Debussy: Jeux at 100 May 15 2013

[Petrushka]

Premiered 100 years ago tomorrow, May 15, just two weeks before Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, Debussy's Jeux remains an elusive masterpiece. Some commentators, Boulez amongst them I think, consider it to be a greater influence on the course of 20th century music than Stravinsky's more notorious ballet.

Any thoughts on this? And what to make of the odd ballet sequence involving a game of tennis? Favourite recordings?

I confess to having just three on CD: Haitink/Concertgebouw, Boulez/Cleveland Orch and Gergiev/LSO. The best live performance I've ever heard was CBSO/Rattle when the whole piece seemed to float on air in a quite masterly display of orchestral playing.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Haitink and (both) Boulez recordings are superb, as are James Conlon on ERATO/Apex and Sege Baudo on EMI Eminence (not sure about the latter's current availablity). I think it's a wonderfully beguiling work, that doesn't immediately disclose its secrets, but one I find gets better and better with every hearing. Doesn't make the "big noise" of Le Sacre - but that work couldn't've been written without the example of Debussy's earlier work. And Jeux, in turn, feeds off Petrushka.

The older I get, the more Debussy's sly, wry, elusive world fascinates and delights me. I have been spending a lot of time with the Trio Sonata for Flute, Harp & Viola, and I think I'm just getting the hang of the First Movement! I hope to celebrate the centenary of the ballet with Haitink's recording - the one with which I first heard the piece, back in 1979. Thanks for the "nudge", Pet.

[Bryn]

... Baudo on EMI Eminence (not sure about the latter's current availablity).http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWlrnvPgY48

Funnily enough I decided against purchasing that in a Windsor charity shop today. I have since read a rather unenthusiastic customer review of it on the amazon.co.uk site. Should I get it tomorrow (for £1.50)?

Hmm. Somebody else can have the charity shop's copy. Just ordered it for 1p (plus £1.26 p&p) via the amazon.co.uk marketplace.

I see it is also to be found with the 'fill-up' of the LSO/Previn Images (which I already have on a different disc).

[HighlandDougie]

Thanks for the "nudge", Pet.

Duly seconded with bells on - one of my desert-island pieces of music which I find endlessly fascinating. I've been listening to it at least once a month for 40 years and I'm still not sure that I understand all of its nuances. Of the numerous recordings I've collected over the years, I would add to FHG's list of "must-listens" - especially Haitink - the recordings by Ernest Bour and, more recent, the Stéphane Dénève where he makes the RSNO sound like the best French orchestra in France, despite it being Scottish, and he understands that it is music written to be danced to. I think that a day starting with Ansermet and progressing to Dénève is in order (and happily the other half is away so can't complain about it being, "that bloody Debussy again".

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Funnily enough I decided against purchasing that in a Windsor charity shop today. I have since read a rather unenthusiastic customer review of it on the amazon.co.uk site. Should I get it tomorrow (for £1.50)?

Hmm. Somebody else can have the charity shop's copy. Just ordered it for 1p (plus £1.26 p&p) via the amazon.co.uk marketplace.

I see it is also to be found with the 'fill-up' of the LSO/Previn Images (which I already have on a different disc).

One of my favourite recordings (don't know the Previn coupling release): I doubt that you'll spend a better £1.27 this week!

[verismissimo]

I think that a day starting with Ansermet...

Does it for me, Dougie. On my ancient, mono and rather scratchy Ace of Clubs LP.

BTW, this work is not very Andy Murray.

[Serial_Apologist]

I think Boulez was right about "Jeux" - more the gateway into 20th century musical modernism than "Le Sacre", in terms of opening up new formal and colouristic possibilities, engaging outside "western" pathways. Berio thought Mahler to be modernisms' godfather, but Debussy was already the grandad. For all the narrowing down that was to be necessary (serialism etc) Claude remained the great generous inclusivist permission-giver to the Bartoks, the Prokofievs and their descendents. What might Debussy have done with electronics, eh? I think he would have welcomed the Spectralists. And jazz just seem abrim with his harmonic conception, from today right back to "Fatha" Hines.

For me Ansermet with the Suisse Romande has never been bettered - made best use of its broadcast last week to over-record an old cassette, for the umpteenth time! Nuance is all-important in this work.

[Hornspieler]

I have a fine recording of "Jeux" by Silvestri and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

It is one of the items from a 1960s live broadcast which included Tchaikowsky Symphony Nº 2, Britten's 4 Sea interludes and Enescu's Romanian Rhapsody Nº 1.

Silvestri's interpretations of Debussy, Ravel and Albert Rousell were always individual and very impressive.

HS