Recordings That You Are Considering

Started by George, April 06, 2007, 05:54:08 AM

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San Antone

Quote from: Ratliff on February 05, 2020, 11:53:19 PM
I like Bavouzet and Ciccolini a lot. I think Thibaudet's set on Decca is outstanding. I also like Fergus-Thompson, originally on ASV, reissued recently by Decca.

I agree on the above-bolded sets (I haven't listened to Ciccolini play Debussy, but since he is excellent in everything I heard, I suspect his Debussy is also excellent).

I would also include Pascal Rogé in the list.

vers la flamme

Quote from: San Antone on February 06, 2020, 01:16:39 AM
I agree on the above-bolded sets (I haven't listened to Ciccolini play Debussy, but since he is excellent in everything I heard, I suspect his Debussy is also excellent).

I would also include Pascal Rogé in the list.

Did Rogé record the complete Debussy piano music? I have a 2CD of his on Decca that I love. I listened to the Preludes Book I from it this morning.

Edit: Answered my own question, I see he recorded the complete piano music for Onyx, a later recording than the Decca I like.

Madiel

I'm sure I've said somewhere already that I'm very happy with Bavouzet, and in some cases he converted me on pieces I didn't think I liked.

Of course to me, interpretations of no great individuality comes across as a recommendation. I was looking to purchase a set of Debussy, not a set of Bavouzet.
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mc ukrneal

I have the Werner Haas and the Ciccolini. Ciccolini is excellent. On Haas, if you like the first half, get the rest. If you don't then get something else.

However, my favorite Debussy disc is this:

Kocsis is fabulous.
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Mandryka

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

San Antone

Quote from: Mandryka on February 06, 2020, 05:43:10 AM


Just found it here

https://soundcloud.com/quatuor-bozzini/j-rg-frey-streichquartett-ii


It is nice to see someone mention Jürg Frey, his music is very special, although not easy to find. (Writing in The New Yorker, Alex Ross compared Frey's music to a "Mahler Adagio suspended in zero gravity".)

That set of string quartets looks very interesting.

Mandryka

Quote from: San Antone on February 06, 2020, 05:49:13 AM
It is nice to see someone mention Jürg Frey, his music is very special, although not easy to find. (Writing in The New Yorker, Alex Ross compared Frey's music to a "Mahler Adagio suspended in zero gravity".)

That set of string quartets looks very interesting.

I though you would appreciate it. Unfortunately the CD is rather expensive because of the shipping and import costs to the UK. Still, that upload on soundclod gives a good impression.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Mirror Image

Quote from: Madiel on February 06, 2020, 02:39:35 AM
I'm sure I've said somewhere already that I'm very happy with Bavouzet, and in some cases he converted me on pieces I didn't think I liked.

Of course to me, interpretations of no great individuality comes across as a recommendation. I was looking to purchase a set of Debussy, not a set of Bavouzet.

Well, I for one, will not listen to a performance unless there is a personality there, otherwise, what's the point? The performer is responsible for interpreting the music. My opinion of Bavouzet is that I just felt the performances to be faceless. Nobody will perform Debussy in the same way and this is just how it is --- some interpretations stick well while others do not.

ritter

Quote from: vers la flamme on February 05, 2020, 05:02:06 PM
Does anyone here have a favorite complete Debussy piano set? Are we better off with individual CDs, or is there a pianist out there who has nailed the whole catalog?
As a complete set, I greatly admire Ciccolini. Beautifully played, quite "complete" and dirt cheap. You can complement that with Bavouzet's CD with the piano transcriptions of the ballets. Some don't really care that much for Bavouzet, but what I've heard of him is quite interesting, and his recording of Jeux is a revelation IMO.

Mirror Image

Quote from: ritter on February 06, 2020, 09:03:04 AM
As a complete set, I greatly admire Ciccolini. Beautifully played, quite "complete" and dirt cheap. You can complement that with Bavouzet's CD with the piano transcriptions of the ballets. Some don't really care that much for Bavouzet, but what I've heard of him is quite interesting, and his recording of Jeux is a revelation IMO.

I can certainly understand Jeux being an interesting discovery since it doesn't get performed often in its piano reduction.

Mandryka

Quote from: Madiel on February 06, 2020, 02:39:35 AM

Of course to me, interpretations of no great individuality comes across as a recommendation. I was looking to purchase a set of Debussy, not a set of Bavouzet.

But not even Debussy wanted to hear Debussy played as Debussy, or something like that, I'm a bit tipsy.

https://www.youtube.com/v/aj6wFpjW_ps
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

T. D.

Next project is to carefully listen to the Bavouzet set.
I've owned it for a few years and haven't much enjoyed it, but maybe that's just me (warning, some repetition from post on the Debussy composer thread).
I liked Gieseking's playing but not the sound quality, and sold the set. I purchased a Kocsis box set and loved it, but had to return it because a disc was scratched. I like Michelangeli's (incomplete) Debussy.

Ratliff

Quote from: T. D. on February 06, 2020, 10:23:49 AM
Next project is to carefully listen to the Bavouzet set.
I've owned it for a few years and haven't much enjoyed it, but maybe that's just me (warning, some repetition from post on the Debussy composer thread).
I liked Gieseking's playing but not the sound quality, and sold the set. I purchased a Kocsis box set and loved it, but had to return it because a disc was scratched. I like Michelangeli's (incomplete) Debussy.

I also had bad luck with the Kocsis, got the lossless FLAC download from Presto, it was defective, but they found valid files and updated their download section so I could retrieve the good ones. It is a good set, but not currently my favorite.

I recall liking Bavouzet's Ravel set a bit more than his Debussy because I thought MDG engineering was preferable. Still, I enjoy Bavouzet's Debussy a lot. I also love Claudio Arrau, but don't know if he did a complete "set."

Jo498

Kocsis is very highly regarded and very good but not quite complete (the Etudes are missing). Same holds for the (even less complete) Michelangeli
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Mandryka

Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

San Antone

Quote from: Mandryka on February 06, 2020, 01:07:34 PM


Where can I find this recording?  His SQ have been out of print for years.

T. D.

Quote from: San Antone on February 06, 2020, 01:40:37 PM
Where can I find this recording?  His SQ have been out of print for years.
I had the same reaction and found it on Bandcamp as a download: https://erikcarlson.bandcamp.com/album/milton-babbitt-string-quartets

Mandryka

Sorry, I should have put a link in.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

amw

I have listened to it (in this guise). The performances are professional studio quality, probably better than other commercially available recordings of the works. I have yet to make up my mind regarding the quality of the music, or lack thereof.

vers la flamme

^I have been looking at that Babbitt on Bandcamp too, I think the guy who runs the page posted a link on another forum that I'm a part of recently, definitely tempting. I didn't realize Babbitt had written so many quartets. I'd love to get into his work.