Debussy: La Mer (Valery Gergiev, London Symphony Orchestra) 

Maurice Murphy former principal trumpet LSO in this clip at 02.16 & 02.26 passed away today October 28th 2010. RIP Maurice and thankyou for the music,.. I shall always be enternally grateful for the sound.

Gergiev is in fact maybe the last "romantic" conductor who never holds a baton. If you listen carefully, he always does something unexpected as regards to the tempi. That on-concert-improvising, creating on the spot during performance, is extremely hard to do and it sometimes isnot good for the details, but what charisma the man has! Who cares about details when you need to get across a vision, a message, an experience by way of something as eerie as music? Always exciting to listen to Valery!

Gergiev never ceases to amaze me. His portrayal of the music is so evident in every movement. Bravo!

This music is so thick with emotion. Without knowing what its from, what it may have been in referance to in a grand scheme of another piece. It manages to strike such a visual effect. what a beautiful performance of an astounding piece of music.

i have no doubt in my mind that the conductor is a crazy genius

I love Debussy's music. It's mysterious and expressive

I love this orchestras sound

I think all great musicians have a certain level of madness in them. They are so passionate it comes across as madness to us.

Claude Debussy's LA MER gives such a realistic impression of the sea that every composer who has scored ocean scenes in films and television has borrowed from it, including John Williams, Max Steiner, and Paul Sawtell.

"The audience expected the ocean. Something big, something colossal, but they were served instead with some agitated water in a saucer." Louis Schneider on La Mer

I saw the Philadelphia Orchestra perform this last weekend (April 10th, 2010.) Seeing/hearing it live was such a treat.

A part of this is my high schools entire opener for marching band! SO EXCITED

@SirWokenDemon thanks very much! Glad you enjoyed it.

If you listen with caution , the part when the 2 oboe play . John Williams use this part for the music frome Star wars the episode IV in 1:42

everlasting masterpiece

I prefer a drunk conductor with bad hair who conducts like Gergiev to someone whose appearance is impeccable but whose music is boring. What it really matters, it's what I hear. Gergiev's subtlety and creativity are amazing. Thank you for the posting.

This guy is frickin awesome XD

Sumptuous piece.

I miss the Barbican!! and I love the LSO - and needless to say Gergiev!

EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE OF THE ORCHESTRA TO THIS MASTERPIECE AND ALSO EXCELENT CAMERA DIRECTION FOLLOWING THE SCORE.. REALLY AMAZING! THANKS.

i love the mystery of this piece

Fantastic..Thank you very much..

Wonderful!! Gjérgijev (given that he's an Ossetian - otherwise, were he a Russian, it would certainly be Gjórgijev) has truly made me listen to this excerpt (mainly 3rd movement) anew - this is beautifully done and individual, yet not idiosyncratic!!! Bravo!!

yes this is one of the possible oboe excerpts and probably a smart choice if you plan to audition

lovely

amazing.!

Absolutely...

Debussy, maestro!

@SirWokenDemon it's the Barbican in London, where we are resident.

@icicle211 or you could buy the disc from our website or iTunes in a legal sort of way so that we can afford to carry on putting on concerts and recording videos for you to enjoy on RU-vid.

@CornetHornet so true, like Dudamel! Love his hair...

yeah you're pretty famous on youtube man - and i love your tutorial! really useful.

that conductor looks like a mad man

awesome hair

Joer ¿Cómo me puede gustar tanto esto?

wow i can really see the sea!!!

@philopus94 we also replied to your other comment, but writing here too so others can see. We will leave this comment in the spirit of the open internet, but wanted to point out that we read all comments...

okiiii i loveee jeje

this guy looks like he's off his rocker... therefore i knew he would do an awesome job.

good !

@CornetHornet - Yeah the mad scientist look with the straggling wispy bit

@dolphinsfan1966 good point. after all, the best music comes from all-consuming passion.

@Lso Oh OK sorry, it's just I've been to the new Opera House in Paris last year and when the video zoomed out here, it looked just like it (for like 2 seconds but still). None the less, a beautiful piece of music that is well played too!

8.37 looks like the typical 70's TV Music.

