Chabrier and Ravel

1. España, rhapsody for orchestra, also arranged for 2 pianos
Composed by Emmanuel Chabrier
Performed by London Festival Orchestra Conducted by Alfred Scholz

2. La valse, poème choréographique for orchestra (or piano)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Austrian Radio Orchestra & Chorus Vienna Conducted by Milan Horvat

3. Rhapsodie espagnole for orchestra (or 2 pianos)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Austrian Radio Orchestra & Chorus Vienna Conducted by Milan Horvat

4. Pavane pour une infante défunte, for piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Camerata Romana Conducted by Eugen Duvier

5. Daphnis et Chloé, suite No. 2 for orchestra
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Slavonica Philharmonia Conducted by Henry Adolph

Album Description

Music can be both calming and relaxing, or invigorating and passionate...this phenomenal 20-CD set is definitely the latter. This amazing collection brings together for the first time the most passionate music of all time, from Ravel's Bolero, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Wagner's Magic Fire Music to Ravel's La Valse, Orff 's Carmina Burana and Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. This is a must have collection for every passionate music lover.

Customer Reviews:

A good gift for novice.......2007-05-12

This was a good gift for somebody learning about Classical music in Japan.

Average customer rating:

Outstanding performance
tour de force
Ravel Piano Works- Pascal Roge
Beautiful Works, Excellent Performance

Ravel: Piano Works

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales

ASIN: B00000422W
Release Date: 1994-11-15

Tracks:

Gaspard de la nuit: I Ondine
Gaspard de la nuit: II Le Gibet
Gaspard de la nuit: III Scarbo
Valses nobles et sentimentales: I Modere, tres franc
Valses nobles et sentimentales: II Assez lent, avec une expression intense
Valses nobles et sentimentales: III Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: IV Assez anime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: V Presque lent, dans un sentiment intime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VI Vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VII Moins vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VIII Epilogue, lent
Jeux d'eau
Miroirs: I Noctuelles
Miroirs: II Oiseaux tristes
Miroirs: III Une barque sur l'ocean
Miroirs: IV Alborada del gracioso
Miroirs: V La Vallee des cloches

Tracks:

Sonatine: I Modere
Sonatine: II Mouvement de menuet
Sonatine: III Anime
Le tombeau de Couperin: I Prelude
Le tombeau de Couperin: II Fugue
Le tombeau de Couperin: III Forlane
Le tombeau de Couperin: IV Rigaudon
Le tombeau de Couperin: V Menuet
Le tombeau de Couperin: VI Toccata
Prelude
Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn
A la maniere de Borodine
Menuet antique
Pavane pour une infante defunte
A la maniere de Chabrier
Ma Mere L'Oye: Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant
Ma Mere L'Oye: Petit Poucet
Ma Mere L'Oye: Laideronnette, imperatrice des pagodes
Ma Mere L'Oye: Entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete
Ma Mere L'Oye: Le Jardin feerique

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding performance.......2005-11-29

I have to concur with Del Dotto's opinion in the yr 2000, this is as close to definitive as possible.
But why stop at just 1 excellent recording, also consider Jean Efflam Bavouzet on the MDG label. As well another definitive recording (yes its possible to have more than just one definitive) is Alexandre Tharaud's recent recording on Harmondo Mundi.

Pascal Rouge, a true master in Ravel, a very rare talent in the recording industry.

tour de force.......2005-04-20

Pascal Roges recordings of Ravels great piano works serves as a honest mark of the music that never was, but perhaps might have been. Gently capturing the sheltered aura of pre-novelite Chopin, whilst endowing the music with the acousto-eco-hyperbolies of Keats, this recording is not to be missed. one can almost sense the tragic embrace that beheld Toffy and Dolly in that one moment, that one eternal moment. Ah. I shall never forget it. Ravels piano works are, in all senses, composures of 20th century modernity, suffused with the country-stylised effects of, say, Emmylou Harris, and the impecably marked greenhouse-jubilance connecting all the pieces in one final exotic anti-frenzy makes certain implications on ones ability to hate. I dont hate this cd, for example. the best pieces are Jeux d'eau, what a hit! and Le Tombeau de Couperin. Buy this cd and you will/wont be very very happy.

Ravel Piano Works- Pascal Roge.......2002-08-30

Having searched for ages for a definitive recording of the Impressionistic Masterpiece "Gaspard de la Nuit", I found it in this CD. Roge plays the technical inferno of Ondine and Scarbo with flawless taste and passion. This recording would rival that of Martha Argerich's famous recording of Gaspard that has long been thought to be the best. The Tombeau and Sonatine are also very nicely done. Sometimes however, with the smaller lesser known pieces such as the Minuet, you get the sense that he is sightreading, not truely feeling the music. Nevertheless this is a must have.

