Search - Claude Debussy, Pascal Rogé :: Debussy: Children's Corner; Estampes; Suite Bergamasque

Simply put, marvelous

G. Stewart | Chesapeake, VA USA | 01/21/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Roge does his countryman justice. His performance of Debussy's Preludes Books 1 & 2 was a reverent treatment of both volumes. He continues the cycle of Debussy's piano repertoire here and is no less marvelous in his treatment of Debussy's wonderful suites and smaller collections.



Estampes is a series of pieces that seems to bewilder some pianists, who play it too harshly, too fast, but Roge settles in to these and it feels like falling in to a warm blanket, the result silky smooth. Children's Corner is exquisite, Roge adding his own personal flair to the more intense pieces and softness to the sultry slower movements; 'Golliwogg's' in particular is very nice, the dance played with a particularly nice jauntiness. The Arabesques are handled with a particular elegance that I have heard in only a few master performances. Suite Bergamasque, my personal favorite of Debussy's compositions, is handled with 'kid gloves', delicately and worshipfully performed and Clair de Lune (my favorite of Debussy's works) gives me chills. The remaining 4 pieces which are not parts of a greater work, La plus que lente, Ballade, Mazurka, and Le Petit Negre are each as wonderful as the other pieces on this disc.



I have all 3 of the discs in this Roge/Debussy collection and I recommend all with a hearty gratitude for Roge's respectful treatment of my dearest Debussy; the other 2 discs are Preludes & Debussy III.



Enjoy!"