For me, the Boulez recording with the Cleveland Orchestra will forever be the benchmark, with its wonderful transitions and crisp phrasing (Spain from a Northerner's perspective). After Boulez, the Celibadache reading is a very rustic but rewarding contrast. Thank you for posting, and the trouble you took to synchronise the score is greatly appreciated.
This is great. Celibadache is of course a very controversial conductor. His tempi are incredibly SLOW compared to everyone else. Here in 'Iberia' it makes the whole thing magically clear and transparent and sounds almost improvised which I guess is kind of what Debussy wanted but how do you get 90 musicians to arrive on the beat at the same time when it's never the same in any two bars? It was almost an agonising experience being an orchestral player in performances conducted by him. He never did anything the same way twice so the players HAD to watch him like an eagle to coordinate slowing down and all these retarded downbeats - often in acts of pure whimsy. He never recorded in the studio, and only sanctioned a certain number of tapes of his concerts go out as records. He didn't believe in the coldness of the studio Frankenstein's approach to audio. He was "Mr One Take Only". Any player who got caught out by misinterpreting his weird conducting got stood up for a public tongue-lashing from him at rehearsals. Many players eventually refused to play in orchestras he conducted because too nerve-wracking. The Berlin Philharmonic sacked him but everyone recognises the sheer originality and magic of his once-only interpretations. Good choice of performance for the audio here
![Ma Mère L'oye - Maurice Ravel (Complete Ballet) [Score Video]](/img/n.gif)
For me, the Boulez recording with the Cleveland Orchestra will forever be the benchmark, with its wonderful transitions and crisp phrasing (Spain from a Northerner's perspective). After Boulez, the Celibadache reading is a very rustic but rewarding contrast. Thank you for posting, and the trouble you took to synchronise the score is greatly appreciated.
I. 0:05
II. 8:47
III. 21:57
This is great. Celibadache is of course a very controversial conductor. His tempi are incredibly SLOW compared to everyone else. Here in 'Iberia' it makes the whole thing magically clear and transparent and sounds almost improvised which I guess is kind of what Debussy wanted but how do you get 90 musicians to arrive on the beat at the same time when it's never the same in any two bars? It was almost an agonising experience being an orchestral player in performances conducted by him. He never did anything the same way twice so the players HAD to watch him like an eagle to coordinate slowing down and all these retarded downbeats - often in acts of pure whimsy. He never recorded in the studio, and only sanctioned a certain number of tapes of his concerts go out as records. He didn't believe in the coldness of the studio Frankenstein's approach to audio. He was "Mr One Take Only". Any player who got caught out by misinterpreting his weird conducting got stood up for a public tongue-lashing from him at rehearsals. Many players eventually refused to play in orchestras he conducted because too nerve-wracking. The Berlin Philharmonic sacked him but everyone recognises the sheer originality and magic of his once-only interpretations. Good choice of performance for the audio here
Bro wrote an entire essay
Magical!
Awesome piece of music but a little on the slow side. Good nonetheless.😃🤗
Wonderful to read the score- but why use THIS elephantine performance?
21:57
turgid
21:54
15:45