Beautiful Works, Excellent Performance.......2002-08-27

Together with the 2CD set of Debussy's piano works, these two albums are master recordings of the finest impressionist piano music. Pascal Roge has an astonishing control of the sound of the piano, and can bring out a beautiful palette of various tone colours and moods, orchestrating the piano and creating a dreamworld of sensations. Listen to the wonderful suite Gaspard de la Nuit, the marvellous sonatine (especially the second movement), and of course the mirroirs... This album is a must!

Ernest Ansermet: Decca Recordings 1953-1967

Average customer rating:

A memento of a conductor lost in the golden age
Remembering Ansermet in style
Ansermet is Awesome, and...

Ernest Ansermet: Decca Recordings 1953-1967

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000JU7N7Y
Release Date: 2007-02-13

Customer Reviews:

A memento of a conductor lost in the golden age.......2007-06-20

This 6-CD set gives uninitiated listeners a fair introduction to a conductor they never knew while he was alive or in his heyday. Ernest Anserment (1883-1969) was born in Switzerland and was a contemporary of both Furtwängler and Klemperer, although he was of a far different school of music than either German. Originally a mathematician, Ansermet founded Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (Swiss Radio Orchestra) during World War I, toured with them worldwide after the war, and rose to prominence after World War II when he and the orchestra developed a recording contract with Decca Records.

Ansermet was most at home in coolorful scores, 20th century French music, in the works of his countrymen Honegger (born French but spent time in Zurich) and Frank Martin, and in the Russians Stravinsky and Rimsky-Korsakov. But, as represented here, his expertise began with Bach and went well into the 20th century.

Ansermet's strengths were clarity in execution and delivery, strict adherence to original scoring (he opposed Stravinsky's tendency to revise his own works), and a romantic bent that was in vogue in the postwar years. Stated another way, Anserment's work captured the essence of what today might be characterized as a "romantic period performance" style whose chief proponent may be Martin Perlman in Boston.

For me, Ansermet's conducting in the mainstream German classics was equally engaging. He was expert in capturing the full blown romance of Brahms, Beethoven and other romantics through the rigors of exposing every instrument in the orchestra and ensuring all contrapuntal lines could be heard. His Beethoven set included a dazzling performance of the Symphony No. 2 and a draft of the "Choral" symphony most collectors would enjoy today (it's still avaiable in Japan).

While recordings of Ansermet's Rimsky-Korsakov and Stravinsky have rightly stayed in the catalog and been hailed by critics for decades, his greatest recording of romantic repertoire, in my opinion, is neither included in this box nor avaialable anywhere worldwide. That is his pairing of the Franck D Minor Symphony and the St. Saens "Organ" Symphony which Decca paired early in the CD era on a Weekends Classic recording. It has been out of print everywhere for some time and is a great loss for all of us.

Still today, I treasure Ansermet's box of Beethoven symphonies (also out of print everywehere; No. 4, is represented here) for its clarity, romance and elocution. I will never forget buying this box at my local LP store about 1972; what a revelation it was after exposure to the Beethoven of all the high cholesterol German romantics! Ansermet's combination of score adherence, clarity in orchestral detail, and blooming romance in interpretation led to my most satisfying performances of the most recorded symphonies in history during the period when the greatest conductors of the recording era were all represented in this repertoire.

The latter point is, I believe, the linchpin to Ansermet's career. I don't think there's any question that, if a conductor came along today with his combination of skills, sensitivity and technique, he or she would be regarded as a wunderkind combining the best traits of the current and bygone eras. In his lifetime, however, Ansermet was never regarded in this way. I think that's because he existed on a plane or two below all the acknowledged giants of the podium that were active or in their prime in his day.

While Ansermet was making the recordings in this box, Wilhelm Furtwangler was conducting the Berlin Philharmonic, dying, and being replaced by an up and coming German named Karajan that would go on the become the most recorded conductor in history. Klemperer was one of the giants in Germany with Bohm, Jochum and others sharing the spotlight. Among Europe's rising stars of the day were Colin Davis and Bernard Haitink, who had recently taken over for Beinum in Holland. Elsewhere, Leonard Bernstein was in the midst of his titanic career on the other side of the Atlantic and other American orchestral posts were manned by Ormandy, Szell, Solti, Mehta, Monteaux and another young, up and coming condcutor, Lorin Mazzel. Stokowski was in his prime making stereo recordings in this era, too.

This was the epoch of Ansermet's maturity. He was in the same position as a number of great conductors of his era such as Rudolf Kempe -- great men at the podium cast in the shadow of giants. While Ansermet was a member of the Decca stable, he nonetheless was cast in a secondary role as Decca also had new recordings by Solti and Maazel that were outselling anything Ansermet put forth. Simultanously, collectors could also find all the recordings of legendary conductors including Toscanini, Bruno Walter and Beecham. It was surely a crowded time in the record business and the most difficult time in history for a conductor to make his name.

In baseball terms, Ansermet had some of the affect of Sammy Sosa, whose 600 home runs came in the shadow of Mark McGwire's record-breaking season in 1998 and while Barry Bonds would first break the all-time single season record and, second, chase Hank Aaron's home run record. The metaphor may not be competely satisfactory for Ansermet was probably not the third greatest conducting home run hitter of his day.

