Claude DEBUSSY (1862-1918)
Reflections on Debussy
Pour l’oeuvre du vêtement du blessé [1:33]
Improvisation I [1:42]
La fille aux cheveux de lin [2:53]
Improvisation II [4:14]
La serenade interompue [2:37]
Improvisation III [2:06]
La Cathédrale engloutie [7:26]
Improvisation IV [2:38]
Le petit négre [1:05]
Improvisation V [2:03]
Clair de lune [5:12]
Improvisation VI [2:51]
Des pas sur la neige [4:55]
Improvisation VII [5:03]
Morceau de concours [0:50]
Improvisation VIII [1:43]
Minstrels [2:36]
Laurens Patzlaff (piano) (all improvisations by the pianist)
rec. Musikhochschule Stuttgart, Germany, 3-4 April 2012
ANIMATO ACD6134 [51:35]
Debussy is one of those composers whose music I
absolutely adore. If ever painting by music can be said to have been
achieved it must be Debussy’s name that is surely the first that
comes to mind as the pre-eminent practitioner of that “art”.
It was therefore with some trepidation that I approached this disc that
has pianist Laurens Patzlaff improvising on a number of Debussy’s
compositions. I found that I was asking myself as to whether it could
be compared to Jacques Loussier’s jazz improvisations on Bach,
Ravel, Satie and others. I suppose it’s a fair comparison but
since Loussier doesn’t present them alongside the originals does
that make a difference I wondered and does taking the music into the
jazz idiom place the exercise in a different arena. I’m still
pondering these questions while I listen. What I can say is that Patzlaff
has tapped into Debussy’s dreamlike sound world pretty convincingly.
His improvisations are certainly in the same vein but I’m still
left wondering if this is something that has any value. Creating a jazz
impression of a Bach suite is one thing but presenting a classical improvisation
alongside the original just seems to be a step too far, as if he’s
saying “I can do this too”, though I’m sure that wasn’t
the aim. In any case perfection can neither be improved upon nor in
Debussy’s case even matched, so what is the point? The
booklet notes explain the motivation behind it as follows: “It’s
not hard to see the fascination this music holds for skilled improvisers,
such as Laurens Patzlaff, whose aim is to maintain balance and continuity
in a spontaneous developing musical narrative. To interpolate contemporary
improvisations between Debussy’s spontaneous-sounding inspirations
can shine a particular spotlight on both the present artist and his
source of inspiration. The present improvisations by Laurens Patzlaff
are designed to do this by developing themes from the piece that precedes
each one, while anticipating those of the piece that’s about to
follow. They can thus be seen also as bridging transitions”. Perhaps
I’m being over-critical and it may be only because it leads me
to make comparisons with the original which may be unfair. I might have
a different attitude if the disc were of improvisations alone as I enjoyed
them as such just as I do the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini
by Rachmaninov as well as his Variations on a Theme of Corelli
and on Chopin. In those cases one simply accepts the works as
such.
Is it different here because Patzlaff is dealing with several short
works rather than a single theme? In any event Patzlaff’s playing
of the Debussy works is suitably reflective with pauses in all the right
places that are so telling in the magically dreamy world of Debussy’s
piano music. One of the improvisations I especially enjoyed was the
jazzy no.VII bridging Debussy’s Des pas sur la neige and
his Morceau de concours. However, while I could easily appreciate
the improvisation on the preceding Debussy work in each case, I found
it difficult to identify the elements from the forthcoming piece as
the booklet explains I should be able to do. If I programme my player
to play only the improvisations I believe I would enjoy the disc more.
Likewise, if I did the same with the Debussy works as I need no spotlight
to be shone on Debussy. He created his own unique radiance; the juxtaposition
of the two just doesn’t work for me.
Steve Arloff
