Rapsodie

Track Listings

1. Pièce en Forme de Habanera

2. Tombeau de Couperin: 2 Prélude

3. Tombeau de Couperin: 3 Forlane

4. Tombeau de Couperin: 4 Menuet

5. Tombeau de Couperin: 4 Rigaudon

6. Rapsodie

7. Improvisation L - Manfred Wordtmann

8. Impromptu as - Dur Op. 34 Nr. 3 - Noriko Kitano

9. Sicilienne Op. 78: De Pelléas et Mélisande

10. Vocalise

11. Air Tendre

12. Et Courante

13. Concerto D - Moll Op. 9 Nr. 2: Allegro et Non Presto

14. Concerto D - Moll Op. 9 Nr. 2: Adagio

15. Concerto D - Moll Op. 9 Nr. 2: Allegro

Amazon.com

Pianist Stephen Hough is a certified genius, recipient of a 2001 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant." Although he apparently received the award for his explorations of uncommon piano repertoire, he also deserved it for the quality of his piano tone, which is extremely beautiful, as conveyed here by Hyperion's lush recording of the Saint-Saens piano concertos. Unlike most previous volumes of Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series, this one includes some familiar works, especially the Second Piano Concerto. If you listen to that first, you'll realize just how good Hough's performances are throughout this set, since he matches any of the great pianists who have recorded the work. Notice the way he zips through the incredibly fast finale without the slightest hint of effort or rush. Although the Second, Fourth, and Fifth Concertos are the only ones still heard in our concert halls, all these pieces have their attractions--especially the delightful waltz "Wedding Cake," which would make a great concert encore. Sakari Oramo, the new music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, provides alert accompaniment, rich in detail, and the orchestra plays beautifully. This isn't an inexpensive set, but quality like this is cheap at any price. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Russian Nights.......2007-05-08

Great music! And it came with a freebie trial CD of some other Classical CDs- like getting a free CD.

Renaissance Man.......2006-04-05

Saint-Saens was a Renaissance man: botany, astronomy, archeology, mathematics, natural history, and philosophy were subjects he participated in throughout his life. He wrote articles, read papers at scientific societies, contributed notes to learned journals on the eclipse of the sun, and published a volume of poetry. Saint-Saens was also a musical child prodigy; began piano lessons at age 2 ½, at 3 wrote his first composition, and memorized a recital of Mozart and Beethoven concertos, as well as music by Handel, Hummel, and Bach. This CD of piano/orchestral works is a showcase of Saint-Saens' brilliant musical mind, one which was considered old-fashioned by modern composers of the time, and fused Classicism and Romanticism together, a style today's society is happy to have, since Saint-Saens could have easily been successful in another career.

The four character pieces for piano and orchestra are all rather interesting. Wedding Cake (6')is a waltz-caprice for piano and strings alone; a dainty showpiece in a whimsical setting, sparring gentility vs. extroverted. The Allegro Appassionato (5') is also a showpiece with lightning-quick orchestral and piano work, with a lush, contrasted middle. Rhapsodie d'Auvergne (8') uses a folk-based melody Saint-Saens heard a French washer-woman singing. Fresh, captivating melody and orchestration, the music is emotionally moving, along with come snappier folk-like ideas in contrast. The last, Africa (9'), is taken from Saint-Saens' many travels abroad: Algeria, Canary Islands, Africa, Russia, South America, USA, Scandinavia, and Indonesia; Saint-Saens in fact studied the folk music of North Africa. The work, Africa, is a sort of fantasy on many tunes from North Africa, another neat orchestral/piano showpiece.