But he was one of the great conductors with his own orchestra, a unique style, a broad repertoire, and a delivery mechanism underrated due to the shadow cast on him by other greats of the day. We are fortunate, living in the late digital era, to have this testament of his work before us. Now a new generation of listeners can hear what many did a half-century ago with new ears developed in the period performance practice era.

Of the contents of this set, my favorites are the Haydn Symphony 22, Stravinsky Pulcinella Suite, the orchestrated Schumann Carnaval (which I had never heard before), both Resphigi suites -- Pines of Rome and Rossiniana -- Honneger's Pacific 231 and Frank Martin's Concerto for 7 Wind Instruments, Timpani, Percussion and String Orchestra, an interesting, powerful and lively 20th century concerto. I agree with an earlier reviewer that said this set cherry picks certain pieces, teasing you with portions such as the Borodin Polovtsian Dances and Dukas La Peri selections. Still, there's enough here to satisfy both Ansermet enthusiasts and newcomers to the conductor.

Remembering Ansermet in style.......2007-03-01

Ernest Ansermet was one of Decca's most prolific artists, to whom they consigned dozens of Stravinsky works, the standard Russian repertoire, and all French music. We've been steadily getting reissues of this output, and here's the latest batch. Newcomers may be surprised at how good even the earliest sound is, but they should also expect less than virtuosic playing from the Suisse Romande orchestra; the lack in execution is made up for by the special tang of French winds and brass, a constant pleasure throughout.

CD 1: Ansermet conducted very good Bach and Brahms but is little known for that. Here we get a sampling of his skill in German music. The snippet of orchestral music from Bach's Cantata #31 is a prelude to a fresh, lively Haydn Sym. #22 "The Philosopher" (named for its sober opening Adagio) that's performed in the same gentle, loving style as Bruno Walter's Haydn. The same soft-grained approach applies to the Beethoven 4th Sym., but in this case the scrawniness of the string section compares badly with great German and American orchestras, and one also feels that Ansermet really should dig in more. But if you want a feminine reading of a symphony often called feminine by older critics, this is a fine one. This generous disc ends with three overtures many listeners won't already own: Weber's Ruler of the Spheres and Preciosa Over., plus the more familiar Mendelssohn Ruy Blas. The performances are lively to the point of brashness, and very enjoyable.

CD 2: This disc is Russian and Finnish. For many French conductors Russian music comes as second nature, and this is true for Ansermet. His suite of Polovtsian Dances from Borodin's Prince Igor is light, fast, and pointed. Rendering a pops staple with such detailed delicacy really refreshes it; Ansermet's version is worthy to stand beside Beecham's minor classic. In the same vein is Stravinsky's Pulcinella Suite, which as Mr. Richman points out, is different from the complete score performed by Ansermet on Decca's box set of his Stravinsky recordings. The stereo sound is rather narrow and thin, but this Pulcinella is a model of how to avoid heaviness and over-emphasis in this music. Nobody would expect the Sibelius Fourth to follow, nor is Ansermet noted for being a Sibelian. His reading is super-clear, lean, and light-textured. It works very well in this pastoral music, although for intensity and better execution one has to look elsewhere.

CD 3: From here on out the music is primarily French, the area of Ansermet's greatest renown. Decca has kindly provided some rarities to everybody but committed collectors. This disc starts out with pops chestnuts, however, including one excerpt each from Coppelia and Sylvia (why bother?) and then the more unusual Saint-Saens Chasseur Maudit tone poem. Given that the ballet snippets are sparkling, as always from this conductor, while the Saint-Saens lacks atmosphere and panache, the choice is dubious. After bits of Chabrier and Faure we arrive at a curiostiy, an orchestration under the title of Coquette (for ballet) of Schumann's Carnaval. Nobody plays these transcriptions anymore, but I msut confess to being delighted with this one, which is full of vivacity and sounds like Offenbach--you'd swear a can-can or two has been thrown in.

CD 4: When Faure's orchestral music gained a flurry of popularity in the Sixties, Ansermet led the way. This version of Masques et Bergamesques is all that anyone could desire. The mock-classic idiom isn't that far removed from Ravel's Tombeau de Couperin, music I usualy don't have much patience with--it sounds dainty and precious--but Ansermet's reading is winning in its directness. I was quite ready to leave wispy Gallic nostalgia behind, but next comes more of the same--Debussy's Petite Suite and other atmospheric bits from him. This disc was the first to lose my atention, even though on its own terms the musicmaking is expert, if not as charismatic as Beecham's way with trifles. The disc ends with a light, bright reading of Respighi's Fountains of Rome blessedly free of vulgarity.

