Pierre-Laurent Aimard - Claude Debussy: Préludes Books 1 & 2 (2012)

It may be difficult to believe that this is Pierre-Laurent Aimard's first recording of Claude Debussy's complete Préludes, Books 1 and 2, but in spite of his prolific output of recordings of French piano music, he has only previously recorded Debussy's Images and the Études in 2001, making this his second foray into Debussy's oeuvre. Yet if it can be ascertained from his playing, he has been under the spell of Debussy for a lifetime, because the interpretations here are assured, mature, patient, and calculated. To some extent, calculation must have figured into his playing, if only to squeeze both books on one CD, though at no point does the music feel unduly rushed. Rather, Aimard's tempos are always forward moving, even at their slowest, and his flexible but controlled pacing keeps the timing within realistic bounds. But most listeners want the proper moods and poetry from a reading, and the control of dynamics and colorful shading of Debussy's chords and figurations are foremost in Aimard's playing. Deutsche Grammophon provides its customary excellent sound, so all of the piano's gossamer effects and soft sonorities come across as clearly as the loud and bold passages. This recording is nothing short of a masterpiece of atmospheres, colors, and expressions.