Préludes (Books 1 & 2), Images (Books 1 & 2), Children's Corner
Claude Debussy
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli /
1971-1988Gil's first recommendation for this group of works. Michelangeli has a 'wonderful feel' for Debussy's 'detached coolness.' He 'allows the chords to settle' and makes the most of 'the spaces in between the notes' with 'wonderful clarity' and a 'cultivated sound.'
Paul Jacobs /
1977A 'beautifully sensitive recording' of the Préludes. A good complement to the 'more detached Michelangeli,' it has 'more of the beauty of the sound, a lot of warmth,' and is 'sumptuously recorded,' accentuating the 'mystical aspect.'
Krystian Zimerman /
1991A recording of the Préludes that is also 'very warm in both the tone and the recording quality.' It's 'a little bit more romantic in the way it's phrased' and is a 'fairly dynamic interpretation.'