Debussy's Corner

Started by Kullervo, December 19, 2007, 05:47:00 PM

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Mandryka

#260
Quote from: Todd on August 16, 2013, 08:10:14 AM


Gieseking's pre-war Debussy, and his smattering of post-war radio broadcast Debussy, are better than his EMI set, but that written, his EMI set is still one of the benchmark sets, at least in my estimation, plus it's a(n almost) complete set.  For me, the best Gieseking Debussy is:



I understand.

What did you think of Philippe Cassard's set, the HIP one on original instruments? I've never heard it.

Here's something really quite interesting I think on authentic Debussy performance, especially what he might have meant by the famous  "without hammers"

http://www.djupdal.org/karstein/debussy/method/m08.shtml

Earlier this year I heard Sokolov play the first Schubert impromptu, which starts with a very loud chord. The sound he made was very loud and powerful, but somehow very soft and mellow at the same time. Burnished, rich, velvety. I thought to myself: now I understand how you can forget that the piano has hammers.
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Todd

Quote from: Mandryka on August 16, 2013, 08:38:41 AMWhat did you think of Philippe Cassard's set, the HIP one on original instruments? I've never heard it.



I have the earlier 2-disc set from Accord, with the Preludes and some other key works.  (My understanding is that Decca reissued the same recordings.)  Overall, it's good, and the sound he gets is on the warmer, almost hammerless side, but despite that I was not compelled to buy the complete set.  Something is missing that prevents it from challenging my favorites.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Todd on August 16, 2013, 07:37:30 AM


Thibaudet has it's strong points, but is not quite as good as the others.


One of those strong points is the études. Elusive works for many folks but here just ravishing.


Another I enjoy, even though it's not quite complete:



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Sadly the it's OOP and extravagantly priced on the Marketplace, but a paired-down version is here.



Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Mandryka on August 16, 2013, 07:59:14 AM
I've got less pleasure from the post war Gieseking and Bavouzet than everyone else it seems.

I used to have a significant portion of the post-war Gieseking on LP, and even with multiple auditions on CD I've yet to find enough in it to win me over. So I sympathize. I'm just not so keen on his heavy pedal use.

And at this late date I'm too taken with Thibaudet, Kocsis, Egorov, Moravec, Rév, and so on...
Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Scarpia on August 15, 2013, 04:10:24 PM
Then there are some superb melodies.

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That's a great disc. The songs are definite contenders. I also like these:




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[asin]B00008NESS[/asin]

Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Todd

Quote from: Dancing Divertimentian on August 16, 2013, 04:30:45 PMAnother I enjoy, even though it's not quite complete:



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Kocsis is among the very best.  Hopefully, he gets the big box treatment one day.  I'd gladly buy for the few items I don't have.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Dancing Divertimentian

Quote from: Todd on August 16, 2013, 05:07:41 PM


Kocsis is among the very best.  Hopefully, he gets the big box treatment one day.  I'd gladly buy for the few items I don't have.

A Big Box from Kocsis would be nice indeed.



Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Mandryka

#267
Do either of you know his Haydn sonatas CD? I haven't heard it but I noticed that Hungaraton have rereleased it.

Sometimes he can be pretty uninteresting for me  you know, like in Art of Fugue, which seems to me as dry as dry can be.

Thanks for mentioning Thibaudet, who I've never heard. It's on spotify so I'll check the Etudes this weekend.

Like you  I like Rodde's Debussy CD with Noel Lee. Another one I like is from Dawn Upshaw, called "Forgotten Melodies", and the one from Veronoque Gens called "Nuit  d'étoiles". Also  Kruysen and Lee of course, and Schafer with Irwin Gage.

And I would very much like to hear this one, which I've heard good things about, but have never been able to find, from Francis Dudziak. Please let me know if you see it anywhere



I haven't heard the Danco CDs yet
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Mirror Image

When it comes to Debussy's chamber music, it doesn't get any better than this set with the Nash Ensemble:

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Todd

Quote from: Mandryka on August 16, 2013, 11:07:08 PMDo either of you know his Haydn sonatas CD?