You should watch him conduct Stravinsky's Firebird..... now that's madness.

@PurpleJacketBoy Nonsense. There are hundreds of decisions that need to be made about the score for an orchestra to perform it at a high level. And as the conductor ALL the decisions are Gergiev's. We are literally hearing HIS Debussy here, and his alone.

This was described by Debussy as a dialogue between the sky and the sea.

The public is so impassive (is that woman sleeping ?!) If I were at such a concert I would go crazy like the conductor ! :p

He is quite eccentric, but he's awesome at what he does.

Talking of wich.., this music gets me high or drunk or I dunno,what it does but it is potent!

Remarquable interprétations pleine de générosité de la part d'un chef que l'on ne présente plus. Dommage que la video soit rendue dans un format 16/9 qui tasse l' image initiale.

@CornetHornet HAHA You are awesome! That is so true! I love it!

people may insult his hair, but just be glad he doesn't wear a toupee! Balding and Proud!

@CornetHornet How would you rate Eschenbach then?

i think it is the 2nd movement: jeux de vagues starting at rehearsal mark 39

Does anyone else get the feeling of madness when you look at the conductor....

Yes,thank you... thesock339

ich sah den dirigenten und der erste gedanke der mir kam, war : Fisch! xD echt gute musik;))

Part of the second, all of the third.

Its been said an influence to this piece was from Katsushika Hokusai's The wave off Kanagawa...

Excuse me...may someone tell me which movement is this piece?

@philopus94 could you point out to me one spot where it is that bad?

@mortalfrog0815 Actually there are different versions of La Mer. This particular one doesn't have that part in the Trumpets.

@philopus94 good tempo, great control giving the IMPRESSION of sea movement, nice overall timber, very charismatic and british ( in a good way) presentation. Enlight me please, where is the major problem with these presentation ?

somebody answer this question, How much wood can a cunducter chuck if a cunducter could chuck wood

i dont know why you have -4 that seems dumb. I hope you do audition! I have an undergrad/masters in saxophone/clarinet but i've been playing mostly oboe for the last 2 years so I have been preparing and hoping for the best as an oboe audition. Maybe i'll regret not doing clarinet but oboe is so much more fun!!!

i wish this video was louder my volume is cranked to the max

2:16

He lets the note 'live'. The orchestra may have stopped, the note hasn't.

apparently this piece makes extensive use of the Golden number in its composition

this is the one for youtube symphony, i do believe? i mean for the oboe auditions?

gênio

is this recorded in the new Opera House of Paris?

gosh you're awfully nice!!! Thanks!!!!! Did you audition? If so good luck!

Mesmerising, isn't it.

where can i find the sheet music of this masterpiece?

to Debussy lovers. maybe you would like this concerto. just write the word FREAKOLLO, and you would get to a 2 parts concerto enjoy.

that oboe player got ADD

The conductor is all sweaty ugh

Poor mono sound quality for 2007, why?

@CornetHornet like Marturet or Dudamel!

That conductor looks like a funny cartoon conductor in tom&jerry/LunneyTunes.

the conductor....made it more enjoyable

minute 7:00 feel nausea :S the waves ohh

@LLJtbone A slight trim would make it look much better....but who cares...that musique!

@CaSCHWANK That is not a composer...it is a conductor.

Did anyone else notice that Gergiev never, ever ends on the final note of a piece? As in, he's never in sync?

The LSO missed an appointment with the sea on the fifteenth of April 1912 fortunately.

con todo respeto, tomaré lo mismo que esté tomando el Sr. Director

@KentPVA I'm sorry... syntax error. My point still stands.

why do i get minus 4? lol theres no reason! yeah it looks good i may audition. i love your username btw.

Lady in frame behind the conductor is asleep....? LOL

just goes to show, you can put the man in the tailcoat but you cant put the tailcoat into the man but great video!

It's not that. Whenever the not ends, it's as if Gergiev is behind the orchestra and just gives them the "command."

missed playing the horn and in an orchestra

nice hair

Was this in star wars?

where's his bato....toothpick?

It's also due to the weird recording (stretched), but yeah

@CornetHornet or her hair >_>