Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande
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Music CD Cover
Performer: Emile RousseauPerformer: Henri Etcheverry
Performer: Jacques Jansen
Performer: Armand Narcon
Performer: Paul Cabanel
Composer: Claude Debussy
Composer: Unspecified
Conductor: Roger Desormiere
Performer: Germaine Cernay
Performer: Irene Joachim
Orchestra: Orchestre Symphonique
Orchestra: Yvonne Gouverne Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Alfred Cortot
Performer: Claude Debussy
Performer: Leïla Ben Sedira
Performer: Maggie Teyte
Performer: Mary Garden
Edition: Music CD
Format: Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2006-03-07
Music Label: EMI Classics
Free Music Notes for Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande
Free Music Review: Classic recording, disappointing remastering
Hit: 4 Stars
In spite of having been recording during the German Occupation in WWII, this is one of the great opera recordings of the century. EMI released it on CD in 1988 in a fine mastering by Keith Hardwick. That mastering revealed a modest bit of surface noise, but the sound was basically quite good for its vintage. Andante also released it with some additional material a few years ago, but their remastering suffers from excessive hiss.
This new remastering was performed via EMI's vaunted "Abbey Road Technology" (ART), where it was "noise shaped via the Prism SNS system," whatever that is. All the surface noise is gone. But the result sounds strangely synthetic, and lacks the warmth, and some of the detail, of the Hardwick remastering. I was surprised at the difference in comparing the old EMI with the new, and strongly prefer the old. As far as I can tell, it is still available, but probably not for long. I'd try to track it down; the product number on my copy is CHS 7 61038 2, if that helps.
Along with the opera are various songs performed by Maggie Teyte with Alfred Cortot, and a few brief pieces sung by Mary Garden, with Debussy at the piano. The Garden selections were recorded in 1904. What a wonder it is to hear Debussy's music as he heard it and played it! This is indispensable for Debussy lovers.
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