Debussy: Complete Works for Solo Piano / Paul Crossley
Crossley,Paul
Release Date: 08/26/2014
Label:
Sony
Catalog #: 930732
Spars Code: DDD
Composer:
Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley
Number of Discs: 4
Recorded in: Stereo
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Notes and Editorial Reviews
The 150th anniversary of Claude Debussy’s birth also marks 20 years since Paul Crossley’s 1992 survey of the composer’s complete solo piano music, minus sundry ballet-score piano reductions and more recently discovered miscellany. That provides at least two excuses for its budget reappearance in the Sony Masters series. When they first appeared, the cycle’s individual releases met with mixed reviews in the British press, while eliciting high praise in the New York Times. While it’s true that Crossley employs a wider degree of rubato than the composer often requests, he brings off these tempo fluctuations with such a natural sense of ebb and flow and technical finesse that no one should really care. Furthermore, the slightly distant yet
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well-detailed engineering accurately conveys what Crossley’s warm, luminous sonority sounds like in concert, helped by the Snape Maltings Concert Hall’s attractive ambience.
You may prefer the extra rhythmic edge of Bavouzet’s Etudes, Michelangeli’s incisive refinement in both books of Images, or Osborne’s tighter, more meticulous traversal of the 24 Preludes, yet Crossley’s beautiful pianism and overall high artistry surely will appeal to collectors seeking a bargain, world-class Debussy piano cycle. Too bad that Crossley’s provocative essays included with the original releases had to fall by the wayside in light of this series’ lack of booklet notes.
-- Jed Distler, ClassicsToday.com
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Works on This Recording
1.
Préludes, Book 1 by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1909-1910; France
2.
Images for Piano, Set 1 by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1905; France
3.
Images for Piano, Set 2 by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1907; France
4.
Préludes, Book 2 by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1912-1913; France
5.
Estampes (3) for Piano by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1903; France
6.
Children's Corner by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1906-1908; France
7.
La plus que lente by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1910; France
8.
Etudes (12) for Piano by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1915; France
9.
Masques by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1904; France
10.
D'un cahier d'esquisses by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1903; France
11.
L'isle joyeuse by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1904; France
12.
Berceuse heroïque by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1914; France
13.
Page d'album by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1915; France
14.
Elégie by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1915; France
15.
Hommage à Haydn by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1909; France
16.
Le petit nègre by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1909; France
17.
Suite bergamasque by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1890/1905; France
18.
Images oubliées by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1894; France
20.
Arabesques (2) for Piano by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1888-1891; France
21.
Ballade slave by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1890/1903; France
22.
Rêverie by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1890; France
23.
Valse romantique by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1890; France
25.
Mazurka for Piano by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: circa 1890; France
26.
Danse bohémienne by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1880; France
28.
Morceau de concours by Claude Debussy
Performer:
Paul Crossley (Piano)
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1904; France
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 
( 2 Customer Reviews )
Excellent interpretation April 3, 2015
By Douglas M. (Rosetta, Kwazulu-Natal) See All My Reviews
"What stood out is the excellence of interpretation by Paul Crossley. I unfortunately give it 4 stars as my box-set arrived in bubble-wrap packaging and was damaged. This should not have been delivered in bubble wrap."
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More than just a great bargain November 17, 2014
By E. Richert (Cedar Crest, NM) See All My Reviews
"It is tempting to simply dismiss this set as a good way to get all of Debussy's piano music at a bargain price. I will certainly admit that this is a valid point, but it overlooks that fact that Paul Crossley provides some excellent interpretations of these pieces. While he may not be breaking any new ground his playing his very assured and adheres to Debussy as a structural composer rather than simply a tone-painter. The recording quality is also very good. I would never suggest that this would be the ultimate set of Debussy's piano music (what would be?), but it is a very good one."
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