Is there any reason you’ve waited over a decade since your first Debussy recording of the Préludes?
Not really. It’s normally a bit of an accident when I decide to record something, and in this case it was hearing someone play L’isle joyeuse in a masterclass that suddenly gave me the urge.
How long have you lived with the Images and Estampes, and have your interpretations changed much over time?
I learned most of the music in the couple of years before the recording, then played it all quite a bit over a period of months, then left it, then came back to it. Over that time my interpretations didn’t fundamentally change – they just became more instinctive so I didn’t have to think so much.
Steven Osborne. Photo © Ben Ealovega.
Do you have any ‘rules’ when it comes to Debussy playing?
The most important thing for me is having a strong feeling about the music I’m playing, so in that sense, everyone would have an individual approach, because everyone’s feeling about music is different. I can’t think of any rules as such but I’ve always loved playing quietly, so that suits me pretty well...
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