‘Piano 4 Hands’
is the name Joseph Tong and Waka Hasegawa have for their now
well established piano duo. The musical synergy which has given
them national recognition in the U.K. as well as further afield
is abundantly in evidence on this new Debussy recital.
Opening with the
relatively relaxed urbanity of the early Petite suite,
the duo outline the stylistic influences in the work’s four
movements, easing us into the programme with an unmannered approach
and an attractive sound. Rhythmic security gives way to playful
rubato where required by the music, in the dancing lines of
the final Ballet for instance, and expressive lyricism
is not allowed to break the forward momentum of the Menuet.
The Marche écossaise
sur un thème populaire was apparently originally intended
for a brass and reed band, which would have made an interesting
addition to the Debussy catalogue. It would be hard to imagine
it in this setting through some of the more elaborate passages
in the piano duet version, but while the idiom remains stubbornly
French there are plenty of open fifths and straightforward dance
passages which give the piece something of a rustic feel.
The Six épigraphes
antiques have their origins in some of Debussy’s ‘Chansons
de Bilitis’ of 1899, and so there is a pull between the
composer’s earlier style and the exoticism of other piano works
such as the ‘Images’ which were completed in 1912. Taking
one of my favourites, Pour la danseuse aux crotales,
this duo prove themselves well up to the quicksilver contrasts
and turns of mood with which Debussy teases his audience. The
atmosphere of Pour l’Égyptienne is well handled, and
shows an impeccable unity of dynamics in the briefly rising
crescendi. The fleeting climax of Pour remercier la pluie
au matin has all the impact one could desire, and leaves
one panting for more.
The Symphonie
en si mineur, originally conceived as an orchestral work,
was arranged for four-handed piano by the 18 year-old Debussy
but never orchestrated. It contains plenty of youthful oddities
and the stylistic fingerprints of composers such as Brahms and
Franck, and the idiom is generally late-romantic. The work has
plenty of orchestral feel to it, which is effectively brought
over by Tong and Hasegawa, although the whole thing ends up
sounding somewhat unrelenting by the end. I ended up wondering
if it wouldn’t have been better to have had something like the
Ravel transcriptions of the ‘Nocturnes’ – there would
have been room enough on the disc to have had both. Either way,
the large-scale ending makes for a suitable curtain-raiser to
La mer.
André Caplet’s version
of La mer for two pianos appeared in 1909 only after
Debussy’s own conducting convinced the critics of the work’s
true magic a year earlier. This duet version was created prior
to the better known orchestral score, being completed in March
1905. While I have a great affection for the full sound of a
good piano duet, there is a great deal to be said for the wider
acoustic spread and dynamic power of two concert grands, especially
in a work in which sonic depth and colour play such an extensive
role. Nevertheless, the duet version proves involving and effective
enough, and there is more of the sea than the salon in Tong
and Hasegawa’s playing, which is the way things should be.
This is a nicely
presented and beautifully performed CD, and easily recommendable
to anyone interested in this repertoire in these versions. My
one, quite mild criticism of the recording is that the piano
is a touch distant, taking the last ounce of impact away from
what would otherwise be a more solid bass, and very slightly
clouding the inner detail in the densest of passages. Being
a Libran I also have to see the positive side, and have to add
that I appreciate the effect this kind of recording has on the
size of your own listening room: close your eyes and you can
easily be transported into a spacious Paris salon. ‘Piano 4
Hands’ prove admirable Debussy interpreters, and I shall be
keeping an eye out for any other recordings they offer in the
future.
Dominy Clements
for
details
Piano 4 Hands: (Joseph Tong; Waka Hasegawa (piano duet))
