Debussy Le vent dans la plaine - Alfred Cortot

[Ravelcontext]

Evocative, despite reservations about temp relationships etc . . .

[looney1023]

I will never understand how he does the sections like 0:23 so fast, or that entire section from 1:01 - 1:15

[Pianoplayer002]

FANTASTIC! Five stars ;)

[firearth23]

oh wow. =) looks amazing. sounds even better

[piano4film]

Thanks for adding this. It is an interesting glimpse into the past.

[hymntonight]

I'm sorry, did you say that was Cortot, or Merlin? ; )

5 stars. 5,000 if I could...

[DougtheAsian]

This is a great find. I love his interpretations, but 00:25 to 00:30 he plays it way out of tempo...

[allegroconmoto]

That's O rigth thanks for your shrewd remark.Cortot in his 1934 cours d'interpretation says that Debussy playing this prelude was altering tempo and explains precisely how to realize the score alternances Cedez and a Tempo in that specific bars. He had the fortune of listening the preludes played by the composer himself !

[DougtheAsian]

Shrewd? I think his interpretation of that section was amazing. If he had the fortune of hearing Debussy play, wouldn't he play it like him? The two records are similar, but they are also very different.

[allegroconmoto]

I have many reservations about reliability of piano roll recording technique of Debussy epoch ; Debussy was known as an improviser too.Never listened to this prelude piano roll I trust in Cortot testimony.

[Vook]

Debussy would probably play that passage like that, but that doesn't mean that way makes the most sense to interpret the piece.

I mean, he played "The Snow is Dancing" at 184 BPM per quarter note, which is absolutely ridiculous.