The five piano concertos show a growth in composition from Saint-Saens over a period of time. The first (26')is inspired by the Fontainebleau forest; there is fresh vitality, youthful optimism, as well as occasional Spanish harmonic inflections, a trend Saint-Saens will continue more in his lifetime. The second concerto (21'), with its gruff, minor opening, is a Romantic counterpart to his first; long sweeping lines, a fanciful scherzo, and dramatic sweep throughout show a maturing Saint-Saens. Concerto No. 3 (25')shows Saint-Saens' penchant for melody; while the opening is a bit wandering and ponderous, there is a catchy, heroic theme; an emotional second mvt., and an infectious finale theme, a heavy barcarolle/dance type feel, for an emotional and fun concerto. The fourth concerto (24'), only in two movements, begins with a sneaky theme in a sort of theme and variation form, along with a chorale reminiscent of his "Organ" Symphony, but ending with a lively scherzo, a simple melody, and a dashing finale, showing simplicity and classicism in his mature style. The last concerto (27'), often called "Egyptian", is unabashedly Romantic, including some bold and striking Spanish rhythms, some unusual modes and syncopations, some orientalism (weird voicings and multi-cultural devices that are unusually forward-looking for Saint-Saens), and an optimistic finale. The evolution of time shows Saint-Saens embracing the past, with a special hold on Romanticism, but surprises me with no lack of inventiveness in later life, not to mention a never-quelling mind for tunefulness, evident in all of these works.

These are very good performances by Stephen Hough on piano and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Sakari Oramo. The orchestra is rich and full, all voices speak clearly and play with lightness, humor, and grandeur when asked for; all in all a terrific ensemble presentation. The pianist is remarkably at home; nothing is heavy (which is rarely called for in Saint-Saens), bringing out the classicism in his music. Instead, texture and color are Saint-Saens' best Romantic attributes, and Hough brings those out, not to mention extremely clean playing. The piano is miked close, and the sound is forward and "dry", but Hough backs off when his role requires it, and the piano and orchestra work remarkably well together, playing off one another at times. The Hyperion sound is excellent and makes the disk a success, a resonant atmosphere and crisp playing are captured on this disk well. The CD's are full as well: CD1 at 79+ minutes and CD2 at 76 minutes, is a lot of music, and the extra four character pieces on top of the concertos makes this a must-have. Excellent performances with amazing sound; recommended. TT: 155.28

Critically acclaimed - and a favorite of mine, too.......2003-09-24

This wonderful recording of the Saint-Saens concertos does a fine job of rendering the Romantic style without getting smug about it. Hough gives them an appropriately warm and colourful feel, without lapsing into the overly lush and indistinct sound I associate with other performances. The four non-concerto pieces make this a very nice set, and the flamboyant 'Africa' in particular will keep you coming back for more.

I have always been a fan of Stephen Hough, from the first time I saw his hands dissolve into an utter blur - not for one measure or passage, but for most of a fiery encore (we got three out of him that night!). These discs prove his facility with somewhat mellower fare, and have brought Saint-Saens back to my attention after years of (unintentional) neglect. If you want mighty and massive, Saint-Saens' German or Russian contemporaries will be more satisfying; but lyrical works like these should not be overlooked if you want to be acquainted with the best of the piano concerto form.

A Fine Set, But Not as Fine as It Might Be.......2003-07-29

The most remarkable feature of this recording may also be one of its chief drawbacks-namely that all of Saint-Saens' concerted music of piano is crammed onto two chock-a-block discs. I doubt, given the technical limitations of the compact disc, that Hyperion could have added a brief etude or caprice to either of these CDs. Great value, then, except that it seems this compactness came at a price. Almost all of these works seem rushed in spots, as if Hough and company knew they were working against space constraints. I can't say for a fact that this is true, but while there is no end of brio and élan in these performances, there is often a lack of the Gallic elegance that Saint-Saens also provides in works that, not surprisingly, the suave, fastidious craftsman Maurice Ravel cited as models for his concertos.

