Debussy La Mer: favourite recordings

[silvestrione]

I know we've just done Jeux on Summer BAL, but I'm intrigued that Rob Cowan is doing a La Mer survey in Gramophone this month (comes out August 15), and in advance of that, I'd really like to hear about forumistas favourites.

For many years, the 1960s BPO Karajan was a clear favourite for me, and I'd add to that now, his Philharmonia mono version, and his later EMI BPO version.


Though always close behind Karajan is the Roger Desormiere , with the Czech Philharmonic. I also very much like the Ashkenazy version with the Cleveland Orchestra. I've heard Haitink, Toscanini and Reiner, but not recently.


I'm particularly wondering about more recent French versions.

[mathias broucek]

Sinopoli is good in La Mer. And, more unexpectedly, Lan Shui and the Singapore SO - coupled with other seascapes (including a cracking Frank Bridge The Sea)

[Beef Oven!]

One of my all time favourites and possibly the piece that I've heard in concert more than any other piece of classical music.

Coincidentally I've been listening to it a lot on holiday, especially when I'm by the sea! I don't believe in programme music, but I must say .................

I decided to take the later DG Karajan Gold BPO recording with me, rather than my go-to Karajan DG analogue recording. I must say that I think this later recording is fabulous and I may even prefer it. Times change, and we change with them (or something like that).

[cloughie]

Also a great favourite of mine, particularly if preceded by L’apres-midi, the two works just fit together. Both works have been very well served by recordings and as a result I have difficulty in selecting a best. The EMI Giulini, Martinon, Abbado live from Lucerne... the list goes on. There is a remarkably good one on Naxos, which was a charity shop buy, by Rabhari. Then there are four Ansermat recordings, Maazel, Solti and for Gallic charm an old PCO Silvestri recording.

[Beef Oven!]

Agree about the Naxos Alexander Rahbari. In fact it was going to be my follow up post, but I couldn't remember how to spell his name!

I bought that CD in about 1990 and if the great names are better, there's not a lot in it and anyone who only had this Naxos performance, isn't missing much at all. The rest of the CD is excellent, too.

[jayne lee wilson]

I think the last one I bought was the ANIMA ETERNA BRUGGE, with IMMERSEEL....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Debussy-Pré...ussy+immerseel

Very good by any account, fresh and defamiliarising, an outstanding Debussy album. (Anyone ever heard the Xavier-Roth ?)
G., 2/13 (GN).

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yup - all four Karajans, both Boulezeseses, Haitink,and a (perhaps surprisingly) very good recording from Ormandy.

[cloughie]

Yup - all four Karajans, both Boulezeseses, Haitink,and a (perhaps surprisingly) very good recording from Ormandy.

All good ‘uns, and in fact 2 Ormandys and I must add Munch, Tilson-Thomas, Slatkin, Leinsdorf and Stokowski and maybe Toscanini but I’ve not listened to it recently!

[Richard Barrett]

Roth is my current favourite. I would say Abbado but the balance is too artificial for my liking, even though all the highlighted details are exquisitely played. I've been investigating this piece quite closely in recent months. I think it's one of the finest works for orchestra ever written, and I like performances that bring out its startling richness of detail and complexity.

[richardfinegold]

I learned the piece originally from Paray/Detroit, and still have an affection for that recording. Paray had such panache.
Martinon on EMI spent a lot of time on my turntable in the 70s and the CD release on Brilliant Classics sounds great.
Karajan conjures up visions of Alternative History. Such as what would have happened to French Culture if Hitler had managed to hang onto France. No Das Mer for me.

[jayne lee wilson]

Remember XRCD? Hardback-book presentation, with vast flowcharts showing how the JVC mastering was done. I have the 12/1956 Munch on one of those and it sounds like it made was to show off some vast corner horns...

It sounds astounding...you believe you must have the Open Reel master swishing around at the far end of your room feeding Altec Lansings... you won't be wise to play another after that for a while (assuming you can a) find a practical volume setting and b) it gets to the end without a skip; it can be a fussy beast).

You sit there tensely, finger poised on the volume key....

[HighlandDougie]

Roth is my current favourite. I would say Abbado but the balance is too artificial for my liking, even though all the highlighted details are exquisitely played. I've been investigating this piece quite closely in recent months. I think it's one of the finest works for orchestra ever written, and I like performances that bring out its startling richness of detail and complexity.

Having seen him conduct the LSO - and introduce the piece to his 6.30pm audience of assorted hipsters (you were allowed to take drinks into the hall in the Barbican) - he understands the nuances of the work as well as if not better than most anyone around.

[Beef Oven!]

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.

[BBMmk2]

I think this will be great for concert band.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

All good ‘uns, and in fact 2 Ormandys and I must add Munch, Tilson-Thomas, Slatkin, Leinsdorf and Stokowski and maybe Toscanini but I’ve not listened to it recently!

I've never heard a second Ormandy - though I did see a video (sic) of him conducting the work - and yes to Toscanini, I don't know the others - and didn't know that St Erich had recorded it ... that's a quick trip to Amazon on the cards!