Customer Reviews

Debussy - Preludes pour piano, Livres 1 et 2

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own all of the classic recordings of Debussy's Preludes, including sets by Gieseking, Zimerman, Michelangeli, Pollini, and also several of the recently hyped newer versions by Pascal Roge, Steven Osborne, JE Bavouzet.

Irrespective of the nationality of the performer, there is a tradition of playing these pieces in a kind of dreamy, languid mood which is part of the reason I love the works. When I think of the Preludes, I think of them as the epitome of this style: they capture the essence of Debussy's musical language.

Having read about Paraty's version online, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered it out of curiosity. I can't tell you how delighted I am to have it. The sound is incredibly vibrant and brilliant, and the dynamic contrast available is something that was completely new to me in Debussy. The French balance engineer, Judith Carpentier-Dupont, does a splendid job of capturing the full range of harmonics, which is so important in this music.

Ivan Ilic (who is apparently Serbian/American/French, I'm a little confused by all of the conflicting information online) has a superb sense of rhythm, which really comes across in some of the more angular Preludes, like 'General Lavine - Eccentric' and 'La Danse De Puck.' They really get you moving in your seat.

He has a sure lyric sense as well, which is clear in 'Canope, ' 'La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin,' and 'Bruyeres'. 'Des Pas Sur La Neige' has an intensity of expression that is rare in recordings of French music. 'La Cathédrale Engloutie' is constructed in a way that the piece unfolds in one long arc. It's absolutely brilliant, and makes it difficult to listen to other versions of the piece, ones that don't make sense of the tempo relationships.

Ilic plays the Preludes out of order and the result, for me at least, is a much more satisfying listening experience. The pieces lead logically from one to the next. I really like this boldness of approach, in the playing and in the programming. After all these years of listening to Debussy, it's wonderful to discover the Preludes anew.

This CD won't make everyone happy, particularly listeners who are used to their Debussy being played in a traditional way, but I just love it. I can't recommend it enough.

The variety of sounds on this CD is astonishing. It is hard to believe that the works were written within 3 years of one another. There are the dreamy, slower Preludes that everyone will recognize (Girl with the Flaxen Hair, Sunken Cathedral) but also many Preludes I was totally unfamiliar with...some of which are now my favorites!

Pianist Ivan Ilic has tremendous technical fluency. His control of the different sounds Debussy asks for is incredible. There is perfect clarity and polish in the sound. But what really impresses me is the ease with which he characterizes everything from the famous Preludes of book 1 to the more abstract Preludes of book 2. It is so rare for someone to play all of the Preludes equally well! From one to the next, they just flow naturally, but without any monotony.

He especially sold me on the Stravinsky-esque harmonies of book 2. The way he plays pieces like 'Canope' makes them beautiful and romantic, without losing any of the music's quirkiness.

A small caveat: for such a wonderfully expressive and beautiful CD, the cover packaging and photos don't match the music. I'm just as tired of covers with Renoir paintings for French music as the next gal, but the browns in the design were a bad choice.

But I suppose the CD's meant to be listened to anyway, not looked at, and for that purpose it's wonderful!

This is probably not the best recording to choose if you only want one version of the Debussy preludes, because it's so unusual. It would be like only knowing Bach through Glenn Gould (which, come to think of it, wouldn't be that bad). It would best work as a complement to other recordings. My personal favorite, although there are only a few preludes, is by Ivan Moravec.

That said, this CD is superb. Ilic has an unusual esthetic style with respect to the preludes, and it's hard to do anything else while the music is playing in the background. I find myself constantly turning the sound back up. The playing ranges from virile to wondrously supple, to spectacular. It's great bang for your buck at over 75 minutes of music (usually the preludes come on 2 CDs)

Pianophiles out there who like unusual new discoveries will love it.

This recording really sparkles, especially the final track, Fireworks. The beginning is great, too. Starting the CD with The Hills of Anacapri was such an inspired choice, and the Sunken Cathedral comes at the exact middle of the album, which works perfectly.

Pianist Ivan Ilic has incredible technique, which I guess is not that surprising for a Slavic musician, and he plays with authority. The interpretations are definitely really different than all of the Debussy I've heard, with more backbone, and his approach is infectious because he really goes all out.

I never really understood certain preludes before, like Alternating 3rds, or Ondine, which always seemed too abstract to me. I used to just skip over them to get to the famous ones. But they make sense to me on this recording.

I hadn't heard of Ivan Ilic previously, but after buying and listening to this recording I ordered several more of his albums on iTunes, including one that has the most amazing work by Liszt that I'd never heard of, the 'Weinen Klagen' variations.