If all you know is the popular Second Concerto, which some wag once claimed as traversing music history "from Bach to Offenbach," then you only know the shallowest of Saint-Saens' concertos. If you are not familiar with the Fourth Concerto, Saint-Saens' finest orchestral work, you should be. Built on the same architectural principles as the composer's popular Organ Symphony, this is more successful still and certainly more tasteful, though, as in the Organ Symphony, the finale is the weakest bit and keeps the concerto in the realm of the near-great rather than the great. Hough and Oramo lavish their best work on this concerto, and the performance is a winner, from the mysterious opening to the resounding appearance of the motto theme in chorale treatment by the brass. (After that, it's all downhill for the concerto anyway, as Saint-Saens ends with some especially empty display work for the pianist.)

Elsewhere, I find a lack of willingness on the part of the soloist and conductor to let the music expand naturally. This is especially true in the slow movement of the Egyptian Concerto (No. 5), which here lacks the requisite exoticism and even mysticism, I think. Ditto Saint-Saens' other North Africa-inspired piece titled simply "Africa." There may be something of the slapdash about this work anyway, though I enjoy it, but the performers give this less-than-vintage Saint-Saens no time to breathe, which it sorely needs if it is to survive at all. There's a tendency to rush the charming First Concerto, too, and there, despite all the brilliance, goes some of the charm. On the other hand, the underrated Third Concerto sounds imposing and even important in Hough's performance, and if he can't do much for the commonplace music of the finale, no one else can either.

One other problem has to do with the recording. In general, Hyperion's Romantic Piano Concerto series has featured fine, natural sound, but here the sound is very close and dry, with the piano placed in an unnaturally forward and rather airless perspective.

So while I'm, as always, impressed by the brilliance of Hough's playing in these concertos, I think something important is missing. And as fine as the Fourth Concerto and parts of the other concertos are in these performances, overall I prefer Jean-Phillipe Collard and Andre Previn. The sound on their EMI discs (catalog number 73356) is more recessed and maybe a little lacking in presence but much more realistic overall. And the performances have all the Gallic elegance that Hough and Oramo's lack. Add to this EMI's two-fer price, and you can't go wrong.

So if your budget allows for two sets of Saint-Saens concertos, certainly Hough's should be one of them. Otherwise, I think Collard is your man.

An Outstanding Set.......2001-12-13

I read a comment several years ago by the pianist Phillipe Entremont that he felt the Saint Saens concerto's lacked the emotional charge of the German concertos (Beethoven, Schumann etc.) I think this comment is shortsighted in that it neglects the many concertos written for the instrument between Beethoven and Saint Saens, a tradition that the Romantic Piano Series provides insight into. It is arguable that Saint Saens (a true Renaissance man) was the most accomplished composer-performer of his day and his piano concertos represent a high point. Perhaps the awful truth is that these concertos are fun to listen to. They are virtuoso pieces that sparkle and delight. Perhaps not as profound as some concertos but works that should be heard much more frequently in the concert hall.

I have had the Roget set for several years and have the Cortot recording of the Fourth concerto, and agree without reservation that Stephan Hough plays remarkably well. He captures the brilliance of these concertos remarkably well. The only drawback of the set is that the Third concerto was recorded at a different venue and has a dryer sound. The added bonus of this set are the shorter pieces Saint Saens wrote for piano and orchestra that were included on this set. For me, this is the set of these concertos to have, and I hope listeners unfamiliar with them will buy it. They do not disappoint.

Ravel: Bolero; La Valse; Rapsodie Espagnole [Hybrid SACD]
Average customer rating:

A must-listen for audiophiles

Grandes, buenas y no muy buenas interpretaciones

Outstanding Performances

In a class of its own

Ravel: Bolero; La Valse; Rapsodie Espagnole [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0006PV5US
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Tracks:

Bolero
La Valse
Prelude A La Nuit
Malaguena
Habanera
Feria
Gigues
Par Les Rues Et Par Les Chemins
Les Parfums De La Nuit
Le Matin D'un Jour De Fete
Rondes De Printemps

Customer Reviews:

