BaL 6.03.21 - Debussy: Études pour piano

[vinteuil]

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... also Philippe Cassard -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006MYKZ6M

[ ... using a nice 1898 Bechstein ]

My current favourites would be Livia Rev, Alain Planès , Walter Gieseking


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[Cockney Sparrow]

Gordon Fergus-Thompson - complete solo works (now on Eloquence).

[edashtav]

Interesting to see whether anyone can unseat Uchida after all these years. I also have Livia Rev (nla), I'm still very fond of her Saga Debussy recordings, in many ways I prefer her to Gieseking.

I’m a confirmed Uchidaphiliac: clarity and grace.

[MickyD]

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... also Philippe Cassard -

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006MYKZ6M

[ ... using a nice 1898 Bechstein ]

My current favourites would be Livia Rev, Alain Planès , Walter Gieseking


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Oooh, thanks, Vints, didn't know about the Cassard set.

[CallMePaul]

I have and am more than happy with Dame Mitsuko. However, I am astonished to see that Pollini is download only, but then a lot of his recordings now seem to be available only in that format.

[Richard Barrett]

As is often the case, so many of these recordings (probably most, though I haven't heard them all) are so good that it seems silly to choose just one. On the other hand you can only listen to one at a time. If I want to listen to these pieces my usual first port of call is Pollini, although I like Bavouzet a lot too, especially since it can then be heard in the context of Debussy's complete piano music.

[Barbirollians]

Uchida and Rev for me.

[Bryn]

Oooh, thanks, Vints, didn't know about the Cassard set.

The individual volumes are to be found on QOBUZ, too.

[Pianoman]

Kocsis is excellent but as RB says there are many good recordings of these marvellous pieces. I also have Thibaudet and Bavouzet, but return most often to Uchida, who has virtuosity aplenty but finds real poetry in so many passages; that, coupled with what to me is still a 'state of the art' piano sound clinches it !

[Bryn]

http://www.for3.org/forums/showthrea...700#post835700 (Only slightly tongue in cheek.)

Must get around to digitizing the three(?) items missing from the CD issue of Rev's Saga survey of Debussy piano works. Fortunately, the LP boxed set escaped the house fire that destroyed much of my vinyl collection in the late '80s. Must also dig out the Planes. I can't immediately recall what instrument he used for the Études.

[vinteuil]

Must also dig out the Planes. I can't immediately recall what instrument he used for the Études.

curiously it is not specified - unlike the 1902 Bluthner used for the Children's Corner/Images &c, and the 1897 Bechstein used for the Preludes, and the Steinway on the other two CDs. It merely says it was recorded at the Cite de la Musique Paris in March 1996

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[Bryn]

curiously it is not specified - unlike the 1902 Bluthner used for the Children's Corner/Images &c, and the 1897 Bechstein used for the Preludes

That's probably why I did not remember.

[gurnemanz]

Like many I have Uchida, but the other week I acquired a very good version from Monique Haas on a 10CD Milestones collection which I found for only £9.99 on Amazon. It's the 1951 DG recording which won a Grand Prix du Disque (also on this more expensive DG set). She made a stereo version in the 60s for Erato which seems to be not available.

[gradus]

Like others here its Uchida that I mostly turn to but on comparing 3 versions of Pour les Octaves - my favourite study - it was Pollini who won the day for me.

[edashtav]

Like many I have Uchida, but the other week I acquired a very good version from Monique Haas on a 10CD Milestones collection which I found for only £9.99 on Amazon. It's the 1951 DG recording which won a Grand Prix du Disque (also on this more expensive DG set). She made a stereo version in the 60s for Erato which seems to be not available.

Many thanks for drawing that Monique Haas 10-CD Collection to my attention, gurnemanz. I had forgotten that the Etudes were within it. they may not outshine Uchida’s recording but they are idiomatic and dynamic.