Debussy, Ravel Rachmaninov: En Blanc Et Noi

   in Piano International (Sep, 2015)
Het Six Morceaux (1894) constitute Rachmaninov’s largest contribution to the piano duet repertoire. Though it may lack the drive and heft of the two-piano Suites or Symphonic Dances,the collection’s succession of engaging miniatures make for a delightful set – trifles but never trifling. Of Debussy’s two-piano/duet output, En blanc et noir (1915) is the most satisfying, catching the austere soundworld of the composer’s late sonatas. Lestari Scholtes and Gwylim Janssens are a finely balanced duo and make a decent case for all these works, though I found their playing overall safe rather than exciting. This is nowhere more apparent than in their rather tame account of La Valse, which misses out …