Debussy: La Mer/Nocturnes

On this CD:

1. Nocturnes, for female chorus & orchestra, L. 91
Composed by Claude Debussy
Performed by French National Radio Chamber Orchestra
Conducted by Jean Martinon

2. La Mer (3), symphonic sketches for orchestra, L. 109
Composed by Claude Debussy
Performed by French National Radio Chamber Orchestra
Conducted by Jean Martinon

Album Description

Music can be both calming and relaxing, or invigorating and passionate...this phenomenal 20-CD set is definitely the latter. This amazing collection brings together for the first time the most passionate music of all time, from Ravel's Bolero, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Wagner's Magic Fire Music to Ravel's La Valse, Orff 's Carmina Burana and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. This is a must have collection for every passionate music lover.

Customer Reviews:

A good gift for novice.......2007-05-12

This was a good gift for somebody learning about Classical music in Japan.

Average customer rating:

La Mer is one of my all-time favorites
Wonderful
Great interpretations, but the recorded sound is ok
Ravishing Debussy from a master of French music

Debussy: La Mer

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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Ravel: Boléro
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Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta; Hungarian Sketches

ASIN: B00002MXMY
Release Date: 1999-11-09

Tracks:

La Mer: I. De l'aube a midi sur la mer
La Mer: II. Jeux de vagues
La Mer: III. Dialogue du vent et de la mer
Jeux
Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien I (Fragments symphoniques): La Cour des lys
Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien I (Fragments symphoniques): Danse extatique et Final du Premier Acte
Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien I (Fragments symphoniques): La Passion
Le Martyre de Saint Sebastien I (Fragments symphoniques): Le Bon Pasteur
Prelude 'aprmidi d'un faune

Tracks:

Images pour orchestre: Gigues
Images pour orchestre: Iberia: I. Par les rues et par les chemins
Images pour orchestre: Iberia: II. Les Parfums de la nuit
Images pour orchestre: Iberia: III. Le Matin d'un jour de f
Images pour orchestre: Rondes de printemps
Trois Noctures: Nuages
Trois Noctures: Fs
Trois Noctures: Sirs
Printemps: Trmod
Printemps: Mod

Customer Reviews:

La Mer is one of my all-time favorites.......2006-01-11

There is nothing quite like Dutoit's handling of some of Debussy's timeless masterpieces. All have enormous strength and have clear sound quality. The piece that gives me the shivers the most is La Mer. It has the perfect oceanic feeling that some other conductors forget about. I can just imagine the stormy sea letting out its dangerous but majestic fury when listening to the third movement. Images for Orchestra and Printemps are also fabulous. Highly recommended for those who are interested in impressionistic music.

Wonderful.......2004-03-30

Charles Dutoit does so pretty wonderful things with this Debussy set and his orchestra is in top-notch form. Dutoit handles these works well, bringing delicacy of phrasing, sweeping crescendos, and awesome sonics. Rarely does can an orchestra sound calm, quiet, even serene AND loud, dramatic, and forceful. La Mer is particularly striking in Dutoit's hands. Decca's crystal clear sound makes this set even more attractive. Highly recommended.

Great interpretations, but the recorded sound is ok.......2002-08-30

Charles Dutoit does so pretty wonderful things with this Debussy set and his orchestra is in top notch form. However, the reason I gave this CD set only 4 starts is because the recorded sound less much to be desired. The cd sound is very "echo"y, it sounds like the orchestra is playing in a cave, not a concert hall. If that doesn't bother you then go for this set. As for me, I want Debussy with a little clearer of a sound.

Ravishing Debussy from a master of French music.......1999-12-11

Most of Dutoit's Debussy recordings were released at the beginning of the 1990s and are of the same very high standard of his Ravel and Poulenc recordings, and it is good to have the best-known of them reissued on a well-documented 2-CD bargain set. The sound quality is fantastic. This set comes into competition with Haitink's excellent Philips Duo set, and choice between the two sets will probably be determined by the minor works included. The Haitink set has long been the first recommendation in this repertoire, and the analogue sound is excellent, if not as spectacular as that of the Dutoit set. It should be noted, however, that those who buy the Dutoit set along with Martinon's "Orchestral Works II" set on EMI's Double Forte label will have obtained virtually all of Debussy's orchestral compositions and transcriptions all for not too many dead presidents.

