# SS 24.06.17 - Debussy "La Mer"



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

A continuation of the Saturday Symphonies Tradition:

Welcome to another weekend of symphonic listening! 
_*
*_For your listening pleasure this weekend:*

Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918)*

La Mer (The Sea, Three Symphonic Sketches For Orchestra), L. 109 

1. "De l'aube à midi sur la mer" (From Dawn To Midday On The Sea) - _très lent - animez peu à peu_
2. "Jeux de vagues" (Play Of The Waves) - _allegro (dans un rythme très souple) - animé_
3. "Dialogue du vent et de la mer" (Dialogue Of The Wind And The Sea) - _animé et tumultueux - cédez très légèrement_

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Post what recording you are going to listen to giving details of Orchestra / Conductor / Chorus / Soloists etc - Enjoy!


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

This weeks Symphony is not technically a Symphony in the Traditional sense but being titled "Symphonic Sketches" and the sheer number of votes it received as well as several members saying it should be included, I have gone ahead and posted it. Hopefully there won't be too much issue with it and hopefully we'll get a lot of listeners to pull out a recording and give this masterpiece a listen over the weekend.

I have probably 30 or 40 recordings of this one and I may listen to more than one but I'm going to start out with:









Ernest Ansermet/L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

​Debussy: La Mer, L.109 - 3.
Bernard Haitink and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

I am going with this one .


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Well, I would have difficulties classifying La Mer as a symphony myself. And it's already in the TC Top Orchestral works list. However, it also happens to be one of my favourite works and any excuse to listen is a good one. Instead of my usual Boulez or Martinon recordings, I'll listen to Munch this weekend.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

*Debussy*: La Mer w. OSM/Dutoit. Recorded 1989 at Saint-Eustache Church, Saint-Eustache, Quebec. Recording Engineer: James Lock.


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## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

I'll go for Eduard Van Beinum with the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam (Royal Concertgebouw) on an early Epic stereo lp.


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## shadowdancer (Mar 31, 2014)

La mer, trois esquisses symphoniques pour orchestre L 109
Sergiu Celibidache: Die Münchner Philharmoniker
Rec. 1992


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Not a symphony, but alright, I'll pull out my Berliner under Karajan (DG).


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## Guest (Jun 23, 2017)

Debussy: La Mer
Bernard Haitink and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.


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## Haydn man (Jan 25, 2014)

Traverso said:


> Debussy: La Mer
> Bernard Haitink and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.


This version for me too


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## chesapeake bay (Aug 3, 2015)

I'll listen to Boulez and the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra


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## Klassik (Mar 14, 2017)

I'll listen to the Michael Tilson Thomas and the Philharmonia Orchestra recording on the CBS/Columbia label. It's not my favorite recording of La Mer, but it's what I have on CD. It's not bad though.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

chesapeake bay said:


> I'll listen to Boulez and the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra
> 
> View attachment 95481


I'll second that!


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Munching on Munch and the Bahstoners. This is the same recording as D Smith mentioned, in a different package.










"The audience seemed rather disappointed: they expected the ocean, something big, something colossal, but they were served instead with some agitated water in a saucer." --Louis Schneider


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

Art Rock said:


> Not a symphony, but alright, I'll pull out my Berliner under Karajan (DG).


The DG version is a good one but IMHO the earlier EMI recording by the same performers has an extra touch of magic about it.


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## sbmonty (Jan 11, 2014)




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## Mika (Jul 24, 2009)

Traverso said:


> Debussy: La Mer
> Bernard Haitink and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.


This one for me also, though record cover is a bit different. I have one Debussy Philips era collection.


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## Classical Music Fan (Nov 21, 2015)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Conducted By Daniel Barenboim


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## techniquest (Aug 3, 2012)

I shall also listen to Barenboim, but conducing the Orchestre de Paris on Penguin Classics.


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## Fat Bob (Sep 25, 2015)

Life has been getting in the way of participation again and I know I'm coming to the party late but since this is one of my very favourite pieces I will be listening to it in the next few days in the Haitink recording from this set:








And also Karajan's DG recording in this reissue:


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## superhorn (Mar 23, 2010)

The first part of "La Mer " in English is "The sea from dawn to noon ". When the work was new and Erik Satie heard it for the first time, he said this : " I particularly like the passage at half past ten ."


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## TurnaboutVox (Sep 22, 2013)

I went with Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra. Cool and delicate.


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