# Favorite Recordings of Debussy Piano Works?



## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

One favorite of mine has always been Zoltan Kocsis. So evocative!


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Gieseking. None better in my opinion.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

mbhaub said:


> Gieseking. None better in my opinion.
> View attachment 113370


Aren't his recordings dated in sound quality however?


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Must have.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Rogerx said:


> Must have.


Does she do a good job? Her Mozart is fantastic!


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Does she do a good job? Her Mozart is fantastic!


Believe me, _a must have_, just as I recommended the Mozart.


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## S P Summers (Dec 23, 2016)

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli is my favorite Debussy interpreter.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Gieseking is my favorite of those I've heard. A lot of people just don't play his music right (to my ears anyway, I thought I just didn't like his piano music for a while until I heard Gieseking). Shame he was a committed Nazi, according to Rubinstein and others. I also really like Samson François who is incredible in all those I've heard him play (especially Ravel, but also Chopin and indeed Debussy).


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## agoukass (Dec 1, 2008)

Debussy is one of my favorite composers, so here are my recommendations. I'm going to by individual works since a lot of the pianists mentioned haven't made a complete recording: 

Estampes (Richter) 
Etudes (Uchida) 
Preludes, Books I & II (Michelangeli) 
La plus que lente (Rubinstein) 
Images, Books I & II (Egoroff) 
Children's Corner (Francois) 
L'Isle Joyeuse (Pollini)


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

I have Zoltan Kocsis doing the Bartok concertos, but I haven't heard his Debussy (yet).

My first 'revelatiory' Debussy was Richter in Spoleto, doing the Preludes Book II. I still Treasure this recording. You can hear church bells ringing as he walks out on stage. Recorded in 1968, which was a very psychedelic year. Not released on CD until years later, as I heard it on a Vox/Turnabout vinyl LP in probably '69 or '70.

Lately, I prefer Paul Jacobs on Nonesuch.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

millionrainbows said:


> I have Zoltan Kocsis doing the Bartok concertos, but I haven't heard his Debussy (yet).
> 
> My first 'revelatiory' Debussy was Richter in Spoleto, doing the Preludes Book II. I still Treasure this recording. You can hear church bells ringing as he walks out on stage. Recorded in 1968, which was a very psychedelic year. Not released on CD until years later, as I heard it on a Vox/Turnabout vinyl LP in probably '69 or '70.
> 
> ...


Try this Kocsis recording:

https://www.amazon.com/Debussy-Pian...4&s=gateway&sprefix=zoltan+koc,aps,129&sr=8-3


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Try this Kocsis recording:
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Debussy-Pian...4&s=gateway&sprefix=zoltan+koc,aps,129&sr=8-3


I listened to some samples, Captain, and I LIKE it. I like to hear Debussy played very fluidly and like it's in clouds, like this. I'm gonna get it before it rises in price more.


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

Generally I like Samson François's recordings, especially of _Estampes. _

Other discs I have are of Marcelle Meyer (who premiered the Études with Debussy in the audience). I like her version of the Preludes a lot.

Vladimir Ashkenazy plays Debussy well as does Claudio Arrau.

Two pianists widely considered Debussy specialists - Gieseking and Richter - don't appeal to me quite as much with this music. Gieseking plays some of the preludes at a ridiculously slow pace and slightly heavy.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

@eugene, I've got Marcelle Meyer playing Stravinsky, very good.

@S P Summers, I like Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli's Debussy, also. I think he does the best Ravel "Gaspard d'la nuit" as well. A real poet of the piano, who knows how to set a mood. I have this one:


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

millionrainbows said:


> @eugene, I've got Marcelle Meyer playing Stravinsky, very good. I like Benedetti's Debussy, also.


Didn't know she played Stravinsky, but it makes sense. She seems to have been a pianist in vogue with the avant-garde of the time.


