Mariangela Vacatello - Debussy: Etudes, Estampes (2012)

Tracklist

01. 12 Etudes: I. Pour Les Cinq Doigts (D'après Monsieur Czerny)
02. 12 Etudes: II. Pour Les Tierces
03. 12 Etudes: III. Pour Les Quartes
04. 12 Etudes: IV. Pour Les Sixtes
05. 12 Etudes: V. Pour Les Octaves
06. 12 Etudes: VI. Pour Les Huit Doigts
07. 12 Etudes: VII. Pour Les Degrés Chromatiques
08. 12 Etudes: VIII. Pour Les Agréments
09. 12 Etudes: IX. Pour Les Notes Répétées
10. 12 Etudes: X. Pour Les Sonorités Opposées
11. 12 Etudes: XI. Pour Les Arpèges Composés
12. 12 Etudes: XII. Pour Les Accords
13. Estampes: I. Pagodes
14. Estampes: II. La Soirée Dans Grenade
15. Estampes: III. Jardins Sous La Pluie
16. Deux Arabesques: No. 1 Andantino con Moto
17. Deux Arabesques: No.2 Allegretto Scherzando
18. L'isle Joyeuse



The Debussy-year 2012 brought a wealth of reissues on the market, but surprisingly few new recordings. Reason the more to welcome this new recording of a generous selection of Debussy piano works, centred around the substantial “12 Etudes”.These works, written in the later stage of Debussy’s creative life, form the apotheosis of his style. Far from any evocative “impressionistic” Tonmalerei or picturesque
atmosphere painting they are Debussy’s answer to the Etudes of Chopin, purely abstract creations of melody, harmony and rhythm. Fiercely uncompromising and difficult, they form the summit of Debussy’s piano oeuvre, and one of the highest challenges to any performing pianist.

The exciting young Italian pianist Mariangela Vacatello is a Liszt specialist, renowned for her passionate performances and technical ability. She has given concerts at prestigious venues across the USA and Europe, and she has won many awards. These include second prize at the Franz Liszt International Piano Competition in 1999, and the Internet Audience Award at the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. ‘A very exciting player’ Musical Opinion, 2008.

Vacatello’s previous disc of the Transcendental Studies on Brilliant Classics won golden opinions; now she turns to a no less challenging but somewhat more elliptical aesthetic with the late piano music of Debussy. The 12 Etudes move from ironic instruction to fiendish complexity; part satire, part evocation of a lost world. Complementing the Etudes are the more immediately assimilable sets of Estampes and early Arabesques as well as the delightful glitter of L’Isle Joyeuse.

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