Debussy La Mer: favourite recordings

[Bryn]

Just noticed that Caliban's fave - Tribune des Disques - "did" La Mer a few months ago. Roth, Immerseel, Dénève, Rattle and Boulez (Cleveland) all get the heave-ho. The chosen version (of the six under consideration) was Michel Tabachnik and the Brussels Philharmonic. Not, I must confess, a version I know although Tabachnik is a consistently interesting conductor (Xenakis etc).

Not the least expensive of CDs, and apparently not available as a lossless download. £11.78 including p&p, fpr the CD, is the best price I can find for a "New" disc.

[Beef Oven!]

Not the least expensive of CDs, and apparently not available as a lossless download. £11.78 including p&p, fpr the CD, is the best price I can find for a "New" disc.

Can't find it anywhere!

Where's that £11.78 CD Bryn?

[Bryn]

Can't find it anywhere!

Where's that £11.78 CD Bryn?

amazon.co.uk ASIN: B004O9Q64W

However, the cheapest "new" one there is now a few pence more expensive.

[jayne lee wilson]

This month's Gramophone arrived electronically this morning. I'll avoid spoilers for those yet to read their copy, and just say that I thought the feature on La Mer was thoughtful, intelligent and comprehensive.

It is very good isn't it? By Rob Cowan... it turned out I had his (surprising) top choice but I've never played it! Or one of his (very surprising) secondaries....
If you don't want to know the score, look away now....

Top Choice:
Hallé/Elder (c/w Debussy Preludes arr. Colin Matthews - why I originally bought it).

Other three:
LSO/Stokowski (1969, Kingsway) "The Wild Choice" (on my shelves for years, not heard this either...)
NBCSO/Toscanini (Guild CD) "Historical Choice"
Lucerne Festival O/Abbado (EuroArts DVD) "DVD Choice"

[Beef Oven!]

amazon.co.uk ASIN: B004O9Q64W

However, the cheapest "new" one there is now a few pence more expensive.

Thanks, Bryn.

[Beef Oven!]

It is very good isn't it? By Rob Cowan... it turned out I had his (surprising) top choice but I've never played it! Or one of his (very surprising) secondaries....
If you don't want to know the score, look away now....

Top Choice:
Hallé/Elder (c/w Debussy Preludes arr. Colin Matthews - why I originally bought it).

Other three:
LSO/Stokowski (1969, Kingsway) "The Wild Choice" (on my shelves for years, not heard this either...)
NBCSO/Toscanini (Guild CD) "Historical Choice"
Lucerne Festival O/Abbado (EuroArts DVD) "DVD Choice"

Yes, Rob Cowan. Glad you agree.

I don't have any of the choices, but I ordered the top choice yesterday.

[Barbirollians]

A rather limited field discussed . My allegiances are to Haitink,Giulini,Abbado and Barbirolli (both Halle and ODP versions) .

The Elder does sound worth a punt.

[BBMmk2]

Oh yes, I could I forget that extraordinary recording by Abbado, with Mahler 2! OMG!

[Beef Oven!]

Yes, Rob Cowan. Glad you agree.

I don't have any of the choices, but I ordered the top choice yesterday.

Oh dear, I forgot that I have the Abbado on CD!

[Beef Oven!]

A rather limited field discussed

Rob Cowan discussed 17 recordings and referred to or mentioned virtually all the rest. Realistically comprehensive and hardly limited, in my view, or any sensible person’s view

[Bryn]

Thanks, Bryn.

And it has now gone back down to the price I paid.

[Beef Oven!]

And it has now gone back down to the price I paid.

I think I’ll go for it. Sounds interesting.

[BBMmk2]

Oh dear, I forgot that I have the Abbado on CD!

Great Mahler 2!

[LeMartinPecheur]

I like those fanfares, btw - without them, I can't help feeling that somebody's missed their cue.

Rob Cowan tells us in the above-mentioned Gramophone article that an alleged reason why Debussy deleted them was that they resembled a recent French 'pop' song, so popular that it provoked audience titters!

So if true, surely an excellent reason to put them back in as this wasn't a true composer's second thought?

[cloughie]

Rob Cowan discussed 17 recordings and referred to or mentioned virtually all the rest. Realistically comprehensive and hardly limited, in my view, or any sensible person’s view

Did he include Paray, Munch and Reiner - conductors very much on the Cowan approved list!