CD 5: Honegger gained wide popularity with two religious oratorios, Joan of Arc at the Stake and this King David, even though both works have slipped out of the repertoire outside France. King David uses cinematic Orientalism and modal harmonies to describe ancient Jerusalem, a style that seems a bit cheap and slithery nowadays. But the combination of spoken narration, vocal soloists, and choruses, all in highly accessible music that never challenges the first-time listener, has its appeal. Ansermet's was one of the classic versions in stereo, and here it is, elegantly displaying Honegger's dramatic intentions. However, for me the total effect was like kindergarten Stravinsky.

CD 6: Dukas' admireres point to his opera La Peri as a minor masterpiece, and here we get a hint via the Fanfare and one dance, followed by a pops march from Rimsky's Dubinushka, a rare item for certain. More familiar is the suite of Rossini excerpts known as Rossiniana (antoher ballet), and I can't imagine anyone doing it with quite the same elegant polish of Ansermet. The recorded sound is extremely detailed in its transparency, which made it an early audiophile classic. Back to Stravinsky for a colorful but fairly leaden Scherzo a la russe, not a striking effort. But what follows is striking and perhaps the best thing in the set, Frank Martin's Concerto for 7 Wind Instruments, Percussion, and Strings, a nod to the orchestra's Swiss-ness. The playing is pointed and eager, and Ansermet conducts so well that the work is jsutified as being a minor masterpiece of Poulenc-inspired whimsical elegance.

What to say overall? This box set has no bad performances and many striking ones. I think judgment comes down to one's tastes in music. Mine don't tend toward ballet and French pops, or to Honegger's religious crossover style, so I'm not the best one to recommend what is in any case a very enjoyable listen from beginning to end.

Ansermet is Awesome, and..........2007-02-22

Generally I am a big fan of the Original Masters box sets, but with this latest collection Decca/UNI has gone too far. Don't get me wrong there are some wonderful rare recordings on "Ernest Ansermet: Decca Recordings 1953-1967" -- Haydn's 22nd Symphony, Beethoven's 4th, Sibelius' 4th, Respighi's Fountains of Rome, an entire CD of Honegger performances, and even Stravinsky's Pulcinella Suite, a different version from the full account contained on Ansermet's Stravinsky box (see my review). But way too much of the rest of this set is just repackaged previously available material. In fairness much of it has been out of print, or only available in Japan, but that won't do much to satisfy the serious collectors to whom this series is aimed, and who have gone to great lengths to track down those previous CD incarnations. What makes matters worse is the sampling is so far and wide that not only is the sequencing haphazard, but it is infuriating for those of us that have purchased other Ansermet titles in the past. For example, reprised from his "Double Decca" Rimsky-Korsakov title we get one lousy four minute selection, "Dubinushka." Why bother to include it? Just go buy the two-fer!!! They mention Ansermet's pioneering stereo recording of "Antar" in the liner notes, so why not include that here instead. The only other way to currently get the "Antar" is with an often reissued account of Scheherazade as a Decca Legend import, which no one buys because it duplicates their collections. Another example is the Debussy Six Epigraphes, which was recently reissued on Testament -- why include it? For that matter why tack on Borodin's Polovtsian Dances when they are already on his great CD with Borodin's 2nd & 3rd Symphonies? Why include another four minute track -- Stravinsky's Scherzo a la Russe -- when it is on the aforementioned Stravinsky box? I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that the Delibes, Franck, Faure, Ravel, Martin and other Debussy selections have all been available elsewhere. Of course, since Decca/UNI has only picked a couple of tracks at most from those original titles, it's not like you can just discard or sell the old CDs you own, or burn the remaining selections you need. With so many other rare Ansermet recordings lingering in the vaults or only on expensive imports -- Beethoven, Berlioz, Bizet, Brahms, Lalo, Roussel, Schumann, etc. -- surely a more cohesive reissue strategy could have been applied by Decca/UNI. If you plan on eventually giving us the "Complete" Decca Ansermet recordings over time, through various OM volumes, all of my fussing is moot, however I seriously doubt that is in their marketing plans. Next time, instead of making us an expanded "Great Conductors of the Century" title or some sort of awkward "Greatest Hits" collection, concentrate on the rare performances that a connoisseur would want, and stick them all on one limited edition box, with fewer discs if necessary.

Average customer rating:

Marches - CD 1

Marches: The Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Compendia
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Italian | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Marches | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000003QWZ
Release Date: 1994-04-13

Tracks:

Ride Of The Valkyries
Pictures At An Exhibition - Promenade
Aida - Triumphal March
The Nutcracker - March
Pomp And Circumstance
Symphonie Fantastique - March To The Scaffold
A Midsummer Night's Dream - Wedding March
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March Militaire No. 1
Entry Of The Gladiators
Love For Three Oranges - March
March Joyeuse
Symphony No. 1, Titan - Funeral March
Radetsky March
National Emblem March
The Washington Post

Tracks:

Coronation March
The Ruins Of Athens - Turkish March
Les Troyes - Marche Troyenne
Marche Slav
Swan Lake - Wedding March
Symphony No 3, Eroica - Funeral March
Babes in Toyland - March
West Side Story - America
The Carnival Of The Animals - Introduction And Royal March Of The Lion
Carmen - March Of The Toreadors
Carmen - March of the Smugglers
Colonel Bogey March
American Salute
Semper Fidelis
El Capitan
Seventy-Six Trombones
Americans We
Lassus Trombone
The Stars And Stripes

Customer Reviews:

Marches - CD 1.......2006-03-12

Fabulous pieces. It all started with hearing Pomp and Circumstance by Elgar ont he radio...

