Preludes book 2, en blanc et noir maurizio pollini. Anyway, the debussy preludes especially book i performed by that great pianist, paul jacobs who died too young, are at about the top of all interpretations, along with those of arturo benedetti michelangeli. That this was general we can to some extent see from the sales figures quoted by roy howat. Still, as musicologist rollo myers notes, the pictorial element is not unduly stressed if stressed at all. Arturo benedetti michelangeli italian 5 january 1920 12. Although the composer did not think the preludes should be performed as a cycle, book two is perfectly symmetrical with two showpieces at the start and end on the twelve pieces. When lipatti died of hodgkins lymphoma at the age of 33 in december 1950, he left behind more than almost 4 hours of recordings. It came out in 1988 after an eight year period when the pianist recorded. Michelangelis dg recordings of debussy are legendary. In addition, perhaps because debussys style is so prone to mannerism, several of the preludes in book ii bear strong similarities to those from the earlier set. They were published in two booksseries, each consisting of three pieces. That is what was produced whenever the master pianist, michelangeli, sat down at a piano to play debussy, as he did here in the complete cycle of debussys preludes, book livre 1, a group of tone poems, along with book 2, in the form of preludes for piano.
Michelangeli is scrupulous in his attention to debussys indications, and i think it is why his reading of book 2 is so much more cogent. Any recordings you find of sviatoslav richter playing any of debussy s preludes are also worthy of consideration. For me its michelangeli and cortot, with richter and aimard right up there too. These works are distinct from debussy s images pour orchestre. Preludes book 2 by arturo benedetti michelangeli now. Pianist arturo benedetti michelangeli performing debussys preludes and childrens corner. Preludes book 2, en blanc et noir maurizio pollini, daniel pollini more ice than fire in pollinis belated debussy part two.
Claude debussy arturo benedetti michelangeli preludes. Here, lines are crisp and clear, contrasts dramatic, and rhythms turbulent. As he plays debussys book 1 preludes, you notice how effortlessly his arms, hands, and fingers are choreographed to the music. Michelangeli has born on january 5, 1920, in orzinuovi, italy. Sep 29, 2009 claude debussys painterly preludes the subtle, elusive quality of debussys twentyfour preludes is captured perfectly by pianist paul jacobs, who plays them with a tolling, belllike sound. Several of them look ahead to debussys later style, in which the composers earlier impressionistic, almost romantic poetry was supplanted by a greater concentration upon technique and neoclassical objectivity. Aug 19, 2016 the composer who benefited most from this liberation was bartok, who was introduced to debussys music by kodaly in 1907. After all, arturo benedetti michelangelis 70s recordings of debussys images and preludes, book 1, were hailed in their time as revolutionary, masterly, and uniquely compelling, and the encomiums have kept on through every subsequent rerelease. Arturo benedetti michelangeli telecharger et ecouter les.
In addition, perhaps because debussys style is so prone to mannerism. The late mary antonietti, a pianist and cousin of gustav holst who met debussy when he came to london in 1909, remembered that book ii of the preludes was greeted in britain with slight disappointment. Complete preludes, books 1 and 2 dover music for piano. The first book was composed between 1901 and 1905, and the second book was composed in 1907.
Hamelins debussy preludes book 2 are some of the best ive heard. The music becomes more dramatic toward the end of the set. Complete preludes, books 1 and 2 dover music for piano paperback april 1, 1989 by claude debussy author. The strongest, most colorful, most musical and most poetic debussy you ever heard from a pianist. Cortot was able to grasp debussys language in its entirety, and managed to show the great pianist and thinker that he was. The pianist s style makes his performances seem slower than usual in. I was reminded of this when i encountered the somewhat tardy release of maurizio pollinis second book of debussys preludes. Here in his first debussy recording for hyperion he presents the two books of images. Michelangeli focuses and clarifies with every miraculous stroke of the keys, etching these miniatures in pristine colours, his meticulous technique bathing each scene in brilliant sunshine. He was too good a composer to imitate debussy, although there are a few examples of direct influence it. The germanenglish pianist walter morse rummel, a student of leopold godowsky, gave the premiere of the entire second book of preludes in 19 in london.
Pianist arturo benedetti michelangeli performing debussys preludes. That is not what we get from french pianist pierrelaurent aimard. He still conveys the crystalline clarity and aristocratic poise of michelangeli but, that said, and without wanting to. Debussy preludes book 2 richter showing 185 of 85 messages.
