Debussy La Mer: favourite recordings

[mathias broucek]

Must try the Ciurlionis. Gramo rated Fedoseyev, seen in this rather dubious looking edition

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/ciurlionis-symphonic-poems-in-the-forest-the-sea-string-quartet-various-artists/fkt5gws5em2fb

[Stanfordian]

There are several first class recordings of La Mer and choosing one feels like splitting hairs but here are my top selections.

Berliner Philharmoniker / Herbert Karajan / DG (1964)
The Cleveland Orchestra / Pierre Boulez / DG
Orchestre de Paris / Daniel Barenboim / DG
Boston Symphony Orchestra / Charles Munch / RCA Victor Living Stereo

Of the newer releases:
Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin / Robin Ticciati / Linn

[jayne lee wilson]

Must try the Ciurlionis. Gramo rated Fedoseyev, seen in this rather dubious looking edition

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/album/ci.../fkt5gws5em2fb

This is the one, if you can find it..... a leaner sound than the usually offered opulence....but very good in itself....

https://www.melomania.com/en/ciurlionis-fedoseyev-miske-dans-la-foret-poeme-symphonique-vl.1-23964

More comparisons here.....

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthread.php?16214-Ciurlionis-(1875-1911)

[mathias broucek]

This is the one, if you can find it..... a leaner sound than the usually offered opulence....but very good in itself....

https://www.melomania.com/en/ciurlionis-fedoseyev-miske-dans-la-foret-poeme-symphonique-vl.1-23964

More comparisons here.....
http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...is-(1875-1911)

Thanks Jayne. Have just bought the Fedoseyev from Qobuz, which comes with a rather nice 4tet (currently playing in the car). I hadn't realised that there were two Domarkas versions. May treat myself to the later one as the sound for Fedoseyev is adequate but no more. Could Chandos be persuaded, I wonder....

EDIT: found thev Rinkevicius version on eBay :-)

[Barbirollians]

Orchestra de Paris/Barbirolli I am sure I have mentioned before but it is splendid.

[makropulos]

For what it's worth, these are my favourite recordings of La Mer:
Désormière/Czech PO (Supraphon)
Ansermet/OSR 1957 recording (Decca)
Boulez (Sony)
Paray (Mercury)
Manuel Rosenthal (Accord) –his Debussy and Ravel is very under-rated, I think.

Closely followed by Inghelbrecht (now on Testament) which was the first one I got to know on an old Trianon LP bought on a school trip to Paris.

Of the many more recent ones, Roth is the one that's impressed me most.

[BBMmk2]

I have the two-piano version Debussy’s La Mer, which I don’t think has been mentioned. I have Alexander Melnikov and partner and Martha Argerich and partner. Both very good.

[gradus]

I've heard many performances that I enjoy but none quite equals the barbaric splendour of Toscanini's ancient NBCSO recording.

[silvestrione]

I've heard many performances that I enjoy but none quite equals the barbaric splendour of Toscanini's ancient NBCSO recording.

Barbaric splendour? Hmm, that makes me want to have a listen! I'll dig it out later.

[silvestrione]

I have the two-piano version Debussy’s La Mer, which I don’t think has been mentioned. I have Alexander Melnikov and partner and Martha Argerich and partner. Both very good.

Though I am a pianist and a pianophile, two pianos is always too much for me! Just starts to bring out the limited range of the tone colours of the instrument. So, with La Mer, there's always a voice somewhere saying, 'what's the point?' when the orchestral version is so magical and thrilling in its range of colours and textures.

[richardfinegold]

The last La Mer that I purchased was Krivine, which was outstanding.
At work yesterday La Mer was playing in the background while I did busywork. I didn’t catch the announcer at the beginning but was quite swept along by the recording. It turned out to be Karajan and the Berliners. I remember at least one critic labeling this “Das Mer”, which I think is unjustified

[cloughie]

Though I am a pianist and a pianophile, two pianos is always too much for me! Just starts to bring out the limited range of the tone colours of the instrument. So, with La Mer, there's always a voice somewhere saying, 'what's the point?' when the orchestral version is so magical and thrilling in its range of colours and textures.

Yes, the Orchestral La Mer is perfection, but then the simplicity of one or two planos is lovely. I recently acquired the Planets in this form and paring down does have its own charm and maybe picks out things clouded by the orchestral version.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The composer's 2-Piano version is a great success - I was astonished at how much detail (harmonic & rhythmic) was revealed when I first heard it on R3 in the mid-80s, and how pianistic the work appeared in this paring-down.

By contrast, Sally Beamish's arrangement for Piano Trio is dreadful - violin tremolos all over the place, perfunctory 'cello part, and the piano left to fill in all the missing bits. It sounds like the work of a mediocre first year undergraduate who's left their termly assignment until the last minute.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I remember at least one critic labeling this “Das Mer”, which I think is unjustified

Yes - somebody (I forget who) has so referred to it on this Forum a couple of times, too. It's sort-of "justified" in that it's very clearly not a "French-sounding" orchestra, but all four of Karajan's recordings (three with the BPO, one with the Philharmonia) present performances of great power, colour, and atmnospheric virtuosity. AND he restores the trumpet fanfares, which I think is right: it always sounds as if somebody's lost their place and forgotten to come in when they're omitted - and I find myself "filling-in" in my imagination.

[visualnickmos]

Yes - somebody (I forget who) has so referred to it on this Forum a couple of times, too. It's sort-of "justified" in that it's very clearly not a "French-sounding" orchestra, but all four of Karajan's recordings (three with the BPO, one with the Philharmonia) present performances of great power, colour, and atmnospheric virtuosity. AND he restores the trumpet fanfares, which I think is right: it always sounds as if somebody's lost their place and forgotten to come in when they're omitted - and I find myself "filling-in" in my imagination.

"Das Mer" is a rather feeble attempt at humour - not at all humorous, but rather offensive to Debussy, and HvK.

Anyway - nevermind all that. I'm half-astonished that HvK made four recordings of the piece. I'd be interested if any Karaphiles could guide me as to their relative merits, or otherwise..... I have his DG 1964 offering.

Thanks.....

Thanks.