Album: Daniele Gatti, Orchestre National De France (Sony Classical)

Daniele Gatti enters wholeheartedly into the enchantments of Debussy here, with striking results: rarely can a faun have been so breathtakingly glimpsed through sun-dappled foliage, or a dialogue between wind and sea been quite this animé et tumultueux, to use the composer's own direction.

"La Mer" opens the album quietly, nosing into earshot before developing a muscular rhythm leading to the stormy conclusion. "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" is delightful, while the closing "Images" is performed in full, the Iberia triptych bookended as intended by "Gigues" and the "Rondes de printemps", expressing the full symphonic scale of the piece, and spicing its Spanish tone with flavours from Italy, France and Scotland.

DOWNLOAD THIS La Mer; Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune; Images