Classical Aficionados: Please Suggest Debussy Solo Piano recordings

Take the plunge. Journey further back in time. Try the Chopin Etudes with Maurizio Pollini. Or maybe some Franz Liszt played by Vladimir Ashkenazy or, again, Andre Watts. Liszt's Paganini Etudes are full-blown romantic insanity.

stuartk, Good move on the Debussy selection, he is currently my 1st choice. I’m not not sure where to take you on further selections, You haven’t mentioned any other composers you may have already heard and liked or not. Personally I listen a lot to the well known greats, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Liszt, Prokofiev, Ravel,  Schubert and Schumann (and of course Debussy). If you have any interest in these composers I’ll be happy to recommend some specific pieces/performers.

A little off the beaten path but music you might enjoy is music by Scriabin and specifically performances by Maria Lettberg on the Capriccio label. Next, for something a little different but very interesting music by Gottschalk. Think Cuban. I listen to Philip Martin on the Hyperion label. For something big and bold, try Rachmaninov. His Preludes are a good place to start. Lots of pianists to go to but musically speaking Ashkenazy is a good place to start. Old recording on the London label and includes in addition to the Preludes, Sonata #2. Antigrundge2 mentioned Prokofiev. Two recordings that are easy to start with are on the Harmonia Mundi label and performed by Frederic Chiu - "Transcriptions" in Vol IX and Romeo and Juliet etc in Vol IV. If you like Bavouzet I think you might like Chiu.

Have fun, lots of stuff out there to hear. :-)

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli is a clear first choice for Debussy in my household.  My wife refers to him as "God's cocktail pianist."  

Aldo Ciccolini or Arturo Benedetto Michelangelo.  The latt can be had on Blu Ray Audio

@antigrunge2 , @edcyn 

Thanks to you both  -- I will explore !

@newbee 

Thanks for your suggestions!  I'm just starting my Classical journey. Having grown tired of Rock in the late 70's, I began a long exploration of Jazz that is still ongoing. However, at this point, I think I've pretty well found what I like in terms of Jazz. I need to plumb a different well. 

Listening to Debussy solo piano is somehow "familiar". Perhaps this can be explained by his influence upon some my favorite Jazz piano players (Hancock, Corea, Evans, for example).  I don't know that I'll ever enjoy a wide range of Classical Music but at this point, I'm excited to discover whatever might appeal to me within the genre. 

@gg107 

Unfortunately, "cocktail pianist" is for me, off-putting rather than enticing.  

Perhaps, once I've digested the Bavouzet, I will explore other Debussy interpreters. For now, I'm more interested in finding other composers who might appeal to me as a Jazz lover.