Average customer rating:

Fantastic set
great collection
Beautiful music
Great
Comfy Debussy, for when you don't want to be seduced

Debussy: Orchestral Music

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00000417P
Release Date: 1994-02-15

Tracks:

Berceuse heroique
Images: Gigues
Images: Iberia: Par les rues et par les chemins
Images: Iberia: Les perfums de la nuit
Images: Iberia: Le matin d'un jour fe fete
Images: Rondes de printemps
Jeux: Poeme Danse
Marche ecossaise

Tracks:

Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune
Nocturnes: Nuages
Nocturnes: Fetes
Nocturnes: Sirenes
La Mer: De l'aube a midi sur la mer
La Mer: Jeux de vagues
La Mer: Dialogue du vent et de la mer
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Dances For Harp And Strings: Danse sacree
Dances For Harp And Strings: Danse profane

Amazon.com

Bernard Haitink's recordings of the Nocturnes and Jeux were hailed as among the finest available when initially issued. That LP provided rather short measure. Now you can get all of Debussy's most important orchestral music on two CDs for the price of one, and if the remaining performances don't quite reach the exalted level of the Nocturnes and Jeux, they come so close as to make no difference. Haitink was not a very assertive conductor (and he's gotten less so with age), but he was fortunate to have one of the world's best orchestras at the tip of his baton, and their recordings were a true collaborative effort. Their approach works particularly well for Debussy. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic set.......2007-05-02

This set is wonderful for anyone who is looking to get acquainted with Debussy, as well as anyone looking for new interpretations of his famous orchestral work. This 2 disk contains my favorite rendering of the majestic "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun", as well as my favorite recording of the three Nocturnes and "Images". These three pieces are improved by the warm and luminous, yet vague ("impressionistic") sound of this recording.

The harp dances sound wonderful. So does the clarinet rhapsodie. The soloist has wonderful tone.

Elsewhere, the audio quality is my only complaint about this set - "La Mer", being as it is a highly dense, orchestrated piece of work, would benefit from added clarity and higher audio fidelity, but the version here is still very good. The other piece that suffers from the overly reverberant, slightly muddy sound is "Berceuse Heroique", an amazing and powerful shorter piece, summarizing whole years of life in a blur of 5 minutes... here, unfortunately, the louder moments turn into incoherent chaos.

All of the playing is fantastic, the intonation is great... I've never heard this music so expressive.

Highly recommended for definitive versions of "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun", "Nocturnes" and "Images". Everything else is good as well. 4.5 stars.

great collection.......2007-03-13

The first concert I ever saw in the Kimmel Center was Valery Gergiev conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra playing La mer, Prelude de l'apres-midi d'un faune, and a Schubert symphony. The orchestra was under-rehearsed, but I remember being transfixed during both Debussy pieces (and I think Gergiev received quite a standing ovation). There is something special about Debussy's orchestral music that few other composers (Ravel, perhaps) can match.

The individual performances in this collection are not mindblowingly brilliant, but as a whole, this collection is quite satisfying. The Concertgebouw Orchestra plays well, as usual, and it's helped by great recording quality (voted Gramophone Magazine's best engineered recording in 1980). If you want more unique performances of individual pieces, look at Munch (for example), but if you want a well-played, comprehensive collection, get this CD. It's one of my favorites.

Beautiful music.......2006-10-23

I can't get enough of these discs; the sound is superb! A fabulous journey into the "impressionist" art of Debussy.

Great.......2006-05-27

True, Haitink is not a "ZIP! ZING! POW! conductor" like David A. FLetcher mentioned in his review (I thought it was funny put, so I wanted to quote it), but he sure knows how to let the music do the speaking.

These are not "impressionistic" readings and I'm glad they're not, although the orchestra sounds warm and round, a little "cosy" if you like, but that's fine, I love the sound.
The playing is accurate and flexible and I think Haitink's "Images" is one of the best recordings I heard of this work, next with Boulez' excellent recording on DG.

The "Prelude a l'apres midi.." is a bit on the slow side and some nice details you'll hear in Boulez' recordings (Sony and DG) are somewhat underplayed...or not very good recorded?, but the mood and sound are great.

I think the sound of the RCO and Philips analogue recording are superb and do great justice to Debussy's musical universe.
Boulez might be more idiomatic, his recordings are the standard for me, but the warmer sound of the RCO with Haitink on Philips is something special indeed.

Excellent disc.

Comfy Debussy, for when you don't want to be seduced.......2005-11-04

I am a little miffed for believing the reviewers here about this Philips two-fer. I would have assumed that Haitink, the maestro of middle-of-the-road, would give us comfortable, well-balanced, plain-faced Debussy, not sparkling, enchanting Debussy. As it turns out, that assumption was right. These Seventies recordings, some in excellent sound (Jeux and Trois Noctournes in particular), are lusciously played. But attentive as Haitink is, there is no seductiveness to the music.

I'm not being all that critical: in the wrong hands Debussy's gossamer textures and irregular rhythms get sea-sick and swoony. Haitink is sober all the way, his La Mer too much so, and also his Prelude to the Afternoon of a Fuan. The two most famous readings in this set, Jeux and the Nocturns, benefit from Haitink's modesty. By keeping the rhythm steady and being scrupulous about orchestral blend, both works sound beautiful without becoming luxuriant or slippery.

