Search - Claude Debussy, Gabriel Bacquier, Serge Baudo :: Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande [Germany]

Debussy's Masterpiece, confirmed, surely!

Gregory E. Foster | Portland, ME, USA | 10/30/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Surely the greatest modern recording of this strange and awesome work...since the Desormiere recording!



This recording rightfully takes it's place, I feel, as the very best interpretation, in total, of all the modern ones available to us, since the Desormier of the 50's....one of those rare occasions where everything "just falls in place" by one of those strokes of good luck. Command, Soyer, Dormoy, Bacquier, and Taillon ALL are ideally suited to their individual roles, and Baudo is truly one of the GREAT interpreters of this monumental work. The sound is just wonderful. (note, however, that the libretto booklet in the RCA reissue is sadly lacking in comparison to the original Eurodisc release.)



Forget the dreadful Decca Dutoit recording, comfortably skip over the von Karajan on EMI and the Abbado on DG. By all means, linger over the Cluytens on Testament, and the Boulez on CBS/Sony, and go for the Haitink with von Otter in addition to this recording. In my opinion, one need not add any further recordings to their collection, after this one, and also the Desormiere, Cluytens, Boulez and Haitink....all 5 are worthy of your attention, and belong in any truly "serious" collection....but, if one only must represent this work for your collection, then it must be this one, originally released by Eurodisc, later on RCA, and now, uncertainly (but hopefully) to reappear on Sony/RCA in the future as they begin to re-release RCA's back catalogue.



You will not be disappointed with any aspect of this superb recording!



(hopefully, Sony/RCA will re-instate the full booklet, as Eurodisc presented, in the original release of this marvelous recording when it is re-released once again).



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