Search - Claude Debussy, Eric Himy :: Homage to Debussy

Sensual Debussy!

Richard Rosol | 03/29/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"American Record Guide March /April 2009

DEBUSSY: Homage

Eric Himy, piano

Centaur 2968-78 minutes

Yet another of Himy's homages to composers he's fond of. This miscellany

draws largely from the Preludes, but two of the Images along with several

other works are included. It also introduces the pianist's own arrangement

of the Prelude a L'Apres-Midi d'un Faun. Given his luscious big sound,

this gorgeous arrangement comes off almost well enough to make one

forget about the missing orchestral colors.

Readers are forewarned that Himy, aided and abetted by his Steingraber

& Sohn piano, has a tendency to milk the sonorities for all they are worth.

As with much Stokowski, if you believe in a hands-off approach, it's better

to look elsewhere for your Debussy fix. 'Voiles', for example, is stretched to

its limit, but all the more effective for daring to be different. 'La Serenade

Interrompue' is highly characterized, and 'The Girl with the Flaxen Hair'

emotionalized to the extreme.

'La Cathedral Engloutie' moves along without any overindulgence and

produces some impressive sonorities. 'Bruyeres' has a luxuriant simplicity,

and 'Les Terrasses des Audiences au Clair de Lune' shares with 'Canope' a

timeless sense of expression that sounds just right in Himy's sensitive

hands. On the other hand, 'Feux d'artifice' is not held back in its explosion

of colors and dashes of light.

'Poisson d'or' and 'Reflects dans l'eau' make one lament that the rest of the

Images were not included. They both have that elegance of rhythm and

color so essential to this music. Since Himy returns us to a Debussy world

where the haze of impressionism has not been banished, you should avoid

this if you insist that everything be exposed to the bright light of day.

Other selections, including the song 'Beau Soir' as arranged by

Berkowitz, are most beautifully performed in this outstanding recital, and

the pianist's notes are of great interest for their subjective analysis. Homage

indeed here's one pianist I would have welcomed a complete cycle from.

BECKER

"

Sensual CD

VLADIMIR CORTOT | 12/03/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Eric Himy's big, luscious sonority and splendid ear for tone color suit Debussy's keyboard aesthetic to perfection with marvelous textural control in his effective transcription of the Prélude à l'après-midi d'une faune.

Poissons d'or, Reflets dans l'eau, and L'isle joyeuse are intriguingly spacious, luxuriant, and soft-grained."

Jed Distler

ClassicsToday.com







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