Nothing in Haitink's hands sounds like Ravel, and that's a high compliment. For that reason, I will keep this set. I don't need to be enchanted every day.

Average customer rating:

An absolute joy
CD review

Debussy at Dawn

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Liszt for Lovers: Piano Dreams of Love and Passion
Bach for Breakfast
Brahms for Book Lovers: A Cozy Companion for Reading

ASIN: B0000041O4
Release Date: 1997-10-14

Tracks:

Suite Bergamasque: Clair de lune
The Sea At Dawn
Dances For Harp & Orchestra - Sacred Dance
Suite Bergamasque: Prelude
La Plus Que Lente
La fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl With The Flaxen Hair)
Prelude No. 11 For Composed Arpeggios
Nocturnes for Orchestra - Nuages
Pour le piano - Sarabande
Images: Lent
Images: Souvenir de Louvre
Images: Images - Book 1, Reflections In The Water
Images: Rhapsody For Clarinet & Orchestra
Images: Nocturnes for Orchestra - Sirenes

Customer Reviews:

An absolute joy.......2006-01-26

So many pieces on this album are jewels. "Le fille aux cheveux de lin" and "Nocturnes for Orchestra - Sirenes" are particularly heavenly. "The Sea at Dawn" has an amazing sense of freshness and motion to it and is well placed at the beginning of the CD. A few of the songs on here make excellent background music but lack memorable themes. I wish I could wake up to this CD every morning, truly.

CD review.......2003-04-06

This is a great debussy CD. This CD is my introduction to Debussy, and now debussy is one of my favorite composers. The music in here is relaxing. The performances are excellent also. One complaint, however, is there is a repeat. There are two of the same pieces on the CD. Overall, this is a great CD.

Debussy: La Mer - Jeux - Rhapsodie pour clarinette et orchestre

Average customer rating:

Best "La Mer" I've ever heard
Best Jeux, great La Mer
Maybe the top of its class
Utterly exquisite renditions
Boulez and Cleveland in another stunning collaboration

Debussy: La Mer - Jeux - Rhapsodie pour clarinette et orchestre
Claude Debussy , The Cleveland Orchestra & Chorus , and Pierre Boulez
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000001GM5
Release Date: 1995-03-21

Tracks:

Nocturnes: Nuages
Nocturnes: Fetes
Nocturnes: Sirenes
Premire Rhapsodie
Jeux: Poeme Danse
La Mer: I. De L'aube A Midi Sur La Mer
La Mer: II. Jeux De Vagues
La Mer: III. Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer

Amazon.com essential recording

Pierre Boulez made his early reputation as a Debussy conductor, and with good reason. Debussy's reputation as a musical "impressionist" led most people to think of him as a sort of musical Claude Monet--all blurry outlines and fuzzy images--but Boulez changed this perception, bringing an analytical clarity and razor-sharp definition to the composer's musical mosaics. What he has achieved in this second series of Debussy recordings is an additional naturalness and spontaneity of expression. The Cleveland Orchestra is the ideal vehicle for this sort of interpretation, being perhaps the most technically precise band in the world. The result is just about perfect. -- David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Best "La Mer" I've ever heard.......2007-06-24

I join the throng of five-star reviews for this fabulous CD of Debussy specialties including "La Mer" and "Nocturnes". While Pierre Boulez clearly has the training, background, intuition and temperament to define these exquisite works, it is hard to imagine the bad press this CD received when it came out, mainly in England, where one critic said Boulez "eviscerated" the first movement of "La Mer".

That's nonsense, of course. Boulez's performances in these four staples from the Debussy repertoire -- "Nocturnes", "Rhapsodie for clarinet & piano" (or orchestra) with Franklin Cohen, "Jeux", and the incomparable "La Mer" -- are the most subtly inflected readings of this music I've yet heard. No conductor reins in the orchestra the way Boulez does to allow Debussy colors and shifting emotions come through simultaneous with the most exposed solo playing on CD.

I've heard many great performances of these scores by Stokowski and Haitink and I've heard poor performances from big name conductors like Munch and Neemi Jarvi. The thread between them all has been this -- they all treat this music like it is romantic music, especially the closing pages of "La Mer" where the score gives added weight to the brass and FF markings. Boulez is the only conductor I know that controls the orchestra in these moments and presents this music as the gossamer imitation it is -- French impressionism, where subjects are hinted, not spoken or shouted.

I owned this CD some years ago when I was first seriously investigating these scores. It didn't do much for me then and I sold it, recently buying another used copy from an Amazon vendor. I didn't know what to think of it the first time; it was sufficiently different from anything I'd ever heard. Since then, I've sought a version that brings out the shimmering elements of impressionism, without success until today.

