Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli Plays Debussy

This 2020 release is part of the Deutsche Grammophon Originals series, which seeks to preserve and remaster legendary recordings from the label’s deep catalog. It features the Italian pianist Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli performing selected works by Claude Debussy, specifically the Images and Children’s Corner. Michelangeli was renowned for his technical perfectionism and austere, objective approach to the keyboard, traits that earned him a reputation as one of the most uncompromising interpreters of the twentieth century.

The recordings gathered here were originally captured during the early 1970s, a period when Michelangeli’s collaboration with Deutsche Grammophon was at its height. By stripping away romanticized sentimentality, the pianist emphasized Debussy’s structural clarity and coloristic nuance, effectively redefining how these impressionist masterpieces were perceived by critics and audiences alike. This 2020 reissue serves to highlight the lasting influence of these specific sessions, which remain cornerstones of the solo piano discography.