Arrau Heritage: Debussy (3 CD box set, APE)

Performer: Claudio Arrau
Composer: Claude Debussy
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 3 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Philips
Size: 481 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: no

Disc: 1
01. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 1. Danseuses de Delphes
02. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 2. Voiles
03. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 3. Le vent dans la plaine
04. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 4. ‘Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l’air du soir’
05. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 5. Les collines d’Anacapri
06. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 6. Des pas sur la neige
07. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 7. Ce qu’a vu le vent d’Ouest
08. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 8. La fille aux cheveux de lin
09. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 9. La sérénade interrompue
10. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 10. La cathédrale engloutie
11. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 11. La danse de Puck
12. Préludes for piano, Book I, L. 117: 12. Minstels
13. Images for piano, Set I, L. 110: Reflets dans l’eau
14. Images for piano, Set I, L. 110: Hommage à Rameau
15. Images for piano, Set I, L. 110: Mouvement Listen
16. Estampes, for piano, L. 100: Pagodes
17. Estampes, for piano, L. 100: Soirée dans Grenade
18. Estampes, for piano, L. 100: Jardins sous la pluie

Disc: 2
01. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 1. Brouillards
02. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 2. Feuilles mortes
03. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 3. La Puerta del Vino
04. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 4. ‘Les Fées sont d’exquises danseuses’
05. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 5. Bruyères
06. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 6. General Lavine – eccentric
07. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 7. La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune
08. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 8. Ondine
09. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 9. Hommage à Samuel Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C.
10. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 10. Canope
11. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 11. Les tierces alternées
12. Préludes for piano, Book II, L. 123: 12. Feux d’artifice
13. Images for piano, Set II, L. 111: Cloches à travers les feuilles
14. Images for piano, Set II, L. 111: Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut
15. Images for piano, Set II, L. 111: Poissons d’or

Disc: 3
01. Suite bergamasque, for piano, L. 75: Prélude
02. Suite bergamasque, for piano, L. 75: Menuet
03. Suite bergamasque, for piano, L. 75: Clair de lune
04. Suite bergamasque, for piano, L. 75: Passepied
05. Sarabande ‘Souvenir du Louvre,’ for piano, L. 87/2
06. La plus que lente, waltz for piano (or orchestra), L. 121
07. Valse romantique, for piano, L. 71

A must for lovers of Arrau and Debussy

This contains a new version of Estampes, Images books I and II, Preludes Book I and II, Suite Bergamasque, Valse Romantique and La Plus que lente-the final disc containig the later items was included in exact form on the final sessions release on Philips. Why the states havent released this, along with his Schumann, is beyond me because these are extraordinary recordings. This is big, dark Debussy. Not hazy like Gieseking nor is it of the pin point stoicism of Michelangli[that is a compliment]. It is kind of a mix of the two, but with a heavy dose of germanic emotionalism. The sound is magnificent, surely one of the best examples of Arrau’s tone on any available recording. For those looking to hear these pieces in an intriguing way by one of the century’s greatest pianists and musical minds-a mind who didnt stop at the printed page but always delved deep into the composers mind-then you cant go wrong. For Arrau fans-this is an absolute must.