Gieseking: Debussy Preludes Bks I & II - LALP 247/248

$

295

ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful and exceedingly rare 2LP heavy box set from Spanish HMV · La Voz de su Amo (LALP 247/248, Spanish pressing, thick red/silver semi-circle label, mono, booklet included) features Walter Gieseking in an incomparable rendering of Debussy's complete Preludes for Solo Piano – the 12 Preludes from Book I and the 12 Preludes from Book II, all recorded on 9 and 10 December 1954 at EMI's Abbey Road Studio No. 3 (producer: Walter Legge / engineer: Francis Dillnut), magically luminescent – quite simply stunnning.

 

To my knowledge, the Spanish division of HMV was the only branch to issue both Books I & II in a first pressing box set. I do not believe this set has any French (FCX) or English (33CX) equivalent. Moreover, it was issued in a heavy, deluxe clamshell box.

Also included is the 8-page booklet, which states that this was one of 500 copies pressed by Quintilla y Cardona, S.L., Barcelona, in December 1957.

 

Included then are the following works of Debussy:

 

Preludes Book I

1. Danseuses de Delphes
   
2. Voiles
   
3. La vent dans la plaine
   
4. Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir
   
5. Les collines d'Anacapri
   
6. Des pas sur la neige
   
7. Ce qu'a vu le vent d'Ouest
   
8. La fille aux cheveux de lin
   
9. La Sérénade interrompue
   
10. La cathédrale ingloutie
    
11. La danse de Puck           
    
12. Minstrels

 

Preludes Book II

1. Brouillards
2. Feuilles mortes
3. La puerta del vino
4. "Les fées sont d'exquises danseuses"
5. Bruyères
6. "General Lavine" - eccentric
7. La terrasse des audiences du clair de lune
8. Ondine
9. Hommage à S. Pickwick, Esq., P.P.M.P.C.
10. Canope
11. Les tierces alternées            
12. Feux d'artifice

 

CONDITION – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

 

The condition of the box is VERY GOOD. There is a bit of bubbling and minor scuffing to the front panel, as well as some bumping/fraying at the box corners. However, there are no seamsplits, corner breaks, bends, or owners' markings, and the box remains extremely solid and handsome in appearnce. Moreoever, it can stand vertically on its own without falling over or without the contents spilling out – overall, a very good collector's copy.

 

The condition of the 8-page booklet is VERY GOOD. It has yellowed a bit with age and shows some evidence of handling. There is also a mild stain to the rear page. However, the pages remain bright and crisp, the binding perfect – there are no tears, bends, or owners' markings – again, a very good collector's copy.

 

The condition of the LPs is VERY GOOD throughout. The surfaces are not always CD silent, but in general the playback is quite fine. If you must have MINT or near-MINT copies, then it is probably best to look elsewhere – these are very good collector's copies.

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