Average customer rating:

Awesome "Gaspard de la Nuit"
Low Price....Low quality
Destined to become a classic
No better deal out there
A must-have cd for piano fans

Ravel: Complete Music for Solo Piano

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000001K24
Release Date: 1992-11-04

Tracks:

Le Tombeau De Couperin
A La Maniere De Borodine
Menuet Antique
A La Maniere De Chabrier
Menuet Sur Le Nom De Haydn
Sonatine
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
Jeux D'eau
Prelude
La Valse

Tracks:

Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales
Gaspard de la nuit: Ondine
Gaspard de la nuit: Le Gibet
Gaspard de la nuit: Scarbo
Miroirs: Noctuelles
Miroirs: Oiseaux tristes
Miroirs: Une barque sur L'ocean
Miroirs: Alborado del gracioso
Miroirs: Le Vallee des cloches

Customer Reviews:

Awesome "Gaspard de la Nuit".......2007-07-17

Abbey Simon's Vox recording of "Gaspard de la Nuit" has been my favorite Ravel recording for more than 35 years. Simon's playing is beautiful and profound, not only because of its technical mastery but also the depths the pianist reveals in these soundscapes. Listen closely to these pieces when all else is silent and you'll enter another world of imagination. This is not impressionism lite but an often dark evocation of mystery through the expressive power of the piano.

Low Price....Low quality.......2002-05-03

This is not the way Ravel is supposed to be played. It sounds heavy-handed, and too Romantic for my taste. The texture variances and image-making techniques are not there. Also the sound quality is poor. If you just want to know what Ravel's piano music sounds like, then buy it for reference. But if you want to experience the music, I reccomend Martha Argerich.

Destined to become a classic.......2002-01-12

I became familiar with this collection only after I had reviewed Louis Lortie's collection of Ravel's piano music. Although I gave Lortie a 5-star rating, and I believe that still holds true, I reach for Abbey Simon's collection more often. I also indicated that Lortie's recording had become my standard, and I am not sure I would continue to say that -- Simon has challenged Lortie in that position. I completely agree with the previous reviewers who note that this collection is a find at any price, and that the special characteristics of Abbey Simon's artistry finds its most perfect expression in Ravel's piano music

Abbey Simon has long been one of my favorite pianists. As some of the previous reviewers have indicated, he is a master of pianistic color, voicing and tone. His performances almost always have a unique signature that makes them distinguishable from everyone else. His piano, a Baldwin, also seems to have a unique sound -- with a big warm resonant bass and scintillating treble. The Vox analog recordings do a surprisingly good job of capturing his special tone and color. They were always among my favorite recordings even in the days of the LP.

I knew Abbey Simon's recording of Gaspard de la Nuit from about 20 years ago from a Vox LP that also included Valses Nobles et Sentimentales. Despite having heard other performances of Ondine, after listening to Simon I just had to obtain the sheet music to learn the piece myself. I think no higher compliment can be paid to a pianist than that he inspires others to approach the music. More than any other pianist, Abbey Simon has re-introduced a familiar piece to me in a way that makes me want to play it. I fully agree with another reviewer who said that his Chopin recordings are worth obtaining as well.

Abbey Simon is not as well-known as he should be. In years to come, many will look back on his recordings and wonder why he wasn't as prominent as many pianists who currently bask in the limelight. I believe these performances of Ravel, as well as many of his Chopin recordings, will be kept in the catalog for years to come and enjoy special status with listeners far into the future.

No better deal out there.......2001-11-28

More than competent playing. Two full CD's. Though the sound is a bit dry and recessed at times, Simon's tone sparkles enough and comes through when it should (Valses... Gaspard la Nuit, for example). For the price, this double CD cannot be beat. Simon's playing is even and consistent, very scholarly, almost pedantic but never boring, and a great study for those who are interested in learning about Ravel's music, much of which, referring to his symphonic work, pre-existed on the piano.

A must-have cd for piano fans.......2001-10-19

This cd presents Abbey Simon's astonishingly elegant and urbane pianism at its best. He is a perfect match for this repertoire.

