Nino Gvetadze

Nino Gvetadze

Debussy

(Orchid Classics)

The title of this album, simply Debussy, is a bit bald. The disc, which was recorded for violinist Matthew Trusler's artist-led label Orchid Classics, is a delightful compendium of Debussy's piano music, which is played with beautiful clarity, delicacy and fine senses of colour and sonority by Tblisi-born pianist Nino Gvetadze. The flowing programme opens with both of Debussy's Arabesques (recital room rarities these days), continues with the 12 masterpieces of the Book One Preludes, on into the gorgeous Estampes and culminates in a ravishingly romantic performance of Clair de lune. I do not exaggerate when I say that I spent almost 70 minutes listening with rapt attention to this alluring collection, played with such striking subtlety and sensitivity by Gvetadze. I should add that there is an effective subtitle to the disc in Gvetadze's brief and highly personal account of a related educational project in the Netherlands, devised by herself. It is "Debussy In Pictures", which would have been a better title for this collection.

Michael Tumelty