Debussy: Piano Duets / Lortie, Mercier
Regular duet and two-piano partners HĂ©lĂšne Mercier and Louis Lortie have returned to the studio for this all-Debussy program. The album features duets written by the composer himself -such as the Petite Suite, the Six Ăpigraphes antiques and the Marche Ă©cossaise sur un thĂšme Populaire; as well as a number of arrangements of his solo piano pieces (the PremiĂšre Arabesque, La Fille aux cheveux de lin and the "Slavic" Ballade). The album ends with AndrĂ© Capletâs monumental arrangement of Debussyâs best known orchestral work, La Mer. Stripped of its orchestration, this two-piano version allows the listener to more easily appreciate Debussyâs ground-breaking harmonic innovation. The album was recorded in the concert hall at Snape Maltings in Suffolk, using a pair of Bösendorfer 280 VC grand pianos.
REVIEWS:
Regular duet and two-piano partners HĂ©lĂšne Mercier and Louis Lortie present this all-Debussy program, starting and ending on the water. The duo characterize Debussyâs impressionism well with playing that is sensitive and charming.
The album ends with AndrĂ© Capletâs monumental arrangement of Debussyâs best known orchestral work, La Mer. Stripped of its orchestration, this two-piano version allows the listener to more easily appreciate Debussyâs ground-breaking harmonic innovation.
-- Cumbria Times (Andrew Palmer)
The playing by the two distinguished pianists is faultless, distinctly outlining the notes with a clarity of separation; the recording in the superb acoustic of the Snape Maltings captures the sound ideally; the presentation of the booklet, with extensive and informative notes in three languages by Roger Nichols, is excellent; and the music itself, I need hardly add, is marvelous.
Most frustratingly then, is that Debussyâs masterpiece for the two-piano repertoire, his late En blanc et noir, is missing. That, however, is not to say that the purchaser of this very full disc is under-compensated. Nevertheless, there might be something to be said for letting us hear Debussyâs music in two-piano and piano-duet arrangements, especially those published during his lifetime, even when we may suspect that reasons of commercial necessity may have prompted their original issue.
-- MusicWeb International
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Debussy: Piano Duets / Lortie, Mercier
Debussy: Piano Duets / Lortie, Mercier
Regular duet and two-piano partners HĂ©lĂšne Mercier and Louis Lortie have returned to the studio for this all-Debussy program. The album features duets written by the composer himself -such as the Petite Suite, the Six Ăpigraphes antiques and the Marche Ă©cossaise sur un thĂšme Populaire; as well as a number of arrangements of his solo piano pieces (the PremiĂšre Arabesque, La Fille aux cheveux de lin and the "Slavic" Ballade). The album ends with AndrĂ© Capletâs monumental arrangement of Debussyâs best known orchestral work, La Mer. Stripped of its orchestration, this two-piano version allows the listener to more easily appreciate Debussyâs ground-breaking harmonic innovation. The album was recorded in the concert hall at Snape Maltings in Suffolk, using a pair of Bösendorfer 280 VC grand pianos.
REVIEWS:
Regular duet and two-piano partners HĂ©lĂšne Mercier and Louis Lortie present this all-Debussy program, starting and ending on the water. The duo characterize Debussyâs impressionism well with playing that is sensitive and charming.
The album ends with AndrĂ© Capletâs monumental arrangement of Debussyâs best known orchestral work, La Mer. Stripped of its orchestration, this two-piano version allows the listener to more easily appreciate Debussyâs ground-breaking harmonic innovation.
-- Cumbria Times (Andrew Palmer)
The playing by the two distinguished pianists is faultless, distinctly outlining the notes with a clarity of separation; the recording in the superb acoustic of the Snape Maltings captures the sound ideally; the presentation of the booklet, with extensive and informative notes in three languages by Roger Nichols, is excellent; and the music itself, I need hardly add, is marvelous.
Most frustratingly then, is that Debussyâs masterpiece for the two-piano repertoire, his late En blanc et noir, is missing. That, however, is not to say that the purchaser of this very full disc is under-compensated. Nevertheless, there might be something to be said for letting us hear Debussyâs music in two-piano and piano-duet arrangements, especially those published during his lifetime, even when we may suspect that reasons of commercial necessity may have prompted their original issue.
-- MusicWeb International
Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
Regular duet and two-piano partners HĂ©lĂšne Mercier and Louis Lortie have returned to the studio for this all-Debussy program. The album features duets written by the composer himself -such as the Petite Suite, the Six Ăpigraphes antiques and the Marche Ă©cossaise sur un thĂšme Populaire; as well as a number of arrangements of his solo piano pieces (the PremiĂšre Arabesque, La Fille aux cheveux de lin and the "Slavic" Ballade). The album ends with AndrĂ© Capletâs monumental arrangement of Debussyâs best known orchestral work, La Mer. Stripped of its orchestration, this two-piano version allows the listener to more easily appreciate Debussyâs ground-breaking harmonic innovation. The album was recorded in the concert hall at Snape Maltings in Suffolk, using a pair of Bösendorfer 280 VC grand pianos.
REVIEWS:
Regular duet and two-piano partners HĂ©lĂšne Mercier and Louis Lortie present this all-Debussy program, starting and ending on the water. The duo characterize Debussyâs impressionism well with playing that is sensitive and charming.
The album ends with AndrĂ© Capletâs monumental arrangement of Debussyâs best known orchestral work, La Mer. Stripped of its orchestration, this two-piano version allows the listener to more easily appreciate Debussyâs ground-breaking harmonic innovation.
-- Cumbria Times (Andrew Palmer)
The playing by the two distinguished pianists is faultless, distinctly outlining the notes with a clarity of separation; the recording in the superb acoustic of the Snape Maltings captures the sound ideally; the presentation of the booklet, with extensive and informative notes in three languages by Roger Nichols, is excellent; and the music itself, I need hardly add, is marvelous.
Most frustratingly then, is that Debussyâs masterpiece for the two-piano repertoire, his late En blanc et noir, is missing. That, however, is not to say that the purchaser of this very full disc is under-compensated. Nevertheless, there might be something to be said for letting us hear Debussyâs music in two-piano and piano-duet arrangements, especially those published during his lifetime, even when we may suspect that reasons of commercial necessity may have prompted their original issue.
-- MusicWeb International
