Debussy: Orchestral Music

Claude Debussy (Composer), Eduard Van Beinum (Conductor), Bernard Haitink (Conductor), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
• Conductor: Eduard Van Beinum, Bernard Haitink
• Composer: Claude Debussy
• Audio CD (February 15, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B00000417P
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,581 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #24 in Music > Classical > Instruments > Reeds & Winds > Clarinet
  • #30 in Music > Classical > Ballets & Dances > Historical Periods > Modern & 20th Century
  • #65 in Music > Miscellaneous > Marches

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An essential set for your Debussy shelf., April 27, 2002

By 

DAVID A. FLETCHER (Richmond, Va United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Debussy: Orchestral Music (Audio CD)

To recap what an earlier review referred to, the "Man From Delray" below seemed more concerned with crotchety silliness than with musically informed reviewing.

I remember snatching up the original Philips LP's of these Haitink performances when they emerged in the late 70's, and being "wowed" then. Yes, Haitink was not, and is not, a ZIP! ZING! POW! conductor. And, outside of a few moments in "Iberia," "La Mer," or "Jeux," you really don't want any of that in these pieces. Sensitivity to dynamics, orchestral color, and evocative phrasing, just to name a few musical virtues...these are what are called for here, and Haitink offers them in spades. That gossamer shimmer in "Nocturnes", for example. It's so easy to sell the imagery short, or just get it plain wrong. Haitink nails it, aided througout by vintage Philips sound that was a model of naturalness in its day, and still holds up nicely.

Could "La Mer" take just a bit more shaping in its ebb/flow moments? Maybe. Karajan managed that in his early 60s version for DG, but his orchestral seas are clearly the North Atlantic, not the Mediterranean. So, there's room for preferences. I still prefer Boulez' old CBS/Sony performance with the New Philharmonia, except for the bone-dry recording. Fritz Reiner and the Chicago, as well as the Munch/Boston reading, really shine in RCA's Living Stereo remasterings. These are just a few of the classic readings that I wouldn't want to be without.

In sum, I wouldn't want to be without Haintink's thoughts on these scores, as well as the late 50's Van Beinum "Berceuse" that fills out the set. If you're REALLY serious about the music, though, fill out your Debussy shelf with a few of the others. Better yet, if you're adept at reading a conductor's score, start building a core library of miniature editions for those pieces that you come back to again and again. In the case of "La Mer," I think the full size Dover edition is still available; the larger format is easier to deal with than the pocket-size score. Read a little critical writing about the musical architecture that you're admiring. Then, listen with the score in front of you, and identify where in a piece that you and the conductor part company. Or agree. I know that this may be above and beyond what the casual listener is up for, but if you're game, you may be surprised where it leads you.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential everyday listening., July 2, 2001

By 

Ed Brickell - See all my reviews

This review is from: Debussy: Orchestral Music (Audio CD)

Hard to believe that one of the best bargains in the entire CD catalog was rated at only three stars overall when I happened to stumble across this page. These rank among the finest played and most atmospheric Debussy recordings ever produced. There are certainly none better, and only few that I would put along beside them. Plus, you're getting two very full CDs of Debussy's finest orchestral music for the price of one.

The one star reviews of this recording are absolutely bewildering. This is an outstanding product in a very crowded field.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High Praise for Haitink and La Mer, May 28, 2003

By 

"grok_" (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Debussy: Orchestral Music (Audio CD)

La Mer was one of the first pieces of classical music that captured my imagination. When performed well, you envision the waves and wind on a restless sea. Here, Haitink has again stimulated my imagination with his performances. You feel the motion of the water and taste the salt upon the wind. Although this is a 2fer, I confess to listening most to the second CD, which contains not only La Mer but also the Nocturnes and the marvelous Dance for Harp (the harp soloist was unfortunately close-miked). These pieces were recorded (analog) in the late 1970s and the sonics are excellent (disk 1 was recorded in 1959). The performance comes across crystal clear. The dynamic range does justice to the demands of these often undulating compositions.