Debussy's Corner

[Symphonic Addict]

Unless it's Stockhausen, because then we can just go ahead and throw it in the garbage.

I can't argue with that. 

[Mirror Image]

I can't argue with that. 

[Madiel]

I haven't quite finished my chronological exploration of all the Debussy I can lay my hands on, but my sweet spot seems to be a bit earlier than the Preludes (though I do generally like them). I find myself responding to the trios of piano pieces (like Pour le Piano, Estampes or each set of Images), and a lot of the Verlaine songs, and Nocturnes for orchestra.

I think it's rather difficult to nail one thing down as a 'magnum opus', unless you go for Pelleas in part because it was rare for Debussy to complete something on that scale?

Don't mind me, random incoherent thoughts here. It's an interesting question. I guess I feel as if having a magnum opus is the kind of grand Germanic gesture that Debussy wouldn't go in for. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Thank you, John. Precisely, yesterday I gave them a listen and my perception of them is different now. It's good when you don't give up trying music that you didn't consider appealing initially.

Delighted to hear that you revisited Les Préludes and enjoyed them!    Whose recordings of them did you listen to by the way?

A couple favorite pieces from the two books that I particularly love:  La Fille aux Cheuveux de lin and La Cathédrale Engloutie.  Did any ones in particular strike you SA?

PD

[Symphonic Addict]

Delighted to hear that you revisited Les Préludes and enjoyed them!    Whose recordings of them did you listen to by the way?

A couple favorite pieces from the two books that I particularly love:  La Fille aux Cheuveux de lin and La Cathédrale Engloutie.  Did any ones in particular strike you SA?

PD

I gave the Chandos recording with Bavouzet a listen. I liked these ones the most (from book I): Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir, Minstrels, Voiles and La cathédrale engloutie.

[Mirror Image]

I gave the Chandos recording with Bavouzet a listen. I liked these ones the most (from book I): Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir, Minstrels, Voiles and La cathédrale engloutie.

Yes, the Book II is a bit more prickly isn't it? But I do enjoy it but like many I prefer Book I only because I think this is Debussy at his picturesque best.

[Madiel]

La cathédrale engloutie is just extraordinary.

[Brian]

Does anyone know if Kathryn Stott's Debussy recital on Conifer (recorded in 1987) uses some kind of historical piano? I have the cheapo Sony reissue with no documentation, and the piano has a very special color and sound, including delicate high treble.

[Madiel]

Various images on Discogs don't seem to give any indication of something special.

[Peter Power Pop]

Does anyone know if Kathryn Stott's Debussy recital on Conifer (recorded in 1987) uses some kind of historical piano? I have the cheapo Sony reissue with no documentation, and the piano has a very special color and sound, including delicate high treble.

There's no mention of the piano in the credits on the original recording. This is in the booklet:



From:

https://www.discogs.com/release/5327759-Debussy-Kathryn-Stott-A-Debussy-Collection

[Brian]

Thanks, folks. A couple online reviewers complain about poor sound, so perhaps I mistook an acoustic fault for an artistic merit. Ignorance is bliss!  0:)

[staxomega]

La cathédrale engloutie is just extraordinary.

It's probably my favorite piano to orchestra transcription. There is a recording from Geoffrey Simon that has more atmosphere and build up than any of Stokowski's performances.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

It's probably my favorite piano to orchestra transcription. There is a recording from Geoffrey Simon that has more atmosphere and build up than any of Stokowski's performances.

I didn't know that there was an orchestral transcription.  I'll take a look at youtube to see if I can find one.

PD

[Peter Power Pop]

La cathédrale engloutie is just extraordinary.

It's probably my favorite piano to orchestra transcription. There is a recording from Geoffrey Simon that has more atmosphere and build up than any of Stokowski's performances.

It's tremendous.

https://www.youtube.com/v/mEFuhWLenTA

[Daverz]

Thanks, folks. A couple online reviewers complain about poor sound, so perhaps I mistook an acoustic fault for an artistic merit. Ignorance is bliss!  0:)

I looked up the Fanfare review (by John Wiser), and his only remark about the sonics is "[...] clean piano sound.  Recommended."

[Roasted Swan]

I didn't know that there was an orchestral transcription.  I'll take a look at youtube to see if I can find one.