Tracks:

Le Tombeau de Couperin: Pr?lude
Le Tombeau de Couperin: Fugue
Le Tombeau de Couperin: Forlane
Le Tombeau de Couperin: Rigaudon
Le Tombeau de Couperin: Menuet
Le Tombeau de Couperin: Toccata
Pavane pour une infante dnte
Menuet antique
Miroirs: Noctuelles
Miroirs: Oiseaux tristes
Miroirs: Une barque sur l'oc
Miroirs: Alborada del gracioso
Miroirs: La valldes cloches

Tracks:

Jeux d' eau
Sonatine: I: Modere
Sonatine: II: Mouvement de menuet
Sonatine: III: Anime
Prelude
Serenade grotesque
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez anime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Presque lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Moins vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Epilogue: lent
Menuet sur le nom de Haydn
A la maniere de Chabrier
A la maniere de Borodine
Gaspard do la nuit: Ondine
Gaspard do la nuit: Le gibet
Gaspard do la nuit: Scarbo

Customer Reviews:

Sumptuous and Unique.......2004-12-31

Anne Queffelec is one of the most interesting modern interpreters of Ravel. Like the great Gieseking, she plays these works as truly impressionistic music. I was impressed with how slowly Gieseking plays "Le Tombeau de Couperin," for instance, compared to most other pianists. It is far more effective. Ms. Queffelec's version captures this more thoughtful spirit and also has much better sound than Gieseking's. I have been mystified with performers like Entremont, Simon, Roge, Lortie and Thibaudet, who apparently see this as some kind of speed contest. Their versions, while all competently rendered, seem like cookie cutter versions of each other, compared with Ms. Queffelec's distinctive and very pleasing performance. I wish there were a recording by Jean Martinon on the piano, to demonstrate how beautifully this music can be rendered, since his orchestral version is second to none. (Again, this is in contrast to Charles Dutoit, who screams through the music as if he had a plane to catch). If you want to feel like you are in France on some sunny hillside where you can languish under a blue afternoon sky with a bottle of Beaujolais and baguette, this is for you.

NOT as Ravel should be played..........2003-10-08

Her artificial pauses (NOT AS WRITTEN IN THE SCORES) ruin the overall shape of the works. Her phrasing is FAR TOO SHORT FOR RAVEL, omg she can't focus for more than 4 bars sometimes. This pianist is technically fine but her "interpretation" of Ravel does a disservice to his music! I'd HATE to have listen her gag her way through the second movement of his concerto in G, imagine her pitiful little pauses and phrases added to a melody line the length of 56+ bars in length.

I'm really surprised a "Fanatic" in here reviewed it and commented on the rubato as a good thing! With Ravel? NEVER unless he wrote a darned comma into the score (as in his Valses Sentimentales) then MOVE ON and CONTINUE the MUSIC. Don't pause for breath. The phrasing is in the BALNCE and the COLOR of the instrument and how the pianist brings it out. This one FAILS!

Yuck yuck and YUCK!

The music floats on air!.......2002-05-03

If you have to limit yourself, as I do in my office, to only a few dozen CDs, this is one that has to be on your list. Beautiful, light, and airy, are just a few words to describe the album as a whole. It is also nicely recorded too.

The music floats on air!.......2002-05-03

A Great Buy.......2002-03-04

Until buying this CD, I had yet to find a good recording of Ravel's complete piano works. I had tried the Abbey Simon and Werner Haas recordings and was dissapointed. This CD is the one I had been looking for. A great buy and bargain. She plays technically very well and brings out everything that should be brought out in the music and knows how to play Ravel. Buy it!!

Average customer rating:

Incredible performances of incredible works
For its time, 1960
History, Art, Science, Friendship
Disagreement with the other reviews
Being a huge fan of Ravel's music....

Complete Piano Music of Maurice Ravel

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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Robert Casadesus
Ravel: The Complete Works for Solo Piano
Ravel: Piano Works
Bach: Well-Tempered Clavier
Piano Quintet in F Min / Complete String Quartets (1, 2, 3)

ASIN: B000007QCI
Release Date: 1998-06-16

Tracks:

Pavane pour une infante defunte
A la maniere de Chabrier
A la maniere de Borodine (Valse)
Sonatine: I. Modere
Sonatine: II. Mouvement de Menuet
Sonatine: III. Anime
Miroirs: I. Noctuelles
Miroirs: II. Oiseaux tristes
Miroirs: III. Une Barque sur l'oc
Miroirs: IV. Alborada del gracioso
Miroirs: V. La Vallee des cloches
Ma Mere L'Oye: I. Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant
Ma Mere L'Oye: II. Petit Poucet
Ma Mere L'Oye: III. Laidernonette, Imperatrice des Pagodes
Ma Mere L'Oye: IV. Les Entretiens de la Belle et de la B
Ma Mere L'Oye: V. Le jardin feerique
Habanera (de Sites auriculaires)
Jeux d'eau
Prelude In A Minor
Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn
Berceuse sur le nom de Gabriel Faure

Tracks:

