Search - Debussy, Casadesus :: La Mer / Nocturnes / La Demoiselle

The 1994 recording of La Mer by Casadesus and the Lille orchestra, in addition to being a bargain at midprice, shows the score in a new light--not the soft pastel coloring of "Impressionism," but something far more searching and stark. Paying scrupulous attention to Debussy's dynamic markings (including the many small crescendos and diminuendos deposited throughout the score) and encouraging his battery to strut its stuff, conductor Casadesus, who trained as a percussionist, achieves a vibrancy and dynamism that place the account in a league of its own. The performance is full of telling detail. For example, Casadesus manages to link the opening of the third movement to Debussy's opera Pélleas et Mélisande--a striking insight. Every now and then one notices some out-of-tune chording or a small slip, reminders that this is a provincial orchestra making a glorious sound, not one of the world's virtuoso bands. The Nocturnes are equally well done. Harmonia Mundi's recording is outstanding, with excellent balances, tremendous presence, and a natural atmosphere. --Ted Libbey