A must-listen for audiophiles.......2006-07-15

RCA is leading the way in releasing hybrid SACDs at mid-price, after a decade when we were asked to pay a hefty premium for the new technology. They have selected choice itmes from the Living Stereo catalog, and as a result RCA's reisues are at the forefront of the industry. Munch's famous collection of Ravel and Debussy from the Fifties has always been an audiophile favorite, but its SACD incarnation, even if you listen through two-channel stereo instead of surround sound, is impeccable for spaciousness and detail

Munch's interpretations are self-recommending. Boulez and Karajan surpass these readings in finesse and precision, but Munch brought excitment to French music without undue sophistication and fussiness. The wind solos in Bolero, for example, aren't self-conscoiusly nuanced; they are played for direct, sometimes brash impact and the thrill of Ravel's orchestral magic. The same holds true for everything else here.

Grandes, buenas y no muy buenas interpretaciones.......2006-07-13

El contenido artístico de este Hybrid SACD contempla obras impresionistas de los titulares franceses.

Por un lado, Ravel, con su Bolero y bajo la dirección de Munch, a mi gusto no llena la expectativa comparado con otras opciones disponibles de esta obra. Lo que Munch no alcanza, es ese nivel de tensión creciente conforme también crece la riqueza orquestal de la obra, la cual debería interpretarse como un crescendo constante hasta alcanzar el climax; en el caso de Munch, arranca bien, pero se mantiene relativamente constante en el medio de la obra y el climax aparece casi exclusivamente en la última recapituación del tema principal.

La Rapsodie Espagnole, otra obra subproducida en interpretación; por largo están otras que, sin necesariamente ser las mejores, superan a esta rendición, como por ejemplo Giulini con la Orquesta Sinfónica de Chicago, también con la Filarmónica de Los Angeles o Karajan en su última rendición de esta misma obra...

Por el lado de La Valse, la realidad cambia drásticamente y encontramos una calidad artística de muy alto nivel en lo referente a esta obra; obviamente, ayuda en mucho la tecnología DSD y el sonido obtenido a través del SACD. Bien podría erigirse como la referencia en lo que respecta a la misma.

Finalmente, Debussy con sus Imágenes para Orquesta, cuyo sonido es intoxicantemente delicioso, no así la consistencia de la interpretación, la cual presenta momentos sublimes de inspiración y otros muy lejanos a este estándar.

No me cabe la menor duda de que el Sr. Munch fue un gran ícono en su época; no obstante, su época se encuentra en el pasado y podríamos obtener mayor calidad interpretativa en grabaciones más recientes, a excepción segura, de lo referido en La Valse.

Por último, el sonido obtenido a través del DSD y SACD compra el tiquete para disfrutar este CD con el mejor sonido que se pueda obtener de estas interpretaciones históricas, lo cual en muchos casos los tienen muy bien merecido, como en la gran mayoría de lanzamientos realizados por RCA de las interpretaciones de Fritz Reiner.

Outstanding Performances.......2005-10-19

Munch and the Boston Symphony combine the ultimate in orchestra playing with a power and muscularity sometimes missing in these works. This RCA issue is also one of the best transfers of LP to CD, with solid bass and even some bloom from the horn player's instruments.
It's amazing to realize one would have had to spend more for this recorded music when it first came out than we pay today.
If you enjoy this issue the entire series of reissues of orchestra music by RCA is very good. Especially not to be missed is Reiner's performances of Bartok.

In a class of its own.......2005-10-18

It's clear that RCA must be the champion of re-release and re-packaging, but then again this famous Ravel/Debussy disc from the mid-fities in the Living Stereo series remains in a class of its own. The winning combination of Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony musicians set standards of orchestral virtuosity, sense of atmosphere (one can really smell the fragrances of the night in Debussy's "Images") and full-blooded excitement that have hardly ever been equalled, let alone surpassed. And very few have proven more authoritative and eloquent than Charles Munch in the French repertory.

Available now in convincingly enhanced SACD sound quality (which is indeed an improvement of its previous CD-guises in clarity, warmth and pure sonic impact), this is one of the greatest discs of Ravel and Debussy of all time.

