DEBUSSY. La Mer. Khamma. Rhapsody for clarinet and orchestral. Suisse Romande Orchestra conducted by Ernest Ansermet. Decca Q LXT6167 : 0 SXL6167 (12 in., 32s. 3d. plus 5s. 3d. P.T.). Item marked t with Robert Gugholz (clarinet).

La Mer demands sumptuous sounds from orchestra and recording system alike; on that score there is no room whatever for doubt about the present venture, whether considered in mono or in stereo. Nor indeed on any other scores. It may be that in places Ansermet seems to take a flabbier view of the work than will really press it into a unity—here and there there are little hold-ups, with Debussy's favourite soutenu often read as retenu. And sometimes the orchestral background murmurs rather forcefully. But these are more observations than complaints; for to complain of this or that detail when the point is outweighed on all sides by the most splendid orchestral playing would be to give a false impression indeed of all the beauty of sound on offer here.

Khamma is a rarity; hardly ever performed in theatre or concert hall, this is probably its first recording. More a star vehicle than a ballet proper, it allowed Maud Allan in 1912 a rather generous ration of three temple dances in which to propitiate the great god Amon-Ra; she did, he was, and the city was saved as Maud Allan expired. Such a plot would be unlikely to call forth a masterpiece from Debussy, nor did it; in fact he lost interest before finishing the scoring, which was completed—splendidly—by Koechlin. But between them Debussy and Koechlin did manage to produce some most agreeable sounds, which are shown, I would think, at something approaching their best in the present performance.

Khamma is succeeded (after a most inadequate five seconds) by the Clarinet Rhapsody. Once a competition piece with piano, Debussy liked it so much after eleven hearings as an adjudicator that he set about scoring it and christening it 'First', a threat in the event unfulfilled. Competition pieces live in a world of their own (any adjudicator will tell you that it is after about one hundred hearings that the piece begins to take on a special, unreal quality); but there is nothing to fear from the occasional hearing of this one. Robert Gugholz plays it fluently, perhaps, rather than romantically; but it certainly successfully completes this splendidly recorded disc.

M.M.