Adopting the major piano works including the preludes, bartok absorbed the liberated message as deeply as he absorbed the idiom of the hungarian peasant. With nagai and rouvier the first two pieces are slow, with the result that it seems to take a long time for the performance to get going. The legendary italian pianist arturo benedetti michelangeli 1920 1995, playing at the height of his powers, performs some of debussys most sensuous and arresting music for piano, in the famously rare 1962 rai television recording, newly restored and remastered for this release. That is what was produced whenever the master pianist, michelangeli, sat down at a piano to play debussy, as he did here in the complete cycle of debussys preludes, book livre 1, a group of.
Debussy preludes volume 1 arturo benedetti michelangeli piano. Piano works by arturo benedetti michelangeli on amazon music. During his career he played music from composers of different periods of classic music. The italian pianist s fullbodied sound gives them a strong physical impact, miles away from the foggy sonorities that many pianists still use and abuse in debussy. That is what was produced whenever the master pianist, michelangeli, sat down at a piano to play debussy, as he did here in the complete cycle of debussy s preludes, book livre 1, a group of. Jan 16, 2019 another french pianist that was active in paris during debussys era was yvonne lefebure 18981986, who not only left us some very fine debussy recordingsespecially of the preludes book 1 see link below, but also was a highly regarded teacher.
Dinu lipatti 19171950 was a romanian classical pianist and composer whose career was cut short by his death from hodgkins disease at age 33. Debussy preludes volume 1 arturo benedetti michelangeli piano hybrid stereo japanese import sacd. Claude debussy composed the second book of preludes during 1910 12. Four years later the young pianist graduated with top accolades. The performance film arturo benedetti michelangeli plays scarlatti, debussy, chopin finds trained classical pianist benedetti performing debussys preludes, book i, chopins mazurkas op. Unlike some notable collections of preludes from prior times, such as chopins op. Arturo benedetti michelangeli is on of the best pianist of the twentieth century. Michelangelis debussy in general was not along the lines of, say, giesekings or richters. Michelangeli recorded it too late, though there are some tantalising earlier preludes from him on youtube. After early studies on the violin, michelangeli took up the piano, entering the milan conservatory at the age of ten. Images i and ii benedetti michelangeli, arturo piano. For one, the gorgeous engineering fully captures how the pianist s ravishing, multilayered sound world projected in a hall. It is an intriguing, timeless yet assertive, hieratic danse. Claude debussy arturo benedetti michelangeli images 1.
Each of debussys preludes, book i 19071910 is a short but substantial work that conveys a particular mood or impression suggested by its title. With michelangeli only the second piece feuilles mortes is slow. Any recordings you find of sviatoslav richter playing any of debussys preludes are also worthy of consideration. Here is a powerful musical personality taking possession of the music and projecting it on a big scale, as great concert actors do. Arturo benedetti michelangeli pianist 198808 tracks 112 composer. There are, of course, many other complete recordings of the preludes, books iii. Images arturo benedetti michelangeli on allmusic is michelangelis debussy as good as they say. Like vladimir horowitz and glenn gould, michelangeli employs a relatively flatfingered technique for sustained legato passages and certain rotary arpeggios such as those in ce qua vu le vent douest. All ill say is that her hyperion book 2 is no big deal. Daniel ericourt books iii ivory classics 73006 4cd priced as 2 vladimir viardo books iii propiano 224525. Preludes volume 1 by arturo benedetti michelangeli album. Debussy arturo benedetti michelangeli preludes book 2 ondine. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet.
Michelangeli and debussy the two names bring to mind beautiful masterpieces for piano. But i much prefer this live 1982 royal festival hall taping. His father was a dedicated amateur musician who introduced young benedetti to the art. Quietly teeming, delicate, and atmospheric, the texture is dominated by sweeping arpeggios that require a high degree of control on the part of the pianist. Sep 20, 2009 that is what was produced whenever the master pianist, michelangeli, sat down at a piano to play debussy, as he did here in the complete cycle of debussys preludes, book livre 1, a group of. Images usually pronounced in french is a suite of six compositions for solo piano by claude debussy. Debussy images pour piano book 2 this page lists all recordings of images pour piano book 2 by claude achille debussy 18621918. Michelangelis lofty, commanding way with debussys book i preludes is familiar from his 1978 dg studio recording.