Ravel: Boléro / Ma Mère L'Oye (complete ballet) / Rapsodie espagnole / Une Barque sur l'océan / Alborada del Gracioso - Berliner Philharmoniker / Pierre Boulez

Average customer rating:

Ravel-ation!! ECSTACY
Boulez Has the Perfect Ear for Ravel
Popular Ravel Works
Ravel In Berlin With Boulez
The best Bolero

Ravel: Boléro / Ma Mère L'Oye (complete ballet) / Rapsodie espagnole / Une Barque sur l'océan / Alborada del Gracioso - Berliner Philharmoniker / Pierre Boulez

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001GLO
Release Date: 1994-06-14

Tracks:

Ballett: Prelude: Tres lent
Tableau: 1er Tableau: Dance Of The Spinning Wheel And Scene
Tableau: 2e Tableau: Pavane Of The Sleeping Beauty
Tableau: 3e Tableau: Conversations Of Beauty And The Beast
Tableau: 4e Tableau: Tom Thumb
Interlude
Tableau: 5e Tableau: Laideronnette, Empress Of The Pagodas
Apotheose: 6e Tableau: The Fairy Garden
Une Barque sur l'ocean: Tres soule de rythme
Alborada del gracioso: Assez vif
Rapsodie espagnole: Prelude a la nuit: Tres modere
Rapsodie espagnole: Malaguena: Assez vif
Rapsodie espagnole: Habanera: Assez lent et d'un rythme las
Rapasodie espagnole: Feria: Assez anime
Bolero: Tempo di Bolero moderato assai

Amazon.com

The Berlin Philharmonic never has had much opportunity to play Ravel, which is a pity because under Pierre Boulez they do it extremely well. Under their current music director, Claudio Abbado, the orchestra more often than not sounds positively comatose. How gratifying then, that with a dynamic conductor and music that's fun to play, they rouse themselves to sound like the world-class ensemble they really can be when they're not resting on their laurels. Boléro is really smashing, with a knockout final cadence, and the solo players in all of these works cover themselves with glory. This is a great Ravel disc. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Ravel-ation!! ECSTACY.......2007-06-24

I'm no musicologist, but I know what I like: Debussy, Ravel,Vaughan Williams... the early 20th century romantics.. (along with jazz, post-punk, the Beatles and Frank Zappa) and this recording of Ravel's Ma Mere l'Oye is superb!!! I heard the Hong Kong Sinf perform it recently, and had to have a recording. Pierre Boulez and the Berliner Phil do not disappoint. This is as close as anyone is likely to get to audio-heaven: the last movement of this ballet. Wonderful!! Us ordinary mortals are truly blessed to have composers like Ravel channelling this music from the heavens!!!

Boulez Has the Perfect Ear for Ravel.......2006-05-23

These are fine, tight performances of Ravel. Boulez's unequalled talent for detailing orchestra pitch is on fulsome display here. Of particular interest is the mesmerizing performance of the Mother Goose ballet - all the various orchestra climaxes are scintillating. Of the other pieces, while neither the Alborado or Rhapsodie quite equals the sinuous sexuality Reiner and Munch brought out in the music, Boulez, who has been leading top-drawer concerts of Ravel from his earliest days as a conductor, is certainly unrivaled today in this repetoire.

Popular Ravel Works.......2006-01-30

The French composer, Maurice Ravel, is often described as an impressionist. I find his music more vivid than the haze of impressionism usually elicits, and the music on this CD is some of his most vivid and descriptive, not to mention in terms of popularity. Bolero, Rhapsodie Espagnole, Alborada del Gracioso, Une Barque sur l'ocean, and the complete Mother Goose Ballet are all among those vivid compositions.

