The Gottinger Symphonie Orchester play with passion under Christoph-Matthias Mueller, while William Dazeley as Roderic Usher and Eugene Villanueva as his friend are convincing advocates in this gripping piece of drama that should be heard by any Debussy enthusiast.

Debussy could not get a better outing … fascinating; flawed but very interesting … our Debussy completion is now a little bit more complete.

Orledge’s completion [of Usher] is unquestionably superb…Orledge steers us into febrile territory closer to that of Jeux and Le martyre de Saint Sébastien. Your flesh crawls at the outset as oboe and trumpet meander under squeaky violin harmonics, and the tension never relaxes for a second during the work’s 50 minute span

For aficionados of Debussy's music this is a rare and important set … Pan Classics have produced a well-performed and attractively presented set, which Debussy specialists will want to hear ... Performances are good and often better than that.

these skilfully performed live accounts feel entirely secure under the baton of Christoph-Mathias Mueller, giving a good idea of both the merits and limitations of the two pieces in the form presented.

Orledge had Debussy’s themes and outline to work with [in The Devil in the Belfry], effectively he had to compose the music from scratch...His work is an expert piece of inventive scholarship, and its quality comes across in this performance...Alongside it, though, The Fall of the House of Usher, with William Dazeley magnificently intense in the central role of Roderick, is more convincing, musically and dramatically.

Robert Orledge’s carefully studied reconstructions are brief but entirely convincing, and their orchestration is outstanding in sound...these performances are elegant and intelligent, with excellent orchestral sound, and beautifully sung throughout