Search - Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli :: Debussy: Images V.1 & V.2, Chldren's Corner, Preludes V.1

DG says these recordings have "testamentary finality" -- and

Martin Selbrede | The Woodlands, Texas | 01/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"High water marks often shift with the tide of time, but others have survived decades of competition. The Michelangeli iterations of Debussy's work (recorded in 1971 and 1978 for the works included here) simply are definitive -- as attested to not only by all salient critical opinion, but by the major prizes this recording had won at its release. The colors, the balances, are amazing -- there are times as if Michelangeli were playing on two different pianos at once (one close by and strong, the other situated in another room played quietly) -- and this, on lines that crossed one another! Astounding control, and a totally thought-out interpretation that causes all others to seem flat and uninflected by comparison.



There is a fair amount of hiss still marring this remastered version (done circa 2002-03), and, on rare occasions, a significant amount of noise emanating from the pianist himself (but certainly no worse than hearing Yo Yo Ma breathe between phrases on his cello). There is also noise originating from the piano pedal system. One would guess that in a live setting, you'd not notice this from a distance, but this recording has such immediacy, you hear EVERYTHING. This serves the music well, and it also occasionally serves the non-musical noise well, too. But I'm not sure I'd want it any other way -- there's a point where fixing it may actually break it.



If your first set of these Debussy pieces is Michelangeli's, you'll be forever prejudiced against other interpretations. You'll be inevitably comparing them to Michelangeli as the reference standard. You'll be in good company -- much of the musical world has come to the same conclusion."