Debussy's Preludes

[Mirror Image]

Great post, Josquin!

+1

Although, unlike Josquin, I love everything Kocsis did in Debussy. I haven't really heard enough Bavouzet to give a definite 'yes' or 'no', although when I did sample some of his cycle, I was a bit disappointed by the audio quality. But, if I can pick up his set for a good price, I'll jump on it. I missed the opportunity several weeks ago.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

On the negative side, I've liked Youri Egorov's Preludes, but am not a huge fan of the overly reverberant acoustic that he was recorded in.

Nothing echo-y that I can hear in Egorov, and I'm picky about echo-y-ness.

Kocsis and Bavouzet's recordings of the Preludes were disappointments,

Don't know Bavouzet, but Kocsis is far far far far far far far from a disappointment in my book.

[Mirror Image]

Nothing echo-y that I can hear in Egorov, and I'm picky about echo-y-ness.

Don't know Bavouzet, but Kocsis is far far far far far far far from a disappointment in my book.

I can only nod my head in agreement.

[Mookalafalas]

Anyone familiar with this?

No, but am very interested. I am a huge fan of the Arcana label.  I was surprised to see the recording date is 1995! It's definitely been flying under the radar.

[George]

No, but am very interested. I am a huge fan of the Arcana label.  I was surprised to see the recording date is 1995! It's definitely been flying under the radar.

Under the radar indeed. Not even RMCR has any discussion on that set.

[Baron Scarpia]

I'm increasingly finding the Preludes to be a work for which I enjoy different things in different recordings, without really being able to say that I like any one option better than the other.

I have been listening to a few recordings of Book I. I started with Werner Haas, but stopped when I found that some passages had very audible distortion (sounded like tape saturation in the original recording, could be a remastering error, I guess). I then listened to Thibaudet of Decca, which I think of as one of my favorites, and which I enjoyed for clarity, although the recording was a bit lacking in bass richness. Then Aimard, which was on the opposite side of the spectrum. A lot more reverberation and a rich depiction of the bass registers, which tended to make the preludes which emphasize color very satisfying, but those that emphasize clever articulation less impressive. Then I listened to Monique Haas on Erato, which was beautifully atmospheric with audio that on the less reverberant side. However, in the demanding passages I had the impression that her articulation was not entirely immaculate.

Maybe it's time to listen to Book II.

[Josquin13]

Nothing echo-y that I can hear in Egorov, and I'm picky about echo-y-ness.

Don't know Bavouzet, but Kocsis is far far far far far far far from a disappointment in my book.

Yes, I've known others that have liked Kocsis' set of Debussy Preludes immensely, but when those recordings came out they were heavily criticized, even by the British rags (the Penquin Guide gave the set a particularly damning review, & Bryce Morrison at Gramophone was lukewarm on it), who normally raved about Kocsis in Debussy (as do I), having given his other Debussy recordings year-end accolades & "Rosette" awards.  The sound quality of the initial Philips issue was also criticized for not being up to the usual high standards of Kocsis' previous Debussy recordings on Philips, and on this I was in full agreement (though perhaps the sound has been improved on subsequent reissues).  However, Kocsis was a great pianist, so I'm not saying that there aren't interesting ideas or fine playing in evidence, of course, there is.  Here's the Gramophone review (unfortunately, I can't find the Penquin review):

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/debussy-pr%C3%A9ludes-bks-1-2-childrens-corner

As for Egorov's Preludes, he uses the pedal a bit heavily at times, and the notes seem to reverberate & overlap a little more than is normally the case on certain other recordings, such as with Francois, Lefebure, Arrau, Meyer, Rouvier, Tomsic, or Freire, for example.  I concluded that he was playing in a fairly reverberant space.  But it may just be that he's a tad heavy on the pedal in certain Preludes, at times.  Have a listen to Egorov's "Danseuses de Delphes" and listen to how previously struck notes tend to linger longer than is usual--I'm not always a huge fan of this, but maybe I'm being overly sensitive & unfair (as Egorov is hardly the only pianist that uses the pedal freely in Debussy, & it certainly can work & is necessary at times):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2oXelHJCZo

Now here's Samson François playing the same Prelude (more in the Cortot vein).  François seems lighter and a bit more judicious with the pedal, and not quite as 'impressionist' in effect (though it may partly be the different acoustic as well):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZXOVD3vCck

For me, Bavouzet's Preludes were surprisingly a mixed bag, after his fine Ravel.  But I may be in the minority here.