Yes.  They are vibrant and played with ease, though not Bavouzet-level refinement.  That's not a criticism, just an observation.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Mirror Image

I'll go ahead and say if I haven't said it before --- Debussy was a genius. From his solo piano music to his chamber works to his orchestral music, he certainly knew how to cast his spell in each of these genres and also how to retain his own signature throughout. I need to give Pelleas et Melisande a spin as it's been far too long.

Artem

I'm fairly new to Debussy's music, but from what I've heard so far, I find Book One of the Preludes to be the most enjoyable of his works for me (I'm listening to Gieseking play them). I've read Paul Roberts short book about Debussy and he calls Preludes "the music of escapism... from an increasingly disordered everyday life".

Karl Henning

The Préludes are certainly great favorites of mine, and also the three late Sonates, especially the one for flute, viola & harp.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Mirror Image

Quote from: Artem on December 13, 2013, 08:19:06 PM
I'm fairly new to Debussy's music, but from what I've heard so far, I find Book One of the Preludes to be the most enjoyable of his works for me (I'm listening to Gieseking play them). I've read Paul Roberts short book about Debussy and he calls Preludes "the music of escapism... from an increasingly disordered everyday life".

Do give his chamber works a try. The Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp, Violin Sonata, and the Cello Sonata are magnificent.

North Star

Quote from: karlhenning on December 14, 2013, 04:18:30 PM
The Préludes are certainly great favorites of mine, and also the three late Sonates, especially the one for flute, viola & harp.
Quote from: Mirror Image on December 14, 2013, 04:51:55 PM
Do give his chamber works a try. The Sonata for Flute, Viola, and Harp, Violin Sonata, and the Cello Sonata are magnificent.
Agreed.

Other favourites: Deux Dances (Sacrée et profane), Jeux, Trois Nocturnes, La mer, the orchestral Images, and Le Martyre de saint Sebastian. Looks like Sunday will be dedicated to Debussy  :)
"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucius

My photographs on Flickr

NJ Joe

Quote from: karlhenning on December 14, 2013, 04:18:30 PM
the three late Sonates, especially the one for flute, viola & harp.



Those works are included on this disc, which I enjoy immensely.
"Music can inspire love, religious ecstasy, cathartic release, social bonding, and a glimpse of another dimension. A sense that there is another time, another space and another, better universe."
-David Byrne

Karl Henning

Quote from: NJ Joe on December 14, 2013, 06:39:14 PM


Those works are included on this disc, which I enjoy immensely.

(* pounds the table *)
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot

Mirror Image

Quote from: NJ Joe on December 14, 2013, 06:39:14 PM


Those works are included on this disc, which I enjoy immensely.

Yep, that's a fine set right there. Top-drawer Debussy and performances.

Dancing Divertimentian

#278
Just cross-posting this from the WAYLT thread, since it'll likely disappear after a couple days.


Re: Haitink's P&M:

Haitink in absolute control of every bar - per his style - but as often happens while listening to him his power of persuasion has me sold pretty much right from the start. Of all the works his "iron grip" would seem most out of place in a work like P&M, which relies so heavily on atmosphere and a revolving door of moods. But seemingly out of nowhere this "control" produces a wonderful sense of freedom and the work has all the spaciousness and moodiness required of it.

Of course the singing plays a huge part in this and overall everything is in good hands.




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Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Karl Henning

That doesn't surprise me at all.  The atmosphere is created by intention and control.
Karl Henning, Ph.D.
Composer & Clarinetist
Boston MA
http://www.karlhenning.com/
[Matisse] was interested neither in fending off opposition,
nor in competing for the favor of wayward friends.
His only competition was with himself. — Françoise Gilot