern sound. You'll have to decide for yourself. Chances are, though, that you're not likely to ever hear much of this repertoire played by Gulda and if that's a magnet for you I'd say go ahead and get the set.

TT=ca. 5 hours

Scott Morrison
Essential Debussy
Average customer rating: Not rated
    Essential Debussy

    Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
    ProductGroup: Music
    Binding: Audio CD

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    ASIN: B000069HME
    Release Date: 2002-07-16

    Tracks:

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    Tracks:

    1. Prelude To 'The Afternoon Of A Faun' - Berlin Philharmonic
    2. En Bateau From Petite Suite - Orchestra Suisse Romande
    3. Ballat From Petite Suite - Orchestra Suisse Romande
    4. Arabeaques No. 1 (Andantino Con Moto) - Pascal Roge
    5. La Plus Que Lente - Tamas Vasary
    6. Des Pas Sur La Neige From Preludes - Book 1 - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli
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    Track Listings:

    1. Debussy, Ravel and Dutilleux
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