Search - Claude Debussy, Gabriel Faure, Cesar Franck :: Franck, Fauré, Debussy: Violin Sonatas

Recorded in the late 1920's

gwongesq | the USA | 07/26/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Jacques Thibaud (1880-1953) was a successful soloist and concerto performer best known for his chamber collaborations with Casals and Cortot. This CD contains transfer recordings by Thibaud of violin and piano sonatas by Faure, Debussy and Franck (recorded in 1927 and 1929). The performances are superb, but the original 1920's recording technology is not."

Great French Musicians playing French Music

BLee | HK | 04/06/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"People say Glenn Gould is sometimes a good and sometimes a naughty boy. Is there a good and a naughty Cortot? Not really. When Cortot played chamber music, you can be assured that he is well behaving. But that doesn't mean he is not exciting. To the contrary, he is even more exciting. If one doesn't take much delight of Heifetz's "coolness" and is looking for something that is more directly evocative, something close to Hassid, perhaps Thibaud is what you're looking for. Without hearing them, one would still be able to know what music is all about, but probably not the fukk possibilities of what the violin and the piano together can offer, for each one of the musicians had brought out to the full extent of what each of the two instruments are musically capable of and together. It's almost a full orchestra that you hear. Horzowski found Busch/Serkin great. No doubt about it and that is basically the German traditon. Cortot/Thibaud are different but equally as good, if not better especially when it's French music that they are playing-- they're at times even more uplifting than Rachmaninov/Kreisler. They are surprisingly modern in their approach. After hearing Cortot/Thibaud, one will come to the conclusion that it's absurd and unjustifiable that the Russians should dominate the main stream of both the violin and piano music. One are often tempted to ask what is missing from Elman, Milstein, Mullova or else Richter, Gilels, Berman, Ashkenazy or indeed the majority of their compatriots. There is at least a whole aspect of life largely untouched!The transfer here is amazingly good, better than most of Cortot's solo album. If you were ever put off by the historic sound of Cortot, try this one and most likely you will change your mind. Better still would be his EMI chamber music with Thibaud/ Casals like their Archduke Trio and Schubert Piano Trio No.1.Heavenly sent music. Deserves 6 stars. Grab it before it is gone."