Gustavo Gimeno - Debussy: La Mer (2018) [DSD]

AN ODE TO THE SEA

Released in the year of Claude Debussy’s death centenary, this album demonstrates the exceptional harmonic and coloristic richness of his music. The centrepiece of the album is La Mer (1903-1905), a musical realization of the composer’s “sincere devotion to the sea” that revolutionized orchestral composition in the early twentieth century.

Ibéria takes the listener on a trip to Spain, whereas the Six Épigraphes antiques (1914), here performed in the orchestration of Rudolf Escher, evoke ancient Greece and Egypt.

The biggest novelty on this album is Colin Matthews’ new, lush orchestration of Images. Book 1 (1901-1905), one of Debussy’s most-cherished piano works.

With this Debussy collection, the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg and its Music Director Gustavo Gimeno continue their acclaimed PENTATONE series of composer portraits that already features monographs of Shostakovich, Bruckner, Ravel, Mahler, and Stravinsky.


Tracks:

01. La Mer - I De l'aube a midi sur la mer (From Dawn to Midday on the Sea) — 8:46
02. La Mer - II Jeux de vagues (Play of the Waves) — 6:49
03. La Mer - III Dialogue du vent et de la mer (Dialogue of the Wind and the Sea) — 8:25
04. Images pour orchestre (for orchestra): No. 2 Iberia - Par les rues et les chemins (Through the Streets and the Paths) — 7:17
05. Images pour orchestre (for orchestra): No. 2 Iberia - Les parfums de la nuit (The Fragrance of the Night) — 7:44
06. Images pour orchestre (for orchestra): No. 2 Iberia - Le matin d'un jour de fête (The Morning of a Festival Day) — 4:55
07. Images. Premier Livre (Book 1) orch. Colin Matthews - I Reflets dans l'eau (Reflections in the Water) — 6:12
08. Images. Premier Livre (Book 1) orch. Colin Matthews - II Hommage à Rameau (Tribute to Rameau) — 7:59
09. Images. Premier Livre (Book 1) orch. Colin Matthews - III Mouvement (Movement) — 4:20
10. Six Epigraphes antiques, orch. Rudolf Escher - Pour invoquer Pan, dieu du vent d'été (To invoke Pan, God of the Summer Wind) — 2:16
11. Six Epigraphes antiques, orch. Rudolf Escher - Pour un tombeau sans nom (For a Nameless Tomb) — 3:42
12. Six Epigraphes antiques, orch. Rudolf Escher - Pour que la nuit soit propice (In Order that the Night be Propitious) — 2:07
13. Six Epigraphes antiques, orch. Rudolf Escher - Pour la danseuse aux crotales (For the Dancer with Crotales) — 2:32
14. Six Epigraphes antiques, orch. Rudolf Escher - Pour l'Egyptienne (For the Egyptian Woman) — 2:58
15. Six Epigraphes antiques, orch. Rudolf Escher - Pour remercier la pluie au matin (To thank the Morning Rain) — 2:14

Personnel:

Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg
Gustavo Gimeno