Critics were agreed that Boulez's first recording of this music, many years ago on Columbia (now Sony), was a bit on the clinical side. I've never heard that recording but can attest no such criticism applies here. Unless you want French impressionism applied romantically, you will love these intimate and subtle interpretations of Debussy's greatest music.

Best Jeux, great La Mer.......2006-10-20

When SF Symphony played Jeux last year, MTT described to the audience why the orchestra loved to play the piece, calling it "chamber music for orchestra". Their performance brought out details of the score that demonstrated why they were so enthusiastic. I went through a number of recordings searching for one that provided the same clarity I heard that night, allowing the listener to appreciate the interplay of the various parts. This is it. And it comes with a wonderful version of La Mer as well.

Maybe the top of its class.......2005-09-03

Of course the Cleveland orchestra is exceptional to begin with and Debussey is done, like Caesar's wife, above reproach. Precise, delicate, intricate. Just leave it on 'Repeat Play' and listen to it while you read. Or, just devote the time to it. A favorite recording of a favorite composition. Larry Scantlebury. 5 stars.

Utterly exquisite renditions.......2004-02-18

Even though Boulez is renowned for bringing discipline to his orchestras, I still never cease to marvel at how he pulled off these simply seamless, splendid performances. Discipline is of the utmost importance with Debussy: a brass sections that doesn't have its dynamics perfectly under control can destroy "La Mer" in any number of places. The same can be said of the female chorus in "Nocturnes: Sirenes." We have all heard the wobbly, out-of-control chorus in Sirenes, that demolishes all of the splendid orhcestral work that preceded it.

On the other hand, discipline can go overboard and turn into a rigid mechanical performance, and nobody needs to hear an orchestra going through the motions, hitting every note perfectly, but rendering a performance bereft of any passion whatsoever. The trick is to walk the line perfectly between being disciplined and being mechanical, and Boulez has indeed pulled this off.

It is just wonderful to hear a smoothly modulated brass section playing its part with the right level of nuance, and a woodwind section dealing with Debussy's challenging rhythms with ease and comfort. The string section also play their parts perfectly.

I also must tip my hat to Franklin Cohen for his performance in as fine a Rhapsodie as I have ever heard.

Overall, this is an endlessly pleasing Debussy disc. The casual listener can simply enjoy Debussy's music on its own merits, while the more serious listener can enjoy diving into the intricacies of Debussy's score, appreciating the splendid job that Boulez & the Cleveland Orchestra has done.

Boulez and Cleveland in another stunning collaboration.......2002-06-20

Let's face it: there are many fine Debussy recordings on the market, and "Jeux" and "La Mer" have been recorded often. I especially like Dutoit's recording with the Montreal orchestra, and Haitink's with the Concertgebouw from the 1970's (which as part of a two-disc set is also quite a bargain).

But if you are looking for a version in clear, modern sound, this might be the one. Boulez is just about perfect for this music, with his emphasis on clarity, coupled with a somewhat unsentimental approach.

Deutsche Grammophon's recording is outstanding. Even in the loudest passages of "La Mer" for example, every instrumental strand can still be heard.

The Cleveland Orchestra is, well, the Cleveland Orchestra - an incomparable group that is worth sampling any time, in any repertoire. Their playing here appears so effortless - which of course it isn't - and that illusion only heightens the mood created by the relaxed brilliance of Debussy's writing.

Tracks:

I: De L'aube A Midi Sur la Mer
II: Jeux De Vagues
III: Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer
I: Nuages
II: Fetes
III: Sirenes
Alborada Del Gracioso
Lever Du Jour
Pantomime
Danse Generale

Customer Reviews:

Sincere condcuting of works that could be more scintillating.......2006-07-09

There are some listeners for whom Giulini's accounts of Debussy and Ravel with the Philharmonia soar beyond the competition--but in reality the competiiton includes the greatest conductors from Stokowski to Toscanini, Bernstein to Karajan, Monteux to Cantelli. Really, with dozens of inspired recordings of La Mer and Daphnis and Chloe, it's a matter of pay your money and take your choice.

For myself, these readings don't rate at the very top. The best are the two Debussy works. Giulini recorded La Mer three times, and this clear, very detailed recording may be the best; so far as interpretation goes, Giulini is sincere and dignified, without any attempt to turn the music into a thrilling spectacle a la Karajan and Boulez. The Trois Nocturnes are straightforward and share with his La Mer a lack of Gallic flavor--this is very good international-style conducting.

Ravel's music is shallower than Debussy's, and although Giulini again offers us genuine feeling instead of slick effects, he has left a lot of room for others to present more splash and color. Karajan and Monteux immediatley come to mind. These Ravel readings didn't excite me as much as Giulini's Debussy; I find them a touch too sober.

