Best Debussy piano preludes?

hangos · Post by **hangos** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:53 am

I have recently been listening repeatedly to samples of Pascal Roge's latest recording of Debussy's preludes, and I must say I like what I've heard; there are a few hesitations and quirks compared to what I've heard before by Gieseking,Tirimo,Fergus-Thompson and Thibaudet, but I find the sound so appealing in every respect - I had to sell Thibaudet's (to my ears clinical) recording because it left me completely cold and uninvolved.

I would be very grateful for your views on favoured recordings of these fascinating works.

Martin

jbuck919 · Post by **jbuck919** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 12:18 pm

I've told this story a couple of times, but I think it was before Martin's time.

In college one day the instructor (very disorganized; we never knew what he would do from day to day) brought in a number of recordings of The Submerged Cathedral, perhaps the most famous Prelude because, frankly, it is the easiest to play. There is a time signature transition in it that is tricky to deal with. He played a bunch of, at that time, famous pianists, and then a scratchy old thing, and as naive as we were, we all recognized the last lo-fi performance as the best one and the only one that dealt with the transition correctly. The pianist? Claude-Achille Debussy.

hangos · Post by **hangos** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 12:23 pm

Thanks, John!

Does your story imply stay with Gieseking, or follow your own instincts(i.e. if the Roge recording appeals,go for it)?

You really are a cryptic sage!

Martin

Donald Isler · Post by **Donald Isler** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 12:31 pm

Cortot is also wonderful.

jbuck919 · Post by **jbuck919** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 12:36 pm

hangos wrote:Thanks, John!

Does your story imply stay with Gieseking, or follow your own instincts(i.e. if the Roge recording appeals,go for it)?

You really are a cryptic sage!

Martin

No, I'm just not a recording jock, as a number of others here are (no criticism implied). You'll get plenty of opinions in direct response to your inquiry.

ch1525 · Post by **ch1525** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 1:10 pm

jbuck919 wrote:...perhaps the most famous Prelude because, frankly, it is the easiest to play.

Awww, and I was so proud of myself for playing it a couple recitals ago.

I actually think La fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair) is a bit easier to play.

jbuck919 · Post by **jbuck919** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 1:23 pm

ch1525 wrote:
jbuck919 wrote:...perhaps the most famous Prelude because, frankly, it is the easiest to play.

Awww, and I was so proud of myself for playing it a couple recitals ago.

I actually think La fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair) is a bit easier to play.

Yes, it is; what was I thinking of?

If someone wants to "have something on me" in the way of artistic compromise, there is a phenomenon in use in some Protestant churches called the piano/organ duet. Unfortunately, in my last (Methodist) church in Maryland where I was the organist, there were two other good pianists who always wanted to do these things, which are invariably schlock. One collection paired a classical piece with a hymn arrangement, and one of them was "La fille," I forget the hymn even though that's the part I did. By crushing all my artistic sensibilities I managed to get through it.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 1:47 pm

Actually, Danseuses de Delphes and Canope are perhaps easiest of all.

Post by **Lance** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:05 pm

My "reference" recording for the Preludes, Books I and II, has always been Walter Gieseking on EMI, largely due to the sound he could get through his exceptional pedal techniques in creating pianistic color. I believe he uses a very beautifully-voiced mellow-toned Baldwin concert grand for these recordings. This will be a most definite set to have [EMI 61004 single CD, or in all of Gieseking's EMI Debussy recordings [65855, 4CDs, recorded 1953-54]. An outstanding alternate and more contemporary recording is with Paul Jacobs (Books I/II) on Nonesuch [73031]. The following also are worthy of consideration:

Robert Casadesus (Books I/II) - Sony Classical 45688 (recorded 1953-1954)
Jorge Bolet (only 16 Preludes from both books) - Decca/London 425.518 (also on a Baldwin piano)
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (Books I/II) - DGG 413.450
Dino Ciani (Books I/II) - DGG 453.070
Samson François (Books I/II) - EMI 68988 or EMI 75434 (both 2CD)
Cecile Ousset (Books I/II) - EMI 73535
Claudio Arrau (Books I/II) - Philips 420.393 and 420.394
Alfred Cortot (Book I) - Philips 456.754 (but also on a cheap Classics D'Oro if you cannot find the Philips, which is now out-of-print)
Pascal Roge (Book I) - Decca/London 443.021
Arturo Benedetti-Michelangeli (Book I) - Aura 201 (Live, Vatican, 1977)
Arturo Benedetti-Michelangeli (Book II) - Aura 210 (Live, Stuttgart, 1982)
Walter Gieseking (Book I) - Dante 167 (early 1931-1939 recordings) [disc is now out-of-print]
Livia Rev (Books I/II) - Hyperion 44061/3 (3cd)
Steven Osborne (Books I/II) - Hyperion 67530
Ralph Votapek (Books I/II) - Ivory Classics 73004 (2CD)
Daniel Ericourt (Books I/II) - Ivory Classics 73006 (4CD priced as 2)
Vladimir Viardo (Books I/II) - ProPiano 224525

There are, of course, many other complete recordings of the Preludes, Books I/II. Any recordings you find of Sviatoslav Richter playing any of Debussy's Preludes are also worthy of consideration. He was quite the colorist. I mentioned Daniel Ericourt above because he is an highly underrated pianist who does much for the music of Debussy in a very special way - a keyboard colorist, which is what this music requires. Robert Casadesus also made a specialty of this music and his recording comes highly recommended.[/color]

hangos · Post by **hangos** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:22 pm

Thank you so much, Lance! As usual you have come to the rescue with your encyclopaedic knowledge.
I gather from your long list of recommendations that (like the Bartok string quartets) these pieces have been very lucky on record, so it's a case of personal taste.
I am now spoilt for choice!

Martin

Opus132 · Post by **Opus132** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:52 pm

Krystian Zimerman is my benchmark. I like my Debussy with a rougher coat.

Donaldopato · Post by **Donaldopato** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:18 pm

Gieseking is a god in these works, in my very humble opinion.

Donald Isler · Post by **Donald Isler** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 10:33 pm

Donaldopato wrote:

"Gieseking is a god in these works, in my very humble opinion."

David Dubal, who has a very popular program on pianists on WQXR in New York (it's called Reflections From the Piano) said "Gieseking's pedalling was so good he must have had ears in his feet!"

Wallingford · Post by **Wallingford** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:50 pm

If you've still got your turntable, I can recommend Novaes' old Vox recording of Book I.....it's a controversial one, one that some critics weren't very kind to. But she always had an intuitive, individual approach to getting as much pure music as she possibly could out of what she played, and it's no less true here.

It was the LP I had reference to when working on those pieces.

Philoctetes · Post by **Philoctetes** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 2:30 pm

Nicole Muller
http://pianosociety.com/cms/index.php?section=159

Teresa B · Post by **Teresa B** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 6:18 pm

I know this isn't a "Which one is easiest to play?" thread, but I would agree, I think technically, "Flaxen hair" is fairly easy. I vote for "Minstrels" for a prize in the "Oughtta be simple, but is tricky as all getout" award.

Teresa

The Classical Music Guide Forums

Best Debussy piano preludes?

Best Debussy piano preludes?

Who is online