Meyer was one of
the most fascinating of French pianists, a school of pianism
hardly lacking in charisma or talent. She was versatile in the
French baroque and wise in Debussy but never considered herself
a specialist either in Rameau or in French Impressionism. Fortunately
she recorded widely before her untimely death at the age of
sixty-one in 1958. Her baroque and twentieth century repertoire
are superbly captured in French EMI’s three volume Les Introuvables
de Marcelle Meyer though there are also plenty of single
disc offerings from various companies that cover rare commercial
and live recordings - such as this one.
You will find her
January 1957 commercial Debussy Images on EMI and that
remains the first port of call for her in this work. But Tahra
has unearthed a live RAI broadcast from April of the same year
and the differences are minimal though the commercial recording
clearly takes precedence in matters of recording quality. Nevertheless
it is still an abundant pleasure to hear her marvellously evocative
sweep in Reflets dans l’eau – the opposite of Michelangeli’s
glacial precision – constantly enriched by her dextrous articulation.
She is more obviously romanticised in Hommage à Rameau
than another elite Debussyian, her contemporary the American
George Copland who here prefers a more ascetic and limpid approach,
very light on the pedal and spare. Both recorded this in 1957
and both have claims to be considered august first generation
interpreters of Debussy – in fact rather greater than Gieseking,
whose influence in matters Debussyan is a curious and in many
ways anomalous one; a subject for another time perhaps. Her
tone colours in Book II are worthy of note though once again
when comparisons are made with the Debussy intimate Copeland
we see wide divergences of approach in Et la lune descend
with Copeland rattling through it in just over four minutes
and Meyer taking five and a half. It sounds that much more modern
and startling in the American’s hands, though both approaches
offer their own rewards. Her Poissons d’or are glitteringly
capricious. The Chopin is gracious, light and witty but again
suffers from constricted sound.
The de Falla Nights
was recorded in Rome the following year. The sound here is much
more open and welcoming than in the rather unaertated studio
of 1957. The balance is skewed decisively in favour of Meyer’s
piano and this allows us plenty of opportunities to hear her
splendidly engaged and colourful way with the work. The strings
of the RAI orchestra are rather scrawny and the performance
as a whole is rather untidy, though it is, to be sure, spirited
and enthusiastic. Her tangy sonorities in the Danse lointaine
are a real highlight – just right.
There’s a thoughtful
booklet note including an essay by her daughter with some unusual
biographical and musicological perspectives. I understand Tahra
will soon release another Meyer set – we should treasure all
such.
Jonathan Woolf
Marcelle Meyer (piano)