In all, this isn't a truly great recording of the century, but it's a very fine one.

Spellbinding Debussy and Ravel from Giulini, etc........2005-02-22

I literally had goose bumps after hearing Giulini's spellbinding accounts of La Mer and Nocturnes with the Philharmonia Orchestra in this recently reissued early 1960's recording. Without question, Carlo Maria Giulini was among our finest interpreters of Claude Debussy's orchestral music; both he and the orchestra are magnificent in capturing Debussy's vividly dramatic, Impressionist - yet also lyrical - homage to the sea; the same could be said as well for the 3 Nocturnes. To his credit, Giulini strikes a splendid balance between emphasizing the scores' rich textures and dramatic intensity.

Again, for similar reasons, Giulini was also a splendid interpreter of Maurice Ravel's music. His account of the Alborada del Gracioso is among the most ravishing I have heard, well deserving of the critical praise it has garnered. I was also thrilled to hear the Daphnis et Chloe Suite No. 2 sound so respondently fresh in yet another splendid interpretation from Giulini and the Philharmonia Orchestra, succinctly capturing Ravel's superb usage of Spanish folk themes and rhythms in the ballet score. To its credit, EMI's latest digital remastering has yielded a recording that sounds as fine as a recent digital recording, even though these works were recorded back in the early 1960s!

Average customer rating:

The only set you need
Outstanding performances at any price
More Evocative than some of Mahler's Symphonies
One stop shopping! Unparalleled Debussy, and excellent Ravel
In Debussy Martinon is unbeatble!

Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works
Claude Debussy , Jean Martinon , and Orchestre de Paris
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00006HM8X
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

I: De L'aube A Midi Sur La Mer - Jean Martinon
II: Jeux De Vagues - Jean Martinon
III: Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer - Jean Martinon
I: Nuages - Jean Martinon
II: Fetes - Jean Martinon
III: Sirenes - Choeurs De L'Ortf
Prelude A L'apres-midi D'un Faune - Alain Marion
Marche Ecossaise - Jean Martinon
Berceuse Heroique - Jean Martinon
I: Fanfare - Jean Martinon
II: Le Sommeil De Lear - Jean Martinon

Tracks:

Jeux (Poeme Danse) - Jean Martinon
1. Gigues/2. Iberia - Jean Martinon
I: Par Les Rues Et Par Les Chemins - Jean Martinon
II: Les Parfums De La Nuit - Jean Martinon
III: Le Matin D'un Jour De Fete - Jean Martinon
3. Rondes De Printemps - Jean Martinon
Premiere Partie - Jean Martinon
Deuxieme Partie - Fabienne Boury

Tracks:

1. Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum - Jules Goetgheluck
2. Jimbo's Lullaby - Jules Goetgheluck
3. Serenade For The Doll - Jules Goetgheluck
4. The Snow Is Dancing - Jules Goetgheluck
5. The Little Shepherd - Jules Goetgheluck
6. Golliwoggs Cakewalk - Jules Goetgheluck
I: En Bateau - Jean Martinon
II: Cortege - Jean Martinon
III: Menuet - Jean Martinon
IV: Ballet - Jean Martinon
I: Danse Sacree - Marie-Claire Jamet
II: Danse Profane - Marie-Claire Jamet
I: Le Magasin De Jouets - Jean Martinon
II: Le Champ De Bataille - Jean Martinon
III: La Bergerie A Vendre - Jean Martinon
IV: Apres Fortune Faite - Jean Martinon

Tracks:

I: Andante - Allegro - Aldo Ciccolini
II: Lento E Molto Espressivo - Aldo Ciccolini
III: Allegro Molto - Aldo Ciccolini
La Plus Que Lente - John Leach
Premiere Rapsodie Pour Orchestre Avec Clarinette Principale - Guy Dangain
Rapsodie Pour Orchestre Et Saxophone Solo - Jean-Marie Loneix
Khamma - Fabienne Boury
Danse: Tarantelle Styrienne - Jean Martinon

Tracks:

Bolero - Marcel Galiegue
Une Barque Sur L'Ocean (Miroirs: No.3) - Orchestre De Paris
Prelude - Orchestre De Paris
Premier Tableau: Danse Du Rouet Et Scene - Orchestre De Paris
Deuxieme Tableau: Pavane De La Belle Au Bois Dormant - Orchestre De Paris
Interlude - Orchestre De Paris
Troisieme Tableau: Les Entretiens De La Belle Et De La Bete - Orchestre De Paris
Interlude - Orchestre De Paris
Quatrieme Tableau: Petit Poucet - Orchestre De Paris
Interlude - Orchestre De Paris
Cinquieme Tableau: Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes - Orchestre De Paris
Interlude - Orchestre De Paris
Sixieme Tableau: Le Jardin Feerique - Orchestre De Paris
Alborada Del Gracioso (Miroirs: No.4) - Andre Sennedat
I: Prelude A La Nuit - Orchestre De Paris
II: Malaguena - Orchestre De Paris
III: Habanera - Orchestre De Paris
IV: Feria - Orchestre De Paris

