CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862 - 1918)
Suite bergamasque
15.43
Pagodas 4.08
La Soiree dans Grenade 4.14 (from "Estampes")
Reflets dans l'eau 4.39 (from "Images 1")
L'Isle joyeuse
4.55
MAURICE RAVEL (1875 -
1937)
Sonatine 10.03
La Vallee des cloches 4.51 (from
"Miroirs")
ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810 -
1856)
Kreisleriana. Op. 16 29.33
Fantasies
Walter Gieseking
(pno).
Recorded BBC Studios,
London. 29 Sept 1956 (Debussy, Ravel)
Recorded BBC Studios, London. 6 Dec 1953 (Schumann)
MONO recording. BBC Records. BBCL 4030-2 [79.04]
Walter Gieseking was recognised as a great interpreter of many composers
- Beethoven and Brahms from the classical world as well as Busoni, Hindemith
and Stravinsky - but he is undoubtedly best known for his playing of the
impressionistic world of Debussy and Ravel. His performance on EMI of the
complete Preludes of Debussy is acknowledged as one of the great all-time
recordings. The bulk of this CD is devoted to pieces by the two French composers.
These French miniatures are a delight. All that we expect from a great artist
at work is there to hand - all put to the service of the music. These are
not show-off pieces there to dazzle an audience; instead the illusion is
that the pianist has come into the studio, sat down and played for himself
and for his own pleasure, and the microphone just incidentally has captured
the moment.
The delights are many. Like the extremes of rubato in the Prelude
of the Bergamasque Suite, the ability to switch in a moment from utmost
delicacy in the Menuet to almost savage attack, the loving, introspective
Clair de Lune ,the rippling left hand with its subtle variations in
the Passepied. Debussy's subtle harmonies and colours, the caressing
of the keyboard and almost immaculate articulation in the later little gems
are almost hypnotic. Ravel's name is often coupled with Debussy's but listening
to them closely together as on this disc clearly shows how different they
were. The three movement Sonatine - gently persuasive, and the closing
piece from Miroirs are utterly beguiling.
All the Debussy/Ravel pieces in the recording are from September 1956. Gieseking
died shortly afterwards at the age of 61. Three years earlier he recorded
Robert Schumann's Kreisleriana - which then was not a familiar piece. Sadly,
the recording cannot be recommended. If you particularly want Gieseking in
this work, there is nothing wrong with the performance. He brings out the
variety and contrasts in its eight sections but must be heard with a background
of hiss - at varying levels - and occasional squeaks that do not make for
easy listening. The recording of the French pieces - in Mono - is perfectly
acceptable.
One other point. The notes included tell us a lot about Gieseking - and what
an interesting man he seemed to have been - but there are no useful notes
to inform the listener about the music.
Reviewer
Harry Downey
