Debussy: La Mer - a survey of recordings

Gerard

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Sep 21, 2018, 5:37:50 PM9/21/18

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https://www.gramophone.co.uk/feature/debussys-la-mer-a-complete-guide-to-the-best-recordings

graham

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Sep 21, 2018, 6:24:32 PM9/21/18

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On 2018-09-21 3:37 PM, Gerard wrote:
>
> https://www.gramophone.co.uk/feature/debussys-la-mer-a-complete-guide-to-the-best-recordings
>
Hmmm, Barbirolli excluded.

mswd...@gmail.com

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Sep 21, 2018, 7:54:46 PM9/21/18

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On Friday, September 21, 2018 at 5:24:32 PM UTC-5, graham wrote:
> >
> Hmmm, Barbirolli excluded.

I'm not sure he left anyone out. JB is mentioned in the final paragraph along with some other equally worthy people like Giulini and Celibidache. That Inghelbrecht only gets a brief callout is also disappointing.

I don't envy the task- I'd rather have a La Mer with character even if that means it goes too far in one direction (though give hims some credit- that is what Toscanini is, even if that's too far in that particular direction for me). Picking one version? I could never do it.

Andy Evans

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Sep 24, 2018, 2:54:48 AM9/24/18

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No Van Beinum, and that's maybe my favourite.

UK critics often recommend a British orchestra or artist - so Mark Elder gets it this time.

Andrew Clarke

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Sep 24, 2018, 9:04:34 AM9/24/18

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On Monday, September 24, 2018 at 4:54:48 PM UTC+10, Andy Evans wrote:
> No Van Beinum, and that's maybe my favourite.
>
> UK critics often recommend a British orchestra or artist - so Mark Elder gets it this time.

For me, this demonstrated the uselessness of the "Top 40" approach to classical music recordings, which are all over The Gramophone like a rash. I was surprised to see Sir Mark getting the no. 1 spot, especially as the discussion of the other recordings was reasonably fair, although how you can be fair to dozens of recordings in a single article is beyond my comprehension. Besides, different listeners prefer very different interpretations ...

I did find this extraordinary review:

<https://www.allmusic.com/album/debussy-la-mer-preludes-mw0001398104>

I've heard of "muscular Christianity" but I haven't heard of "muscular Debussy" before:

This led me to listen to some brief excerpts on-line, which were sufficiently amazing to lead me to purchase the recording itself, about half an hour ago (a very reasonable AUD$19.00).

My first impression is that this performance out-Boulezes Boulez in style if not necessarily in quality. Emphasis is on clarity and very flexible tempi, in all a very dramatic performance. I can even imagine the Ballets Russes dancing it.

Is it better or worse than the other great recordings of this work? It depends (surely) on what approach to Debussy affects you most. Can anybody really argue that Otto Klemperer's Brahms cycle is better or worse than Karl Boehm's, or Sir John Eliot Gardiner's, or Robert Ticciati's?

Andrew Clarke
Canberra