Tracks:

Sheherazade: Ouverture De Feerie - Orchestre De Paris
La Valse (Poeme Choregraphique) - Orchestre De Paris
I: Prelude - Orchestre De Paris
II: Forlane - Orchestre De Paris
III: Menuet - Orchestre De Paris
IV: Rigaudon - Orchestre De Paris
Menuet Antique - Orchestre De Paris
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte - Michel Garcin-Marrou
1. Modere - Orchestre De Paris
2. Assez Lent - Orchestre De Paris
3. Modere - Orchestre De Paris
4. Assez Anime - Orchestre De Paris
5. Presque Lent - Orchestre De Paris
6. Assez Vif - Orchestre De Paris
7. Moins Vif - Orchestre De Paris
8. Epilogue: Lent - Orchestre De Paris

Tracks:

Introduction - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Religieuse - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Scene - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Generale - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Scene - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Grotesque De Dorcon - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Legere Et Gracieuse De Daphnis - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Scene - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Nocturne - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Lente Et Mysterieuse Des Nymphes - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Interlude - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Introduction - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danses Guerrieres Et Diverses - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Suppliante De Chloe - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Introduction - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Lever Du Jour - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Pantomime - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Generale - Bacchanale - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera

Tracks:

Lento - Aldo Ciccolini
Piu Lento - Aldo Ciccolini
Allegro - Aldo Ciccolini
I: Allegramente - Jean-Claude Malgoire
II: Adagio Assai - Jean-Claude Malgoire
III: Presto - Jean-Claude Malgoire
Lento, Quasi Cadenza - Moderato - Itzhak Perlman

Amazon.com

At long last, Jean Martinon's classic EMI Debussy and Ravel cycles from the 1970s have been gathered in a space-saving, budget-priced box set. If you love this repertoire, you'll gasp with joy at the conductor's crystal-clear orchestral balances, which truly reproduce what you see in the printed music. If you respond to a lean, sinewy approach to this repertoire in the manner of Toscanini and Boulez, but pine for the timbral characteristics that used to distinguish French orchestras (silver-coated strings, tart woodwinds, and slightly watery brass) in gorgeous, vibrant sonics, Martinon's your man. Aldo Ciccolini's crisp, diamond-edged finger work stands out in Ravel's two piano concertos and in Debussy's rarely heard Fantasie. The young Itzhak Perlman's dazzling, effortless traversal of Ravel's Tzigane will humble many an aspiring fiddler. And you won't find a more sparkling, translucent Ravel Mother Goose Suite on record. Martinon was a marvel, and a sadly underrated podium giant. Grab this set while you can. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

The only set you need.......2006-01-13

After owning dozens of Debussy, Ravel recordings, all I can say is ,
if you have this set, no need to look further.
My Ingelbrecht sets are good, but Martinon is better.
Forget the Munch and Monteaux, Bernsteins, Levine, Karajan (UUCCKKKK) etc etc.

Outstanding performances at any price.......2005-04-28

This boxed set provides a comprehensive collection of the orchestral works of both Debussy and Ravel. Jean Martinon conducts the Orchestre National de l'ORTF in the Debussy and the Orchestre de Paris in the Ravel pieces. The sound is stunning, and the performances are extraordinarily engaging. I have other sets of music by these composers (Simon and the Philharmonia Orchestra for the Debussy) Michal Tilson Thomas and the LSO as well as Boulez and the Berlin Philharmonic for some of the Ravel pieces (Boulez and the NY Phil for Daphnis and Chloe) but these other sets do not contain all the music in the 8 CDs by Martinon and his orchestras. I agree with the other reviewers who find the Debussy especially compelling. I am listening to La Mer now, and the recording captures the performance perfectly, clearly separating the horns, strings and woodwinds and providing a great balance. This is a very dramatic reading of La Mer! However, I find the Ravel performances equally inspired. The Daphnis and Chloe performance is tremendously exciting, and the ballet Ma Mere l'Oye is exquisite. When I decided to buy this set, I was looking for performances that would give me new insight into familiar works and also introduce me to some musical treats like Debussy's La Boite a Joujoux. I was not disappointed. This set is not just a bargain, it's a real treasure!

More Evocative than some of Mahler's Symphonies.......2005-01-25

I can't exactly visualise the oils of the French impressionists when hearing these pieces. But I do know what the other reviewer is talking about and the point is well made. They are so inspiring and evocative that they touch your heart strings perhaps deeper than most of Mahler's symphonies despite Mahler's gigantic orchetrations! The recorded sound is excellent: and the conductor is obviously gifted and the orchestra is just beautiful despite the fact that I am no big fan of either Ciccolini or Perlman. Believe it or not, in Hong Kong HK Records and HMV are selling the boxset at about 60% of the listed price in US: a real bargain. Grap it while it is still available, particularly those who live in HK.

