Michel Plasson’s rather straightforward Debussy sports clear balances and crystalline textures, qualities also found in Boulez’s performances with the Cleveland Orchestra. But Boulez goes far beyond Plasson in capturing the atmosphere and conveying the spirit of this magical music. Plasson’s stingy phrasing and rhythmic rectitude give us a pencil sketch of the sea, where Boulez creates a colorful portrait. The Three Nocturnes fare better, benefiting from Plasson’s forward insistence and generally light touch. But it’s in the central Fêtes (and in La Mer’s central Jeux de vagues) that the Toulouse orchestra’s limitations are plainly revealed, mostly in the less-than-razor-sharp intonation and timid string sound. Sirènes does benefit from Plasson’s precise balancing of the women’s chorus with the orchestra, even if his unimaginative conducting drains all the mystery from the work. Listen to Celibidache for a really transporting experience in this music.
The best item here is Plasson’s romantically expressive Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, while Printemps receives a suitably vivid performance. Despite EMI’s nicely reverberant and fulsome recording, the full-priced Boulez remains choice, but those wanting a budget Debussy collection should seek out Martinon’s classic renditions on EMI, or Ormandy’s masterfully conducted and brilliantly played Nocturnes on Sony Essential Classics.
