Track Listing

1. Clair de lune, for piano (Suite Bergamasque No. 3), L. 75/3
2. La plus que lente, waltz for piano (or orchestra), L. 121
3. Arabesques (2) for piano, L. 66: Arabesque No. 1
4. Le petit nègre, cakewalk for piano, L. 114
5. Children's Corner, suite for piano (or orchestra), L. 113: The snow is dancing
6. Children's Corner, suite for piano (or orchestra), L. 113: The little shepherd
7. Children's Corner, suite for piano (or orchestra), L. 113: Golliwog's cakewalk
8. Estampes, for piano, L. 100: La soirée dans Grenade
9. Estampes, for piano, L. 100: Jardins sous la pluie
10. Arabesques (2) for piano, L. 66: Arabesque No. 2
11. Valse romantique, for piano, L. 71
12. Tarantelle styrienne (Danse), for piano (or orchestra), L. 69
13. Pour le piano, suite for piano, L. 95: Toccata
14. Images (3), for piano, Set I, L. 110: Reflets dans l'eau
15. Images (3), for piano, Set II, L. 111: Poissons d'or
16. Mazurka, for piano, L. 67
17. Rêverie, for piano, L. 68
18. Préludes (12) for piano, Book I, L. 117: La fille aux cheveux de lin
19. Préludes (12) for piano, Book I, L. 117: Minstrels
20. Préludes (12) for piano, Book I, L. 117: La cathédrale engloutie

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #745 in Music
• Released on: 2004-05-18
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Customer Reviews

Debussy Favorites in OK Performances, Variable Sound
Francois-Joël Thiollier has recorded much of Debussy's piano music for Naxos. This CD appears to be a 'favorites' album drawn from several previous issues. The most familiar and probably the best-loved Debussy pieces are here, beginning with a dreamy (but somewhat soupily-recorded) 'Clair de lune' ('Moonlight'). [The cover illustration is a nice reproduction of Eugène Boudin's gorgeous 'The Effect of the Moon.'] As of yet Amazon has not listed the contents, so I shall do so: Clair de lune, La plus que lente, Arabesque Nos. 1 & 2, Le petit nègre, excerpts from The Children's Corner (The snow is dancing, The little shepherd, Golliwog's cakewalk), La soirée dans Grénade, Jardin sous la pluie, Valse romantique, Tarantelle styrienne, Toccata, Reflets dans l'eau, Poissons d'or, Mazurka, Révérie, The Girl with the Golden Hair, and The Engulfed Cathedral.

Thiollier often takes slower than usual tempi, and he often sounds rather deliberate or even stodgy as a result. This is not to say there aren't some quicker tempi taken: 'Le petit nègre' starts off with a real Gottschalkian verve, but when he comes to the second theme he backs off. 'Poissons d'or' ('Goldfish') swim excitedly (and beautifully). 'The snow is dancing' all right, but it seems to be doing a sarabande. These are pretty straight interpretations; one misses the drama or sadness in, say, Golliwog's Cakewalk. I think one problem in all these performances is a lack of crisp articulation. Debussy's soft-edged harmonies can lead a pianist to play in a flaccid, dreamy fashion and that works for some of the pieces, but on the whole Debussy requires more rhythmic spine, and that is often lacking here.

The primary thing going for this compilation is the price. But I couldn't recommend it to anyone other than someone on a sharply restricted budget and who wants these particular pieces. For somewhat more outlay, one could have performances by say, the fabled Michelangeli or the spectacular Kocsis or the legendary Gieseking.

TT=78:10

Scott Morrison

Awesome Music
Debussy's work collected here is beautiful! Thank you for a great experience I can keep repeating.

Love at first listen
I have looked for this song and composer for so many years, since I first saw Frankie & Johnny. I love it and it stays in my car.