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Debussy: Four-Hand Piano Music / Armengaud
Naxos

Debussy: Four-Hand Piano Music / Armengaud

$19.99 Only 3 left

Details

Composer
DEBUSSY, CLAUDE
Artist
Jean-Pierre Armengaud, Olivier Chauzu
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Apr 30, 2013
Catalog #
8572979
UPC
747313297979

About

This is a highly realistic-sounding recording of a piano four-hands recital from the position of the players. In other words the keyboard is spread in front of the listener with the top end distinctly to the right. One can hear the pedalling and even the breathing of these two. I do slightly question the decision to record from this perspective in that no audience member is able to sit like this. However such a view is not unique in the recording world and they can be forgiven because it sounds so good. The engineering is not 100% perfect - there is a clear editing error in track 4 at 3.08, as if the digital scissors slipped. A reminder that modern recordings are made up of often hundreds of edits, considering which it is well disguised the rest of the time.

What of the music? Most collectors will have a substantial amount of Debussy's delicious piano music, but this collector discovered that most of this CD was new to him, a pleasure in itself. The early Petite Suite is the most famous music present. The even earlier Première Suite d'orchestre was only published in 2008 in this four-hand version. It is a lovelypiece throughout its full 26 minutes and does not sound like anyone except Debussy. The Six Épigraphes antiques are late Debussy and display his extraordinary command of advanced harmony. The ear is constantly tickled by the most strange sounds. The recital is completed by the rare 1st version of the Marche écossaise sur un thème populaire.

The two pianists are new to me and display a high degree of togetherness, if not the pin-sharp unity of, say, Aloys and Alfons Kontarsky. Given such unusual fare this is a fine set of performances and mostly very well recorded indeed. The notes by Gérald Hugon are detailed and well structured - and translated into elegant English by Susannah Howe. Hugon tells the purchaser everything he is likely to want to know about the discovery of the early compositions and their complex history, and then goes on to discuss each piece thoroughly. We have grown to expect such quality from Naxos, another star to them.

– Dave Billinge, MusicWeb International

Tracklist 15 tracks

  1. 1 I. En bateau 03:37
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. En bateau
    Duration
    03:37
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Jean-Pierre Armengaud, Olivier Chauzu
  2. 2 II. Cortege 03:27
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Cortege
    Duration
    03:27
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Jean-Pierre Armengaud, Olivier Chauzu
  3. 3 III. Menuet 02:56
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Menuet
    Duration
    02:56
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Jean-Pierre Armengaud, Olivier Chauzu
  4. 4 IV. Ballet 03:17
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Ballet
    Duration
    03:17
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Jean-Pierre Armengaud, Olivier Chauzu
  5. 5 Marche écossaise sur un thème populaire (version for piano 4 hands) 07:11
    Track
    5
    Title
    Marche écossaise sur un thème populaire (version for piano 4 hands)
    Duration
    07:11
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Olivier Chauzu, Jean-Pierre Armengaud
  6. 6 No. 1. Pour invoquer Pan 02:09
    Track
    6
    Title
    No. 1. Pour invoquer Pan
    Duration
    02:09
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Olivier Chauzu, Jean-Pierre Armengaud
  7. 7 No. 2. Pour un tombeau sans nom 03:23
    Track
    7
    Title
    No. 2. Pour un tombeau sans nom
    Duration
    03:23
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Olivier Chauzu, Jean-Pierre Armengaud
  8. 8 No. 3. Pour que la nuit soit propice 02:19
    Track
    8
    Title
    No. 3. Pour que la nuit soit propice
    Duration
    02:19
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Olivier Chauzu, Jean-Pierre Armengaud
  9. 9 No. 4. Pour la danseuse aux crotales 02:11
    Track
    9
    Title
    No. 4. Pour la danseuse aux crotales
    Duration
    02:11
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Olivier Chauzu, Jean-Pierre Armengaud
  10. 10 No. 5. Pour l'egyptienne 02:32
    Track
    10
    Title
    No. 5. Pour l'egyptienne
    Duration
    02:32
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Olivier Chauzu, Jean-Pierre Armengaud
  11. 11 No. 6. Pour remercier la pluie au matin 02:26
    Track
    11
    Title
    No. 6. Pour remercier la pluie au matin
    Duration
    02:26
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Olivier Chauzu, Jean-Pierre Armengaud
  12. 12 I. Fete 06:01
    Track
    12
    Title
    I. Fete
    Duration
    06:01
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Jean-Pierre Armengaud, Olivier Chauzu
  13. 13 II. Ballet 04:42
    Track
    13
    Title
    II. Ballet
    Duration
    04:42
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Jean-Pierre Armengaud, Olivier Chauzu
  14. 14 III. Reve 06:43
    Track
    14
    Title
    III. Reve
    Duration
    06:43
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Jean-Pierre Armengaud, Olivier Chauzu
  15. 15 IV. Cortege et Bacchanale 08:44
    Track
    15
    Title
    IV. Cortege et Bacchanale
    Duration
    08:44
    Composer
    Claude Debussy
    Performer
    Jean-Pierre Armengaud, Olivier Chauzu