Poulenc, Debussy, Ravel and Fauré: Chamber Music, Piano Music and Songs

[DieNacht]

¨

Magaloff plays Debussy, LP

Bought it and it is better than expected, in general colourful and lively performances of the complete "Estampes", some "Preludes" and various individual pieces. The "Feux d´Artifice" from "Preludes II" receives one of the most improvisatory and wild, Whistlerian performances I´ve heard, comparable to the Argerich/EMI "Gaspard de la Nuit". At times one could perhaps long for slower, more meditative or pausingly mysterious playing, but still this LP has plenty of fine moments, displaying good pianism, and is worth a listen should one come across it, being more interesting than what I have heard elsewhere from this pianist. The "Reflets de l´Eau" reaches a impressively controlled and flowing quality, for instance, and "La Serenade Interrompue" is good in the rendering of some often "hidden "accompanying notes.

There is a you-tube of him playing "La Plus Que Lente", a work not included on this LP:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BceZPtNVmKE

Concerning the Debussy "Estampes", do others have favourite recordings of those wonderful pieces to recommend in particular ?

I´ve got

CD  Fergus-Thompson/brilliant 89-01 7 cd 6126
LP   Lee/telefunken 71 sma 25109 -13
LP   Richter/dg 135 044
LP   Gieseking/emi-col mono fcx 30.023
LP   Demus/mhs or-d137
LP   Magaloff /concert hall sms 2578
also had Arrau/philips but only for a while, will be getting them again, though.

[DieNacht]

Concerning the above-mentioned out of print Magaloff LP, I´ve uploaded the wild "Feux d´Artifice" and the quieter "Reflets dans l´Eau", some of the best items on that record:

http://www.mediafire.com/?0nqwgqqi4f7jx84

http://www.mediafire.com/?i21nzt3hazhslhk

The sound is not top-notch, but OK. In "Reflets´..." I discovered a click at 0:57 happened, I´ll upload an improved version later.

[DieNacht]

A revised Magaloff "Reflets dans l´Eau , unfortunately the best I can do with my current very basic copying equipment, needing a stylus replacement also I think ...

http://www.mediafire.com/?46lxh3znkhj8pcc


Searched my collection, but I have only very little else material as regards this subject that is out of print or not available at you-tube.

Would like to mention the old Jörg Demus set of the complete piano music which is on you-tube. His "Estampes" is among the best IMO, a lot of beautiful phrasing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOq7jhJRB7s

I just discovered that Ericourt´s "Estampes" are there too & am looking forward to hearing them:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3F1HWaqbJY

[Mandryka]

I like Fiorentino in Estampes, and the live Richter from Salzburg in 1977. Nyeregyhazi recorded some of them too, and they're worth catching I think.


If you don't mind bad sound then I think Ricado Vines is unforgettable in Pagodes as is Moiseiewitch in Jardins sous la pluie, and Vines, Tureck and Moiseiwitsch in La soiree dans Grenade are not without interest. Tureck especially.  There are some excellent early Rubinstein records: Rubinstein is at his best in Debussy and Ravel I think.

[milk]

I wonder what people here think of Debussy on period instruments. I'm thinking of recordings by Alain Planes, Jos Van Immerseel, Paul Badura-Skoda, and Jan Michiels. 

[milk]

I'm enjoying this fairly new Debussy recording on period pianos by Alexei Lubimov. This seems to have received glowing reviews.