Debussy: Les Trois Sonates, The Late Works

Commemorating the centenary of the death of French Impressionist composer Claude Debussy, this recording of his late works is as close to perfection as it’s possible to get. Every phrase, dynamic, and tempo has been forensically considered, and performed by musicians who have this music flowing through their veins. Violinist Isabelle Faust and pianist Alexander Melnikov bring out every shade of colour in the mesmerizing, shimmering Violin Sonata in G Minor, while harpist Xavier de Maistre, flautist Magali Mosnier, and violist Antoine Tamestit—each perfectly attuned to the other—bring Debussy’s harmonic and melodic detail bubbling to the surface. Among the sonatas are four touching miniatures, including “Les Soirs illuminés par l’ardeur du charbon,” a beautiful, understated piece written for a coal merchant in exchange for fuel.