Debussy: L'isle joyeuse

No gently meandering Debussy for French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet in his second complete works instalment. Structure and clarity are, if not all, then at least to the forefront here, and the composer gains. In a way, by making the textures so clear, Bavouzet reveals (to an extent) how the magician does his tricks – and it just leaves you admiring Debussy all the more. - Gramophone Magazine

“Ashkenazy plays it marvellously well, and seems oblivious of the difficulties [Gaspard]. His soft playing is really soft, and yet always full of atmosphere and tension. He is lazily relaxed in “Ondine”, hushed and mesmeric in “Le Gibet”, and what one might call calmly brilliant in “Scarbo”. It is this combination of brilliance and poetry that is so individual about his playing, and the combination is especially striking in the Chopin Scherzo in E major. This is an extremely difficult piece to bring off, because it is not enough for the pianist to be merely brilliant. Indeed it is all too easy to make it sound a rather feeble work. Ashkenazy makes it sound tremendously good. He takes it at a great speed, but his approach is fundamentally tender and lyrical. I have never enjoyed it so much …Debussy’s L’Isle joyeuse is much more than that. For once it really does sound “joyeuse”, and the exhilaration of it is irresistible. In short, this is a splendid record, and the sound … is all you could wish.”Gramophone January 1966

"A truly splendid interpretation, faithful, sensitively phrased, full of light and shade, and with excellent sound." Gramophone

What a glorious instrument the Ulster Orchestra is in Tortelier’s hands – eloquent principals in every section and supple consummate ensemble in this most subtle and flexible of repertoire… (American Record Guide)