The Mother Goose ballet has five scenes from various fairy tales: Dance of the Spinning Wheel, Pavane of the Sleeping Beauty, Conversations of the Beauty and the Beast, Tom Thumb, Empress of the Pagodes, as well as a prelude, interlude, and a finale entitled Fairy Garden; all totaling 28 minutes. Each tableaux provides a vivid musical portrait of the fairy tale: the Dance of the Spinning Wheel has a constantly moving string undercurrent, while the Pavane for Sleeping Beauty has beautifully woven melodies in the winds, a lovely calm awaiting Prince Charming. Conversations of the Beauty and the Beast is a charming waltz where, perhaps, the girl is falling in love, while Tom Thumb has direct portrayals of bird trills and calls. The festive Empress of the Pagodes has an Asian pentatonic melody in a spirited dance, but it all culminates in the Fairy Garden, with a lush hymn set in 20th century fullness, bringing the work to close. Wonderfully colorful with lyric melodies for the woodwinds, charming dances, and special effects on the strings (glissandos, slides, harmonics, col legno, etc.) give the work a fantastical feel. Also on the disk is Une Barque sur l'ocean, an ultra Romantic depiction of the sea. Great swellings of waves occur in the music, first peacefully, with gently oscillating winds and strings, but eventually more aggressive. Very descriptive in nature, Ravel's colorful orchestral writing is an optimistic view of the sea, with occasional woodwind melodies insinuating melancholy, or loneliness at sea.

The other three works on the disk are all based in Spanish folk-rhythms and sequences. The seven minute Alborada del Gracioso is a dancing orchestral showpiece with a two-against-three feel, which erupts into a glorious exclamation before immediately calming down. Whirlwinds of harp, flutes, and clarinets, along with quickly repeated trumpet notes, castanets, and a lonely bassoon solo, make the work a tour de force. The 16-minute Rhapsodie Espagnole is in four movements (Prelude to the Night, Malaguena, Habanera, and Festival), and on the whole, a rather understated work of impressionism. The opening prelude has an unceasing, unresolved feeling, as well as a rhythmic displacement that lasts throughout. The Malaguena is a quiet, but snappy dance in 3, while the Habanera is a sluggish dance with a jerky feeling. The Festival finale is the most outgoing, and besides the Bolero, has the most extensive writing for brass on the CD. The famous Bolero, with its sassy melody and natural crescendo (by adding instruments to increase volume), is an orchestral standard. Made famous by its unrelentless rhythmic ostinato and catchy melody, the work includes unique orchestrations, including solos in extreme ranges and use of saxophones (tenor and soprano). The work brings the disk to a rousing close.

Pierre Boulez is a pre-eminent Claude Debussy interpreter, and his experience there is utilized successfully in this Ravel CD. Boulez follows the score intently, sometimes to a fault; he follows the extreme dynamic ranges and Ravel's articulation markings (sometimes making the listener have to adjust the volume in order to hear). Although the Berlin Philharmonic is an unusual choice for a French composer, with often needed delicate handling, they fare quite well, often setting a transparent quality, but thoroughly enjoying the raucous dance settings. Featuring some of Ravel's most vivid and descriptive music, and certainly famous works, this CD should satiate the average listener as a great introduction to Ravel, but the winning performance and 4-dimension DG digital sound should win over the rest. Good choice for these popular works. TT: 75.33

Ravel In Berlin With Boulez.......2005-11-20

Maurice Ravel remains one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, alongside his fellow Frenchman Claude Debussy. This 1993 recording of five of Ravel's works shows why, helmed as these works are by one of the great conductors of all times, Pierre Boulez, in a stunningly fine recording with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

The recording gives us Ravel's complete ballet "Ma Mere L'Oye" (Mother Goose), with its exquisite and lush orchestration; the brilliant "Une Barque Sur L'Ocean" (A Boat On The Ocean); and the familiar rhythms of "Alborada Del Gracioso" and "Rapsodie Espagnole", reflecting the Spanish influence that permeated much of Ravel's music (as well as his having grown up along the border between France and Spain). The recording climaxes with that great experiment of 20th century music making, the celebrated "Bolero", a work that, thanks to its rhythmic simplicity and its basis in Spanish/Arabian music, has never fallen out of style (and which had its popularity boosted further on the big screen in 1979 by its use in director Blake Edwards' comedy-drama "10").

