Pascal Rogé, Ami Rogé Onyx 4095 (5 CDs)***

Pascal Rogé first recorded Debussy in the 1970s for Decca. The Onyx recordings collected here were made between 2004 and 2011 and find the older Rogé in more overtly thoughtful mode than his younger self. It’s as if he has not just turned these pieces over again and again, but also wants to communicate clearly to his listeners a sense of the probing enquiries he has made, often by taking more time about what he has to say.

If impressionistic effects are high on your wish-list for Debussy playing, Rogé may not be for you. He tends to be very explicit, and he's a high-powered player who isn't afraid to bring a glinty edge to louder passages – the composer himself liked to keep the piano lid closed, did so in concert, too, and had his piano at home draped in silk. However, Rogé, joined by his partner Ami in the duets and two-piano works, is still a force to be reckoned with. url.ie/dzi7