Thanks, George.  It was my pleasure.

P.S. For the sake of comparison, here are some additional pianists in "Danseuses de Delphe":

Arrau:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BzR0gWyO18
Rouvier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L0o_7WQX30
Tomsic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-qmwakVFOg
Lefebure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoeSOEtSgi0
Meyer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWh03aPkJnE

[Jo498]

Besides Lasry, Van Immerseel has also one disc (Preludes I + fillers) on a period instrument:

[asin]B000003UYA[/asin]

[North Star]

Besides Lasry, Van Immerseel has also one disc (Preludes I + fillers) on a period instrument:

[asin]B000003UYA[/asin]

And two discs of Cassard's set are on played on a Bechstein (Suite Bergamasque, Pour le piano, Children's Corner, Etudes, and smaller pieces)
[asin]B006MYKZ6M[/asin]

[Mandryka]

And two discs of Cassard's set are on played on a Bechstein (Suite Bergamasque, Pour le piano, Children's Corner, Etudes, and smaller pieces)
[asin]B006MYKZ6M[/asin]

So what are the other things in the set played on? I thought he used Debussy's piano for all of them.

[North Star]

So what are the other things in the set played on? I thought he used Debussy's piano for all of them.

I should have said that at least those recordings are made using the Bechstein. There are some recordings in the set on a Steinway model D from 2009, but looking at the dates, only the recordings of two short pieces are from after the piano was made, so it is indeed practically completely on the Bechstein.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Yes, I've known others that have liked Kocsis' set of Debussy Preludes immensely, but when those recordings came out they were heavily criticized, even by the British rags (the Penquin Guide gave the set a particularly damning review, & Bryce Morrison at Gramophone was lukewarm on it), who normally raved about Kocsis in Debussy (as do I), having given his other Debussy recordings year-end accolades & "Rosette" awards.  The sound quality of the initial Philips issue was also criticized for not being up to the usual high standards of Kocsis' previous Debussy recordings on Philips, and on this I was in full agreement (though perhaps the sound has been improved on subsequent reissues).  However, Kocsis was a great pianist, so I'm not saying that there aren't interesting ideas or fine playing in evidence, of course, there is.  Here's the Gramophone review (unfortunately, I can't find the Penquin review):

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/review/debussy-pr%C3%A9ludes-bks-1-2-childrens-corner

Count me amongst the chorus of "others that have liked Kocsis' set of Debussy preludes immensely". The rags be hanged.

As for Egorov's Preludes, he uses the pedal a bit heavily at times, and the notes seem to reverberate & overlap a little more than is normally the case on certain other recordings, such as with Francois, Lefebure, Arrau, Meyer, Rouvier, Tomsic, or Freire, for example.  I concluded that he was playing in a fairly reverberant space.  But it may just be that he's a tad heavy on the pedal in certain Preludes, at times.  Have a listen to Egorov's "Danseuses de Delphes" and listen to how previously struck notes tend to linger longer than is usual--I'm not always a huge fan of this, but maybe I'm being overly sensitive & unfair (as Egorov is hardly the only pianist that uses the pedal freely in Debussy, & it certainly can work & is necessary at times):

Mere niggles, and hardly deal-breakers for me. 

[Mirror Image]

Count me amongst the chorus of "others that have liked Kocsis' set of Debussy preludes immensely". The rags be hanged.

Mere niggles, and hardly deal-breakers for me.

Can only nod in agreement to both responses here, DD.

[Mirror Image]

I can only say WOW to Paul Jacobs' Préludes! As with all of his Debussy, it's magnificent.

So far, Jacobs, Kocsis, and Egorov seem to be the ones I'm most attracted to. Others I've heard that are in my collection that I didn't like (or like as good as the afore mentioned favorites): Aimard, Jumppanen, Planès, and Michelangeli.