Le tombeau de Couperin: I. Prelude
Le tombeau de Couperin: II. Fugue
Le tombeau de Couperin: III. Forlane
Le tombeau de Couperin: IV. Rigaudon
Le tombeau de Couperin: V. Menuet
Le tombeau de Couperin: VI. Toccata
Valses nobles et sentimentales
Menuet antique
Gaspard de la nuit: I. Ondine
Gaspard de la nuit: II. Le Gibet
Gaspard de la nuit: III. Scarbo
Piano Concerto For The Left Hand: Lento - Andante - Allegro - Tempo I

Customer Reviews:

Incredible performances of incredible works.......2005-12-31

While arguments about what is the definitive recording of these works can be made, it goes without saying that this recording is of tremendous musical value. Even if I don't particularly like a tempo that Casadesus chooses (particularly the last movement of the Sonatine), the performance still remains marvelously musical and true to the composer. Much of the playing is quite thrilling actually (take Scarbo, for example). Jeux d'eau is gorgeous as is the Tombeau de Couperin. I believe the highlight of the set is the bonus addition of the Left Hand Concerto with Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Simply put...it is SPECTACULAR! Casadesus' command of the piano, as well as Ormandy's command of the orchestra, is masterful and moving. I highly recommend this set to anyone with a broad appreciation for musical interpretation.

For its time, 1960.......2005-12-22

It was a pretty good recording in the 60's, but since that time some have surpassed Casadesus. Roge and Tharaud to name 2 pianists. Read A music Fan/San Francisco/Jan 12,2004 for the best way to describe Casadesus style. Note perfect, but lacking the nuances needed to bring out the colors that Ravel so needs.
Also Rouvier is stunning in performance, far surpassing Casadesus..
But I'm afriad Cassadesus' popularity is living on old timers who just don't wish to change their high opinion of this past legend.

TAKE NOTICE NONE OF THE HIGH PRAISE REVIEWS EVEN MENTION THAT THEY'VE HEARD ROGE, ROUVIER, THARUD.
Go figure.
Yet they claim this is the finest. Long live hype :-)

TRhe ones who mark my comment as un-helpful are the die hard Casadesus fans. I've met a few.

History, Art, Science, Friendship.......2005-03-09

How do I admire this recording, let me count the ways... (please pardon the awful Elizabeth Barret Browning misquote) To begin with, on the pianist, Robert Casadesus, other than Ravel himself, he is the premier interpreter of his work. Not only that, he was also a close friend and one of the few present at Ravel's meager funeral.

On the recordings themselves, they are of a superlative quality. What many interpreters today try to do is make a melodrama of everything. They forget that the composer himself drew inspiration from the machines of the time (his father was an engineer) and thus lose some of the forcefulness and directness of the works. Unfortunately, many today try to drown them in fluff and emotion.

Another added benefit of these recordings is the convenience of having them all in one set, digitally remastered of course. As a Ravel fan , I heartily recommend these to all who admire the composer, the pianist, or most importantly, beautiful music.

Disagreement with the other reviews.......2004-01-12

Unfortunately, I differ from the other reviewers. I do not feel that Casadesus captures Ravel perfectly. This is a subjective thing, but to me, Ravel has not only a masculine, but a very feminine component that requires intense sensitivity and colorings. I find Casadesus occasionally wooden for my taste, and his finger quality can be a level harder than I prefer. It is occassionally more note specific rather than tonal or image inducing. I found it surprising that these could be considered so positively or potentially definitive. Ravel, when played at its best is magical--can bring an audience to tears with its mix of simple yet complex beauty and exposure of the intellect of the performer. And while this recording is good, it never reaches a level of intimacy that brings my emotions to the fore. Nonetheless, it's a decent recording and it's very nice that the piano works are packaged conveniently. And of course, Ravel piano music--is just simply divine. Tombeau De Couperin and the Pavanne are two of my favorite compositions. I will regretfully admit I cannot recommend an alternative recording yet, but I don't recommend this particular CD as a definitive work.

Being a huge fan of Ravel's music...........2003-11-19

I am a lover for both classic and also jazz music. My friend introduced this to me. You can explore how wonderful someone can make for classic music.I could listen to his music all day long!
You will love him too.

Average customer rating:

Lovely Work
A True Star
Absolutely hilarious and very special CD

L'Étoile: French Arias

Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Arias | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Call Me Mister
Bravura Diva
Songs by Fauré, Hahn and Head; Arias by Rossini and Handel
Vesselina Kasarova - A Portrait
Russian Album

ASIN: B00005NY8G
Release Date: 2003-06-17

Tracks:

Vois Sous L'archet Fremissant
Enfin, Je Suis Ici
O Palerme! O Sicile!
Mon Coeur S'ouvre A Ta Voix
Ah! Ah! Je Vais Mourir - Adieu, Fiere Cite
Va! Laisse Couler Mes Larmes
O Ma Lyre Immortelle
D'amour L'ardente Flamme
Oh! La Pitoyable Aventure
Connais-tu Le Pays
Je Suis Lazuli

Customer Reviews:

Lovely Work.......2004-06-07

This is simply a lovely album, full of many pleasant surprises as far as the material goes, not simply the usual suspects. Larmore has never sounded better. I hope the fact that it took two years to be released is not indicative of a lack of Teldec's commitment to this supremely talented singer.

