Claude Debussy
Claude Debussy (1862–1918) was a French composer whose harmony, colour and flexible sense of key reshaped European music at the turn of the twentieth century. Piano, orchestral and chamber works from his maturity remain central to the repertoire.
His only completed opera, Pelléas et Mélisande, sealed his international reputation in 1902. Orchestral scores such as Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, the Nocturnes and La mer offered an alternative to the German symphonic tradition.
The piano music is equally defining: Clair de lune, the two books of Préludes, the Images, Estampes, Children's Corner and the late Études expanded the instrument's atmosphere and touch. Songs after Symbolist poetry, the cello and violin sonatas, and chamber works from his final years complete a catalogue that still marks the passage from late Romanticism into modernism.
Compositions by Claude Debussy appear on
Mirabile in Prague
Australian composer John Allan presents five of his own orchestral works alongside his orchestrations of Debussy and Brahms piano pieces. David Kram conducts members of the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra.
A Little French Cello
A charming collection from the rich French school of the late nineteenth century. Cello sonority and piano clarity make the programme both approachable and moving. Zoe Knighton and Amir Farid are masters of their art.
Pictures at an Exhibition
Stephen Savage’s first Move release pairs Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition with Liszt’s Two Legends and three Debussy piano works, including the less often heard Masques and … d’un cahier d’esquisses … beside L’isle joyeuse.
Golden Sounds
Ian King returns to the studio to enthral us once more with the golden sounds of his tuba, in arrangements of Falla, Corelli, Rimsky-Korsakov, Debussy, Ravel, Gershwin and more.
The Impressionists
In his debut CD for Move Records, Stephen McIntyre offers a programme of impressionist piano favourites by Debussy, Ravel and Satie, including Images, Children's Corner, Gaspard de la Nuit and the Gnossiennes.
Poème: Music for the Romantic Violin
The internationally renowned violinist Miwako Abe and the pianist David McSkimming play works by French composers active in Paris at the end of the nineteenth century, sometimes inspiring each other and occasionally forming rivalries.
Tuneful Percussion
One of International Record Review’s “Best Discs of 2000”, and nominated for Best Classical CD at the 2001 ARIA Awards. Woof! play Grainger’s complete music for tuneful percussion on authentic instruments, including his own staff bells and steel marimba, with many works previously unrecorded.
Concert Organ Masterpieces
Masterpieces from the concert organ repertoire, played by Thomas Heywood on the restored Hill organ at St John’s Church, Toorak. The programme draws on his 1997 Grand Organ Concerts at the church.
With Tenderness, With Fire
Ronald Farren-Price encores his hugely popular Reflections with this solo recital, ranging from the sublime beauty of a Beethoven Adagio to the thundering splendour of Prokofiev’s Toccata.
Just Married: Organ Music for a Wedding
A compilation of history's most celebrated organ music, long popular at weddings. The insert notes usefully group the tracks as processionals, recessionals and music for the signing of the register.
Reflections
Internationally acclaimed pianist Ronald Farren-Price offers superb performances of some of the greatest music written for the piano, in a wide-ranging recital of favourite short works.
Images
Prudence Davis, Jeffrey Crellin and Peter Lynch in French salon and Impressionist chamber music for flute, oboe and guitar: Fauré and Ravel pavanes, Giuliani’s Serenade, Coste miniatures, Ponce’s Sonata III, Debussy’s Syrinx and Rêverie, and Duarte folk settings.
Debussy Preludes Book One
These first twelve preludes show Debussy’s achievement at the piano, expanding its range and orchestral colour. Ronald Farren-Price brings exceptional sensitivity to the set.
Summer Waves
Len Vorster plays a personal recital of short piano works by Gershwin, de Falla, Lord Berners, Berkeley, Field, Grieg, Debussy, Poulenc and Ravel, drawn toward summer light, dance rhythm and nocturne stillness.
Sidekick
Sidekick is the debut CD from guitar duo Ziggy and Miles. It pairs new works written for the brothers with their own arrangement of Debussy’s Clair de Lune and repertoire from Spain, Latin America and Australia that has shaped their musical identity.
Alchemy
Alicia Crossley, one of Australia’s leading recorder players, presents transcriptions that open classical, romantic, impressionist and contemporary repertoire to tenor and bass recorder.
Birds Bees and Butterflies
Songs of love and springtime sung by Pamela Wainwright and accompanied by Andrew Frampton.
Impromptu
A collection of Impromptus, Fantasies and Impressions for piano solo, played by Brian Chapman. Although only two pieces carry the title Impromptu, many of the other works share an improvisatory quality.
Team of Pianists presents the Schimmel K 256
Australia’s Team of Pianists inaugurates Schimmel’s Artist Collection on the new K 256 concert grand, with Brahms duets, Romantic and Impressionist solos, Saint-Saëns with clarinet, and Carl Vine.
A Year in Paris
Clarinet and piano music by Poulenc, Carmichael, Benjamin, Cahuzac, Debussy, Stanhope, Brumby and Françaix. Nicole Canham spent a year in Paris studying at the Versailles Conservatoire.
Worlds Apart
Worlds Apart gathers music for piano duet, two and three pianos from France and Australia. At its centre is the first Australian recording of Max Bruch’s Concerto for two pianos and orchestra.
Hamilton
The Team of Pianists present a programme of excellent piano works for solo, duo and two pianos, spanning popular classics and Australian repertoire.