Debussy: Images
Sheva Collection, 2019
8/10
The Paris born and bred concert pianist Mathilde Handelsman turns in an impressive debut album here, where she interprets Debussy’s complete works for piano from 1903-1907, and brings her technically proficient skill set and keen sense of balance and color to these impressionistic and abstract works.
“Reflets dans l'eau” starts the listen with Handelsman’s graceful and gentle keys flowing with both intimacy and exploration, and “Hommage à Rameau”, a tribute to Rameau, follows with a sublime, methodical approach that’s both dreamy and melodic.
“La soirée dans Grenade” lands in the middle and offers a mysterious quality as Handelsman manipulates the keys both calmly and firmly, while “Jardins sous la pluie” emits a meticulous and bouncy spirit that hardly seems like just one piano is present. “Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut”, a late album highlight, then rumbles lowly but is also full of emotive, uplifting key work.
Approaching the end, “D'un cahier d'esquisses” flows with both serene and firm moments of beauty, and “L'isle joyeuse” exits the listen with a quivering delivery of fascinating and timeless piano prowess.
Handelsman has already played all over Europe and the United States as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral pianist, and the strength of this first record certainly hints at more greatness on the horizon for this enormous talent.
Travels well with: Inna Faliks- Reimagine: Beethoven & Ravel; The City Of Tomorrow- Blow