One stop shopping! Unparalleled Debussy, and excellent Ravel.......2004-11-21

I've treasured both of these cycles since the 1970s when both appeared in single LP installements, each one eagerly awaited with deserved anticipation. To get them both in outstanding remasterings in a bargain priced box set is almost unthinkable. I'd pay twice the price, even more, if I had to for these recordings.

Other recordings of individual works may excel these, like Karajan's La Mer, or Monteux's Daphnis, Haitink's Nocturnes, and so on. But when listened to in such consistent interpretations as these from Jean Martinon, the works as a whole take on a different dimension. Each work is like a chapter in a novel, and they all weave together to make a very satisfying experience that is quite different than one gets with just the individual compositions.

That is especially true of the Debussy.

Two different Orchestras are represented. The Debussy are performed by the French National Orchestra, the Ravel by the more well known Orchestre De Paris, an orchestra that made recordings in those days with such notables as Kerbert von Karajan and Seiji Ozawa. The Debussy, though is actually better executed. The ensemble is tighter, the string tone more sumptuous.

The Debussy has no competition for completeness. No other conductor has traversed the entire orchestral output with the thoroughness that Martinon has. Boulez is probably the closest available. I think very highly of the Boulez recordings, especially the newer ones for DG. But the interpretations lack the unity and consistency that Martinon maintains throughout the cycle.

There is more competition with the Ravel, though. When issued, the cycle was met equally by an excellent set from the Minnesota Orchestra under Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, which came in a box at a lower price. Again, Martinon won my heart for his consistency. The Skrowaczewski was better executed by the Minnesota Orchestra than Martinon's Orchetre De Paris. The EMI sound was better, but back then the quality of the Angel LPs was terrible, so the Skrowaczewski go tthe nod for technical superiority unless you were fortunate enough to get your hands on more expensive import copies of the Martinon. There was a cycle from Ozawa on DG also, but artistically it could not match up with the other two. When CDs were introduced, along came Charles Dutoit and the Montreal SO on London/Decca. And they came with a huge splash and acclaim. I puked! and I have always puked when I hear Dutoit conduct anything, with maybe one or two exceptions. Dutoit makes Ravel sound too smooth and glossy. I do give the Decca engineers great credit for the sound (though the Daphnis gets my vote as the worst CD ever produced, being that it was 55 minutes long with no tracks or indexes!).

Now that EMI have so excellently remastered the Martinon recordings though,the choice for a complete set of the orchestral works is very clear. The experience of Martinon's unified consistent interpretations is not quite the same with Ravel as it is with Debussy, partly owing to a less well formed vision from that composer than Debussy. Debussy was more rigid in his world view and musical thought throughout his life, whereas Ravel wavered in many different directions.

When you consider the price, there no reason to think twice about this set. The accompanying booklet is not extremely comprehensive, but adequate enough.

In Debussy Martinon is unbeatble!.......2004-07-31

Jean Martinon is the last director really inmersed in the impresionist mood . His performances are deeply inspired and above all idiomatic . Marie Claire Jamet in the Sacred Dances is absolutely comitted with the elusive forms and pagan enchantment.
Martinon belonged to that hard to find status conductor who really know to engage with the composer mood . So when he played his music the results were overwhelming . He had a enormous gift to suggest . I still remind The Prokoviev seventh symphony with the Chicago Symphony and I can not get another first movement so well performed , for instance .
Back to Debussy he combines the charm and nuance with that incorporean and elusive approach that Debussy and Ravel demands . I state a parallel (if I may) between Martinon - Debussy and Beecham - Delius in what idiomatism concerns .
When Martinon performs Debussy the paintings of Matisse , Monet and Manet seem to awake and come to our mind .
The prientemps and the children 's corner are absolutely of first rate . The clarinet rhapsody is the best in the market .
In the images I prefer the Ansermet version , but the whole set is fundamental if you enjoy the orchestral music of Debussy.
Notice I have not mentioned Ravel works . I have another name in Ravel : Andre Cluytens . But this is out of context.