PD

The Geoffrey Simon is very good - I must admit I like all his recordings of Debussy and Ravel which include several unusual orchestrations.  BUT for the Stokowski/Sunken Cathedral alone I love the Kunzel/Cinncinnati Pops on Telarc - for sheer sonic glory!!

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The Geoffrey Simon is very good - I must admit I like all his recordings of Debussy and Ravel which include several unusual orchestrations.  BUT for the Stokowski/Sunken Cathedral alone I love the Kunzel/Cinncinnati Pops on Telarc - for sheer sonic glory!!

Oh, that was fun!  I found it on youtube.  When I listened to the other recording, I wasn't really that taken with it.  Enjoyed it much more this time around.

I'll have to keep an eye out for more Telarc recordings...had forgotten how good they sound. 

PD

p.s.  It's here if anyone wants to listen to it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTgGSWZzHqA

[Roasted Swan]

 

Oh, that was fun!  I found it on youtube.  When I listened to the other recording, I wasn't really that taken with it.  Enjoyed it much more this time around.

I'll have to keep an eye out for more Telarc recordings...had forgotten how good they sound. 

PD

p.s.  It's here if anyone wants to listen to it:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTgGSWZzHqA

Glad you enjoyed it - the whole of that CD - a tribute to Stokowski does fit the "sonic splendo(u)r" definition - optional "u" for American colleagues 

[milk]

Demus had a magic touch. I don't know enough to say how he compares but I do believe Demus is special.

[Todd]

Some HIP Debussy.  While I am not too wild about period keyboards from the first three quarters of the 19th Century or before (though I do fancy the best of them), I have something of a weak spot for modern grands from the first couple decades of the last century.  Steinways and Bechsteins (as here), in particular, sometimes sound almost magical to my ears.  Why that should be, I have no idea.  And Debussy just seems like the ideal composer for such instruments.  When I spied this release, I was interested for works and artist, not instrument, so the 1900 Bechstein is just icing in the cake.

Véronique Bonnecaze is, I am pretty sure, new to my collection.  (I should probably be worried that I do not know for sure without scrubbing my entire collection.)  On the evidence of this recording, she's got chops.  And the right ear for the right instrument with the right repertoire.  She starts things off with a slow Clair de lune, though it never drags, and the decay of the piano adds a little something.  Next, she moves to L'Isle Joyeuse and dispatches it with at times glittering, bright playing, with the sustain pedal at times blurring music into an amorphous delight.  And that Bechstein really shines in the upper registers, bursting with color.  The second set of Images follows, and each piece is nicely characterized, with the close sound accentuating some individual notes in a most appealing way.  Indeed, the combo of instrument, music, and recording technique ends up sucking the listener into a detail oriented listening session.

The main attraction is of course the first book of Préludes.  One can never have too many recordings.  The only music I have collected more versions of is the New Testament.  Bonnecaze delivers a fine performance.  Listening here becomes even more detail oriented, and one is rewarded with color and a good amount of clarity where appropriate, and mystery where needed.  True, Le Vent dans la plaine and even more so Ce qu'a vu le vent d'Ouest lack maximum oomph in the ff playing – Bonnecaze never thunders like Zimerman – but the tonal variation of the instrument really focuses attention.  While upper registers sound bright, and lower registers a bit flat and dull and less powerful than on modern grands, the middle registers often sound most prominent.  And by often, I mean always.  That leads to some intriguing effects, not least in La Cathédrale engloutie, where the tolling bass notes sound woody and the right-hand playing can swell over it.  She paces the critical piece nicely indeed.  Each piece ends up distinct and distinctive.  Nice.

La plus que lente serves as a punchy little encore, starting slowly, with the pianist lilting and wandering and then accelerating and punching out notes in a an almost drunken manner.  The closest analog in my listening experience is Russell Sherman's final movement in Beethoven's Op 31/1.

So, a very nice Debussy recital overall, and one that makes me think I should probably expand my exposure to Bonnecaze's discography.

Recorded sound is close and clear and offers up details.  It also offers up either low-level analog hiss or pervasive low-level room noise that sounds like hiss.  Or perhaps some low-level electronic noise that mimics hiss.  That would be the first time that has popped up on a recording.