Debussy - The Complete Piano Works - Walter Gieseking - EMI Classics 5099995591827 (2012) 4x SACD rip via PS3 to 4x iso (10.6GB) | 24bit/88.2kHz flac | Only 2ch (3.84GB) DR13 (+6dB gain) | Classical Piano The usual EMI approach of analogue source converted to 24bit/96kHz PCM for remastering then converted to DSD. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Amazon review by Suzanneon July 14, 2012: Most looking at this set of Gieseking's Debussy recordings for EMI already know what it's about; Gieseking's interpretations have been seminal since their original release, if not without controversy. Whether you feel that nobody has done them better, or you have quibbles with his approach, these are indeed recordings that everyone moderately interested in Debussy or even classical music should at least hear. So, why all the negative reviews on the Amazon page? Well, two of the reviews (a 1-star and 2-star) were written before the product was even released, only to complain about EMI's selection for their first round of SACD releases. I'll be the first to join in on the chorus that the selection is indeed bizarre given how many world-class, famous recordings there are in EMI's vaults. But Gieseking's Debussy shouldn't be considered a controversial choice given its popularity. Perhaps the only caveat would be skepticism over what SACD remastering could do with the 1953/1954 mono sound. That brings me to Laddie's one-star review complaining that this is inferior to older releases. Well, I don't know what older releases he is referring to, but this SACD sounds noticeably better than http://www.amazon.com/Debussy-The-Complete-Works-Piano/dp/B000002S6Z/ref=cm_cr_dp_asin_lnk. The sound is definitely warmer, cleaner, clearer, with more space and dynamics. No, SACD and remastering in general can't perform miracles on old mono recordings; you simply can't get more out of what's on the original master tapes, but what you can do is get as much as possible out of those master tapes, and that sounds to me precisely what this release does, while at the same time cleaning up a lot of the hiss and crackle and distortion that comes along with such releases. There's always an aura and atmosphere that comes along with the best mono releases, and, to me, this release has it, and its most noticeable with headphones on a great system. Finally, Keki Dadachanji's review complains about the packaging of this EMI set, and I do tend to agree that too many companies go out of their way to make these high quality packages that have too low functionality. As ugly as jewel cases are, they are at least functional. Cardboard sleeves do nothing but make it difficult to extract discs without leaving prints. That said, I don't think these EMI releases are even close to the worst offenders. At least there's enough room in the sleeves to slip a finger in and roll the disc out without ever having to touch the bottom (the part the player actually reads). So while the packaging isn't the best in terms of function, I don't think I'd call it DISfunctional. At least, I don't think there's much danger of damaging the disc when removing and reinserting them. I'm also not sure why he's complaining about the price or comparing EMI to Pentatone, because EMI is offering 4 discs on SACD for $25, which is about $6 per disc, which is far cheaper than anything by Pentatone (or any other company that I'm aware of--if anyone knows of SACDs available for less than that, please point me to them!). Ultimately, whether you buy this release shouldn't have anything to do with EMI's choices for their first round of SACDs, or the packaging; it should be about whether you think the remastering is worth the money. I can't claim that it's revelatory, but it is, IMO, the best this release has sounded, and likely the best it will ever sound. Other Amazon reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Debussy-Complete-Piano-Works-Claude/dp/B0079J283C Tracks: - Préludes Book 1 01. I. Danseuses de Delphes. 02. II. Voiles. 03. III. Le vent dans la plaine. 04. IV. 'Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir' - Ch. Baudelaire. 05. V. Les collines d'Anacapri. 06. VI. Des pas sur la neige. 07. VII. Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest. 08. VIII. La fille aux cheveux de lin. 09. IX. La sérénade interrompue. 10. X. La cathedrale engloutie. 11. XI. La danse de Puck. 12. XII. Minstrels. - Préludes Book 2 13. I. Brouillards. 14. II. Feuilles mortes. 15. III. La Puerta del Vino. 16. IV. 'Les fées sont d'exquises danseuses'. 17. V. Bruyéres. 18. VI. 'General Lavine' - excentric. 19. VII. La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune. 20. VIII. Ondine. 21. IX. Hommage a S. Pickwick, Esq., P.P.M.P.C.(Grave) 22. X. Canope. 23. XI. Les tierces alternées. 24. XII. Feux d'artifice. Disc: 2 Images Set I 01. Reflets dans l'eau. 02. Hommage a Rameau. 03. Mouvement. Images Set II 04. Cloches á travers les feuilles. 05. Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut. 06. Poissons d'or. Pour le Piano 07. I. Prélude. 08. II. Sarabande. 09. III. Toccata. Estampes 10. I. Pagodes. 11. II. La soirée dans Grenade. 12. III. Jardins sous la pluie. 13. Berceuse Héroique 14. Hommage a Haydn Disc: 3 12 Études 01. Pour les cinq doigts. 02. Pour les tierce. 03. Pour les quartes. 04. Pour les sixtes. 05. Pour les ocatves. 06. Pour les huits doigts. 07. Pour les degrés chromatiques. 08. Pour les agréments. 09. Pour les notes répétés. 10. Pour les sonorités opposées. 11. Pour les arpéges composés. 12. Pour les accords. 13. D'un cahier d'esquisses (Equisse) 14. Tarantelle Styrienne 15. Nocturne in D Flat Major 16. Valse Romantique 17. Le Petit Négre 18. Masques 19. Danse Bohémienne 20. Ballade (Andantino con moto) 21. Mazurka (Scherzando [assez animÃ]) Disc: 4 - Suite Bergamasque 01. Prélude (Moderato [tempo rubato]). 02. Menuet (Andantino). 03. Clair de lune (Andante trÃ..s expressif). 04. Passepied (Allegretto ma non troppo). 05. Reverie - Deux Arabesques 06. No. 1. Andantino con moto. 07. No. 2. Allegretto scherzando. - Children's Corner 08. I. Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum. 09. II. Jimbo's Lullaby. 10. III. Serenade for the Doll. 11. IV. The Snow is Dancing. 12. V. The Little Shepherd. 13. VI. Golliwogg's Cake Walk. 14. La Plus que lente 15. L'Isle joyeuse ** johnnypierigo ** http://www.filefactory.com/folder/eb2f12652c91564a ------------------------------------------------------------------ Checksums for iso: 381ac61fa527ea8c017143e9c24048a3 *WALTER GIESEKING - DEBUSSY THE COMPLETE PIANO WORKS.iso 8c8992104610ed64b738599d5675a943 *WALTER GIESEKING - DEBUSSY THE COMPLETE PIANO WORKS.iso c5798ba7475a0f559e18cefc8f4e4575 *WALTER GIESEKING - DEBUSSY THE COMPLETE PIANO WORKS.iso 57b2e4df22ecd6925f11f76b9b95c956 *WALTER GIESEKING - DEBUSSY THE COMPLETE PIANO WORKS.iso