[Daverz]

Recording of Book II that was flogged pretty heavily in Fanfare last year.  Streaming at

https://www.amazon.com/Reverie-Amy-Gustafson/dp/B072BCXLXB/ref=sr_1_1_twi_mus_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1523331676&sr=1-1&keywords=Gustafson+reverie

Impressive sonics.

[...] she is a believer in the strong rhythmic impulses that lie at the heart of these pieces. Consequently, we don't get the aural impression of music floating anchorless on undulating waves, as we not infrequently do with other players who take Debussy's written notes to represent a vague outline of what he wanted. Gustafson's Debussy is forceful and masculine, so much so that at first I was a bit taken aback. She doesn't shy away from the top range of the dynamic scale or the sharp, percussive accent—listen, for example, to her opening statements in "La Puerto del Vino" and "Général Lavine-excentric," the third and sixth numbers, respectively, in the Préludes, Book II—but underlying everything she does is a rhythmic instinct for what shapes the music and gives it life.

[Mandryka]

I'm a Debussy nut, so I've heard and collected (way too) many recordings of his Preludes over the decades.



From the later analogue era, my favorite Preludes recordings are from Claudio Arrau

I find what he does in the preludes fascinating. It's like an exploration, I want to say a free exploration, but that may be inaccurate, of sounds and textures and rhythms.

I hope you heard the recording released a couple of years ago with Images and Estampes from a 1949 Columbia LP where, even as way back as that, you can hear the germs of his mature abstract style.

Oh and by the way, did you notice I found a lossless download of Walter Testolin's Circumdederunt Me? You need to find a way to get it. You will like it.

Let me know if you want me to dig up links to these recordings.

[snyprrr]

Well, I've just been listening to Debussy Piano Music for the FIRST TIME EVER! I got the Martin Jones set for real cheap, but it arrived missing the last two discs and no booklet,... so, eithe rway, most of it's there, so let's dig in.

First off, I seemed to like the Preludes least of what I heard...


I really couldn't say word one about Debussy Piano Music, so, I figured, let's go to the 'Nocturne' and 'Ballade' to see what's up. Well, I liked those two greatly. The "uppity" pieces 'Danse bohemienne' and 'Mazurka', not so much. 'Reverie', in the same vein as the first two...

'Masques' what is up with this piece?Jones played it so strange that I punched up Gieseking, and he sounded bizarre too, I guess it's just strange music?


THE ONE PIECE THAT BLEW MY MIND was 'The Snow is Dancing' from the 'Children's Corner'. WOW, well, THERE is standard Minimalism, I just couldn't believe it. Sounded like the music from 'Logan's Run' or 'The Exorcist'...




Anything I've heard now of Debussy that is "dreamy", I like. The uppity bits not so much...




AS FAR AS MARTIN JONES is concerned, he seems to play very well, and the reviews seem to agree he's no slouch or hazy smooshy nostalgic. The main issue anyone might have here is of course the Nimbus sound, which may not be to taste. I think it worked great on 'Nocturne' and 'Ballade', giving a "gothic" feel, but in other places it sounds too "dancehall" and distant.

Given the druthers, I would probably go for the Kocsis set and be done with it. I am following this Thread closely...

[Baron Scarpia]

Couldn't resist the temptation to listen another set of Preludes, Book I, this time Samson Francois. Really fine. Francois' thing is not immaculate technique, but the ability to create a sense of controlled turbulence. There are passages where he pulls off something really special.

The EMI France recording from 1971 is pleasant to listen to. Some tape hiss, but not too distracting and a beautiful palette of colors from the piano.

[Mandryka]

Roland Pontinen has recently recorded the Preludes too, & I expect his Preludes are well worth hearing.

Has this been released? 

There's a selection of preludes by Michelangeli from the Vatican in 1977 on Aura which seems totally wonderful to me.  I like Freire but I prefer ABM here.

[aukhawk]

Besides Lasry, Van Immerseel has also one disc (Preludes I + fillers) on a period instrument:

A shout for Hiroko Sasaki - described upthread by Todd here