Search - Fernand Dufrene, French National Radio Orchestra :: Debussy: Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune / Nocturnes

Inghelbrecht's Idiomatic Debussy

Jeffrey Lipscomb | Sacramento, CA United States | 04/22/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I can offer little objectivity in evaluating these performances: they have mesmerized me ever since first acquiring them on Pathe LPs back in the 1970's. For delicate color and mood, Inghelbrecht's way with these works is simply magical. Testament's transfers of the 1953-57 originals are top-notch. To hear this "Prelude a l'apres-midi d'une faune," performed here with the uniquely pungent and sensuous sound of an "old style" French orchestra, is an experience not to be missed. The "Nocturnes" are simply exquisite: to my ears, the women's chorus heard here in "Sirenes" has a languid eroticism un-matched by any other recording. The "Marche Eccosaise" (premiered by Inghelbrecht in the composer's presence) is one of my two favorite readings (the other is Manuel Rosenthal's on an Ades CD set). After comparing this "Jeux" with several others in my collection (De Sabata, Cluytens, Martinon, Rosenthal, Bour, Maderna), this is the one that would accompany me to the proverbial desert island. Likewise "La damoiselle elue."



Superb!"

The best orchestral Debussy ever.

Luca | San Francisco, CA USA | 12/09/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This and the La Mer disc are the best orchestral Debussy ever recorded. This is not impressionist music. Soft to hard and brilliant it is absolutely clearly conceived. Debussy the Cartesian French Musician.

Priceless, incomparable."