Debussy: Nocturnes; La Mer; Prélude a l'apres-midi d'un faune

Average customer rating:

Sharp-edged and robust at times, but still quite enjoyable
Opposite of Amazon.com Review

Debussy: Nocturnes; La Mer; Prélude a l'apres-midi d'un faune

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Debussy: Mer No1-3; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
Debussy: La Mer

ASIN: B00000420X
Release Date: 1992-11-10

Tracks:

Nocturnes: I. Nuages
Nocturnes: II. Fetes
Nocturnes: III. Sirenes
La Mer: I. De l'aube A Midi Sur La Mer
La Mer: II. Jeux De Vagues
La Mer: III. Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer
Prelude A L'apres - Midi D'un Faune

Amazon.com

Although conductor Georg Solti was not known for his Debussy, these early-1990s live recordings in Chicago demonstrate both his sensitivity to the nuances of these popular scores and his orchestra's expressive capabilities. Unfortunately, the performances fail to conjure the requisite energy and dynamism in Nocturnes, and, in spite of the excellent sonics, orchestral timbre suffers from anemia. --David Vernier

Customer Reviews:

Sharp-edged and robust at times, but still quite enjoyable.......2007-04-27

The Amazon reviewer is right to point out that the latter Solti of the 90s could be a bit anemic, but this wasn't the CD to use to make that point. It's too robust if anything, and the CSO brass bark too much. But for sheer precision and excellence in the recorded sounnd, this Debussy colleciton has few peers. Of the Trois Nocturnes, I've come to think that the masterpiece is the third movement, Sirenes, and here the women of the Chicago Sym. chorus are truly exceptional, singing with amazing accuracy and beauty of tone.

Solti is up against dozens of rivals in La Mer, including Reiner and the same CSO at the top of their game. Like Reiner, Solti's reading attempts little in the way of interpretation but offers many thrills in its virtuosic execution. Conductors tend to use La Mer as a showpiece now, and this recording is no exception. The Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun is suitably erotic and relaxed, although Solti doesn't dawdle by any means. In all, this live recording is about as agreeable as any Solti CD I can think of.

Opposite of Amazon.com Review.......2005-03-27

I find this Debussy quite stimulating, in contrast to the Amazon.com review which is rather unkind to this work. Hearing a conductor like Solti, known for harshness, doing something like Debussy is interesting in itself - and the music here speaks quite plainly for itself. It is not romantically or impressionistically molded and crafted, but instead played with characteristic Solti/CSO boldness and "tang." If you like music with some life, not lush/plush plodding of cool intellectualism, this CD is a great buy. Solti I often find to be underated, most likely due to his brash sound not always being welcomed by the ears of more sensitive subjects. Debussy pulsates with life, though, and I personally find a a good match here with Solti, though as all reviews created equal, whether by some top notch critic or a simpleton, that's only my opinion.

Debussy: Mer No1-3; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune

Average customer rating:

Have to agree with John's comments
Debussy La Mer, Ashkenazy; Cleveland Orch.

Debussy: Mer No1-3; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Similar Items:

Mozart: Clarinet Concerto; Oboe Concerto; Bassoon Concerto /F Cohen * Mack * McGill * Cleveland Orchestra * Dohnanyi
Debussy: Nocturnes; La Mer; Prélude a l'apres-midi d'un faune
Arnold Schoenberg: Serenade/Five Pieces For Orchestra
Century Rolls
Schubert: Symphonies 3 & 8 / Carlos Kleiber, Wiener Philharmoniker

ASIN: B00004Z32B
Release Date: 2001-06-12

Tracks:

La Mer: Prld A L'apres-midi D'un Faune
Nocturnes: 1. Nuages
Nocturnes: 2. Fetes
Nocturnes: 3. Sirenes
La Mer - Three Symphonic Sketches: 1. De L'aube A Midi Sur La Mer
La Mer - Three Symphonic Sketches: 2. Jeux De Vagues
La Mer - Three Symphonic Sketches: 3. Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer
Rapsodie Espagnole: 1. Prld A La Nuit
Rapsodie Espagnole: 2. Malaguena
Rapsodie Espagnole: 3. Habanera
Rapsodie Espagnole: 4. Feria

Customer Reviews:

Have to agree with John's comments.......2006-10-27

This is an excellent performance.
I have Martinon, Ingelbrecht, Tortelier, Boulez/New Philharmonia/1966/Sony (not the new Cleveland), Barenboim/Paris. The Martinon is without doubt the best complete set. the only other one that competes with martinon is this Ashkenazy. The Cleveland is superb in color , phrasing, very tight, yet poetic nuances. I had this cd on my shelf for 1 yr, and finally gave it a spin tonight, to compare with the recent arrival of the Boulez/New philharmonia, I'll post a review there AFTER i sell the set.
I've looked over all the prelude afternoon to a faun on arkiv, and only this one and the Martinon were my 2 top picks. What a work that is.
I've not heard the boulez/Cleveland/DG, and may get it.
This Ashkenazy/Cleveland highly recommended.

Debussy La Mer, Ashkenazy; Cleveland Orch. .......2006-04-18

Magnificent performances, gorgeous and stunning digital sound in the great London/Decca tradition. You cannot go wrong. Enjoy!!