Tuesday, July 24, 2007

I love this kind of thing:

Debussy "recorded" on player-piano rolls. And it's been released on a CD. (I tend to be more enthusiastic than the critic: perhaps it is because I cannot play Debussy on the piano, and so every time I hear Debussy, it's someone else's interpretation anyway). But I love the idea of hearing "Debussy's ghost" - where you're hearing a new recording made off the old player-piano rolls he made back in 1913. (Oh, I know, there was recording technology to make records at that time, but it's not going to be as crisp and clear as new recordings made from a newly restored piano playing the old rolls).

The CD is available here. It's described as "special order," which I hope doesn't mean there's difficulty in them obtaining it. (I ordered a copy. Like I said - I love this kind of stuff. I also have a recording from piano rolls that Gershwin made.)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I have some Rachmaninoff from piano rolls, and it's a weird sensation knowing that you're sort of hearing The Man Himself.

This label also offers Ravel and Scriabin recordings of this sort, which should be interesting.