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## S P Summers (Dec 23, 2016)

millionrainbows said:


> @eugene, I've got Marcelle Meyer playing Stravinsky, very good.
> 
> @S P Summers, I like Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli's Debussy, also. I think he does the best Ravel "Gaspard d'la nuit" as well. A real poet of the piano, who knows how to set a mood. I have this one:


Yes, Michelangeli is the best for both Debussy and Ravel.


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## millionrainbows (Jun 23, 2012)

eugeneonagain said:


> Didn't know she played Stravinsky, but it makes sense. She seems to have been a pianist in vogue with the avant-garde of the time.


Yeah, she must have been one of those "catalyst" people, a mover and a shaker.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I second Richter's _Estampes_, Uchida's _Etudes,_ for _Images _Book One I like Werner Haas. The jury is still out for me on a lot of the other stuff, Zimerman's _Preludes _are very nice, but are they the best? I don't know. I don't like Michelangeli as much as I used to, I only recommend his Ravel PC in G. I have never been a big fan of Samson Francois.

_Clair de Lune_ is one of my all time favorite pieces of music, there are many fine interpretations out there, one of the best I've heard is by the composer himself.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

I suspect Gieseking has to be the most sensible recommendation overall, but indeed the sound is dated, and as far as I am concerned there are some surveys in more recent years that are just as good. Gieseking IS special, though.

Those CDs with Uchida, and especially Zoltan Kocsis are worth their weight in gold. I also like Pascal Roge in Debussy, and there's a truly excellent complete survey by Gordon Fergus-Thompson, a pianist I only know of in this specific repertoire. His set is very very good indeed. Also, don't overlook Werner Haas, tdc above likes him too, it seems, although the recordings aren't the best Philips ever managed...

Not sure I am totally misunderstanding Debussy, but does his piano music have to be shimmery and hazy? I have some tough, bleak, but very strong performances from Claudio Arrau, later in his recording career, that I really do cherish, even if I am happy to accept they are not as "impressionistic" as this composer is usually made to sound.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Samson Francois for all piano works. Right balance between spontaniety and dreaminess.


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

CnC Bartok said:


> I suspect Gieseking has to be the most sensible recommendation overall...


On what grounds exactly?



CnC Bartok said:


> Not sure I am totally misunderstanding Debussy, but does his piano music have to be shimmery and hazy?


Considering the number or 'p', 'pp' and 'ppp' you find alongside, many low pedal points, undulating figures in the bass, shimmering arpeggios with indications like _douce et soute_, _laissez vibrer_, _égal et doux_, _cédez_, _tranquille et flottant_. I'd say the intention was for something like shimmering haze


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

eugeneonagain said:


> _douce et soute_,


Sweet baggage hold?


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## eugeneonagain (May 14, 2017)

Mandryka said:


> Sweet baggage hold?


_Douce et soutenu.

_Rapid typing_.
_


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

eugeneonagain said:


> On what grounds exactly?
> 
> Considering the number or 'p', 'pp' and 'ppp' you find alongside, many low pedal points, undulating figures in the bass, shimmering arpeggios with indications like _douce et soute_, _laissez vibrer_, _égal et doux_, _cédez_, _tranquille et flottant_. I'd say the intention was for something like shimmering haze


Popular consensus, reputation over the years, and reading through the comments here. The post I made does continue in a "however....." manner.

Of course. However, you are the only other person who has shown similarly exquisite taste (!) and mentioned Arrau. Don't you find him less impressionistic (bad term, forgive my limited vocab) than, say Uchida or Gieseking, and more gruff, cold, matter-of-fact, even? Sorry, this approach works for me, assume it does for you too, even if it's not what one expects Debussy to sound like.


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## Pat Fairlea (Dec 9, 2015)

Interesting.
My intro to Debussy was a set of LPs that a young Peter Katin recorded 'way back. Those recordings stand up well. 
Gieseking was something special, sound quality notwithstanding. Previn's recording of D's Petite Suite is exemplary.
And Fou Tsong's delicate Debussy is worth hearing.


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