La Mer/La Boite A Joujoux/Prel [Import]

Is Simon Rattle in danger of falling into the Karajan trap? That is to say, is he so enraptured with the glorious sound the instrument at his disposal can make that that sound becomes an end in itself? Karajan himself, of course, made a famous and much-vaunted recording of Debussy's La Mer, though it's not one I would personally put very high in the pecking order. But that recording did make some wonderful sounds. And so, too, does this one.

Perhaps I'm being a little unfair on Sir Simon. This is certainly a disc to wallow in, to relish the sounds the Berlin Philharmonic make. It starts with a L'apres-midi Prelude that is steeped - nay, saturated - in hot summer languor. The flute is perhaps made a little over-prominent in acknowledgement of the fact that a soloist of note has been used for the part, but the sound, the orchestral balance and the texture are all just ravishing. The touch on the antique cymbals at the last appearance of the main section is exquisitely integrated into the overall sound, better than I think I've ever heard before. This is all so lazily, heat-hazily dreamy that you might wonder if the priapic faun could even raise an eyebrow, never mind anything else, but it is certainly wonderful to listen to. And maybe that is enough for the Prelude.

La Mer, however, provides a sterner test. Here again, Sir Simon conjures some wonderful sound, balance and ensemble from his players. To take but one example there is a moment in the Dawn to Midday movement - about 11.45, I'd say, and I know that's not original - just before the build-up to the last great blaze of brass, where the quality and depth of sound from the lower strings is just exquisite. That final blaze of sunlight is glorious,too. And there are many moment earlier in the movement where Rattle manages to produce a magical stillness of light on water without any rhythmic slackness. In the second movement, the waves play with wonderful energy and precision. And so on. But La Mer is not just impressionistic tone-painting. It relies on a strong structure - not symphonic in the classical sense, but nonetheless a taut framework on which these vivid pictures hang. And this, I feel, is what Rattle misses - unusually for him (think of his Mahler, his Sibelius or, of course, his Beethoven). It's not a criticism I would make of his Birmingham Images for example.

La Boite a joujoux fares better - perhaps because it is less well known and there is therefore less to prove. Even the sound here seems crisper and fresher. And each of these delightful pieces from the end of Debussy's life comes up sparkling fresh. The Matthews arrangements of the three piano Preludes are nice enough, but I don't really see the point. They are so essentially pianistic, why muck about with them?

A mixed review, then, but I should reiterate the amount of pleasure there is to be gained from the orchestral playing on this disc.

One rarely finds Sir Simon's recordings on most critics' "first choice" lists in any particular repertoire, though they are also often (but not always) praiseworthy. Since leaving his "home" orchestra of Birmingham for Berlin (and recording with both Berlin and Vienna), I think (for myself, anyway), I'm getting a firmer idea of an aspect of his approach that is causing problems, as it does with this disc (and as it did, I think, with his Beethoven cycle with Vienna). I think he over-interprets. It's as if he's trying too hard. The phrasing is so considered and deliberate that, by the time it's all done, you've lost a good bit of the forward motion, as well as a firm sense for the architecture of the music. In the meantime, however, you have many individually gorgeous moments to enjoy.

Faun and La Mer are both on the slow side, but sound slower than they really are because they are so episodic. But, my, the sounds and playing are lovely. The lack of forward motion and "connectedness" probably don't hurt these pieces so much, given their familiarity. La Boite a joujoux is another story. It is a relatively rarely recorded late ballet, not orchestrated by Debussy (although he intended it for orchestra). While the sounds and playing Sir Simon draws from the orchestra are again terrific, the various sections of the music fail to cohere into a sensible and rewarding whole. Dutoit's version of La Boite (available in an excellent reduced-price Decca box) is notably more satisfying.

Colin Matthews' orchestration of 3 of Debussy's Preludes are interesting, and clever. Unlike La Boite, the Preludes were written (so far as I know) only with the piano in mind. For this listener, perhaps because of having heard the Preludes so many times on piano over many years, the pieces sound a bit strange in their orchestral guise, perhaps a bit over-the-top. They're not so wonderful and convincing that I'd rush out and buy this disc just to hear them.

In general, in fact, I wouldn't rush out and buy this disc--not as a first choice for these pieces--but the sound and the playing are of such superb quality that I'd give it high marks as an alternative Debussy disc.

This is the one CD from Rattle and the BPO that I have been waiting for. Not since their Mahler 5th have they finally convinced like they do here.

Just listening to Emmanuel Pahud alone, during the Prelude de l'apres midi d'un faune, is worth the money. But there is so much more here. First, finally EMI seems to have listened and given this orchestra an adequate, yes actually in this case excellent, sound recording (other than in their recent Dvorak!). Second Sir Simon & the Berlin Philharmoniker: All their class, color and sensitivity comes through, yet without any loss of their famously dark sound and sonority. All the motions of the music comes are right there in La Mer, all the fragility in the Prelude, yet you always feel Rattle and Berlin Phil could give so much more, but they don't have to... It is the conterforce of both the expression of fragility (= sensitivity, freshness) and sonority (=authority) that makes this recording an event amongst many other recent Debussy recordings. They create thereby with conviction and with ease a suspense and dramatic effect that I often miss in modern recordings. There is no other orchestra in the world that can do this, with the sole exception of Salonen and LA Phil perhaps...

Do not miss this, especially if you like Debussy. Both Prelude and La Mer will be regarded as new landmark interpretations soon, and La boite joujoux as well as the orchestarted three preludes are more than worthy add-ons. I like the arrangement of Colin Matthews. Maybe he should compose himself and become a new Debussy?