Seong-Jin Cho Debussy CD receives rave reviews

Seong-Jin Cho releases Debussy recordings and critics give top praise (Photo credit: Harald Hoffmann/Deutsche Grammophon)

Review: Debussy: Images CD review -- Cho paints with transparency and exuberance

By Erica Jeal

The Guardian

November 30, 2017

Seong-Jin Cho made his name with Chopin. Now he brings his understated, coiled-spring pianism to Debussy, and his playing is riveting as ever. Cho studied in Paris, where he immersed himself in impressionist art, and indeed what comes across strongly here is how he makes each of these little pieces into a complete canvas: every adjustment of speed or volume finely weighted to keep the whole in balance. Yet there’s no sense he’s overthinking things. In the Suite Bergamasque, quasi-classical lines dance out of the smudgier surrounding textures; Claire de Lune sounds freshly thought of. Children’s Corner is as smilingly serious as it should be, and Mouvement, from the first book of Images, bubbles with expectation. He finishes with L’Isle Joyeuse, and although this is one piece in which more dazzlement sooner might have paid off, his transparent, ultimately exuberant performance is very rewarding.

Watch Seong-Jin Cho play Claire de Lune:

You can find the album for purchase here.