A True Star.......2004-02-28

Another great CD from the star mezzo! The Massenet selections are very exciting (full recording of Werther should be in order) but it's Sapho (Gounod) that is the highlight. Stunning. Great conducting by de Billy. Thank you Jennifer!

Absolutely hilarious and very special CD.......2003-12-20

Jennifer larmore is one of worlds leading sopranos. this Cd has
astounding absolutely fantastic collection of french arias.
the best is ``O ma lyre immortelle`` from Gounod``s rarely
performed masterpiece ``Sappho``.This is really well performed.
the rest lacks a little of emotional activity, stays vague and
a bit obscure- ``Enfin je suis ici`` sounds like she were not
arriving, though the text of the aria should reassure us.
peeter Hollberg, jennifer larmore fan from rocca al Mare suburbia , tallinn, Estonia

Average customer rating:

Dreamy, wistful music with surrealistic atmosphere
A Heart-String Puller

French Festival

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Choruses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
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The Best of Erik Satie

ASIN: B0000013JV
Release Date: 1992-06-30

Tracks:

Marche joyeuse - CSR Sym Orch/Ondrej Lenard
Pavane pour une enfante defunte - CSR Sym Orch/Kieth Clark
Pelleas & Melisande: Sicilienne - CSR Sym Orch/Ondrej Lenard
Jocelyn, Ste No.2: Berceuse - CSR Sym Orch/Ondrej Lenard
Preludes II No.7: La Terrasse des audiences du clair de lune - CSR Sym Orch/Ondrej Lenard
Gymnopedies II - CSR Sym Orch/Ondrej Lenard
Gymnopedies I - CSR Sym Orch/Ondrej Lenard
Tales of Hoffman: Intermezzo - CSR Sym Orch/Kieth Clark
Ste Bergamasque: Clair de lune - CSR Sym Orch/Kieth Clark
Pavane Op.50 - CSR Sym Orch/Kieth Clark
Tales of Hoffman: Barcarole - CSR Sym Orch/Kieth Clark
Berceuse Op.16 - CSR Sym Orch/Kieth Clark
Danse macabre - CSR Sym Orch/Kieth Clark

Customer Reviews:

Dreamy, wistful music with surrealistic atmosphere.......2004-09-12

Unlike the Spanish and Italian Festivals in the same series, Naxos' French Festival presents music by indigenous composers (unless one counts Jacques Offenbach as a German). Chabrier's 'Joyeuse marche' with which the disc begins is an almost over-lively piece with some brash brass and provides a stark contrast to the mostly tender, wistful and gentle music which is to follow. Ravel, Fauré, Godard and Débussy all contribute short pieces, some of them extracted from other works, which create a dreamy, almost surrealistic atmosphere that may not be typical of France, but is perhaps typical of French music at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. A special treat is given with Erik Satie's Gymnopédies I and II which are here done very well and deserve praise: Satie was something of an odd-ball, but this music can make one curious to know more. The one-hour long programme closes with another faster piece, Saint-Saens' 'Danse macabre', a witty dance of death with clanking skeletons and a spooky violin. All in all, I would say that you have to be in the right mood to enjoy this music, but that it is comparatively well performed and therefore excellent value for money.

A Heart-String Puller.......2000-07-07

This is a fabulous little collection of music--some of the prettiest and sweetest from the greatest of the French musicians. The "odd man out" is the first track (a little too stirring) and maybe the last, but the rest of the CD is a sweet dream, believe me!

Baby Play: Classical Favorites For Toddler's Playtime

Average customer rating:

Baby Play: Classical Favorites For Toddler's Playtime

Manufacturer: Warner Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Polkas | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Children's Music | Styles | Music

Compilations | Children's Music | Styles | Music
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Baby Dance:Toddler's Jump on the Classics

ASIN: B000068CX1
Release Date: 2002-06-25

Tracks:

Brandenburg Concerto No.3, Allegro - Ton Koopman
Annen Polka, Op.117 - Daniel Barenboim
Piano Concerto No.1 In B-flat Minor, Op.23, Allegro Confuoco - Kurt Masur
Symphony In C, Allegro Vivace - Hugh Wolff
Concierto De Aranjuez For Guitar And Orchestra, Allegro Con Spirito - Claudio Scimone
Flute Concerto In G, Allegro Spiritoso - Jean-Pierre Rampal
Le Tombeau De Couperin, Prelude - Kent Nagano
Mozart Horn Concerto In D, K.412, Allegro - Sir Neville Marriner
Symphony No.1, Molto Vivace - Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
Pizzicato Polka - Daniel Barenboim
Symphony No.2 In D, Op.36, Scherzo: Allegro - Daniel Barenboim
Piano Concerto No.21 In C, K.467, Allegro Vivace Assai - Theodor Guschlbauer
Espana - Orchestre Des Concerts Lamoureux

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Music Review

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