Boulez, no slouch as a composer either, is often thought of as a rather cold and emotionless conductor who, like Leopold Stokowski before him, directs without a baton (Boulez once joked that holding a baton "made his hands freeze"). Such a perception is not entirely accurate, however, just to judge from the way he is able to handle these Ravel works, particularly the mega-popular "Bolero", with the Berliners. The orchestra had recorded that work on two separate occasions, in 1964 and 1977 respectively, under Karajan, but both times the piece felt slower than it was supposed to be. Under Boulez's direction, however, "Bolero" moves very freely, and with an undercurrent of occasional menace. The performances of "Mother Goose", "Alborada Del Gracioso", "A Boat On The Ocean", and "Rapsodie Espagnole" are also handled with considerable panache by Boulez and the Berliners.

This is a hugely recommended recording, for the sheer pleasure of Boulez interpreting a fellow Frenchman's great works with one of the world's premiere orchestras.

The best Bolero.......2004-08-30

I've heard quite a lot of recorded Bolero performances. Some are exciting without techincal perfection. Some have great orchestral ensemble without first-rate solo performances. This Bolero by Berliners and Boulez has everything.

Solo performances (flute, clarinet, saxophones, trombone, and all) are all simply marvelous, with _both_ perfect technique and taste. The orchestral ensemble is perfect. After all, it's the Berlin Philharmonic. Nevertheless (I say "nevertheless") the perfomance is passonate and exciting. Other passonate recordings out there go beyond the orchestra's capacity and go wild with disastrous ensamble. The capacity of the Berlin Philharmonic is so high that they can be (and are) passionate without sacrificing techincal perfection.

Who said Boulez was cold? He seems to set priority on perfection over emotion. But, when he _does_ already have perfection, he no longer has any reason to restrain his emotion. Only then was this great achievement of modern orchestra possible.

Average customer rating:

Excellent Ravel, worthy of any collection.
Beautiful performances of Ravel
So, why do I like it?

Ravel: Rapsodie Espagnole

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00004TCPS
Release Date: 2000-06-06

Tracks:

Rapsodie espagnole: Prelude a la nuit
Rapsodie espagnole: Malaguena
Rapsodie espagnole: Habanera
Rapsodie espagnole: Feria
Alborada Del Gracioso
Mother Goose: Pavane Of The Sleeping Beauty
Mother Goose: Hop-o-My Thumb
Mother Goose: Laideronnette, Empress Of The Pagodas
Mother Goose: Beauty And The Beast Converse
Mother Goose: The Fairy Garden
Introduction And Allegro For Harp, Flute, Clarinet, And Strings
Daphnis et Chloe: Suite No.2: Lever du jour
Daphnis et Chloe: Suite No.2: Pantomime
Daphnis et Chloe: Suite No.2: Danse generale

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Ravel, worthy of any collection........2007-07-17

This CD should be in any collection of fans of the CSO, Ravel, and Jean Martinon. First, this CD has rare and distinctive qualities. It is one of the few CSO recordings available with Jean Martinon as the conductor. The recorded sound of this CD is among the best I have heard of the CSO (after many years of sampling recordings in the CSO store). The "High Performance" designation BMG gave this CD is not a gimmick; the most discerning and critical listener will find the recording quality of the highest category. The "Introduction and Allegro" is a sadly under-performed and under-recorded piece, which I find among the most interesting and alluring pieces ever composed by Ravel. The only regret one will have after listening to this CD is that there were not many more RCA/CSO/Martinon recordings. The rare traits of this CD leave the listener wanting more, thus ensuring that the listener will reach for this CD over and over again as a favorite. Collectors with many recordings of these works needn't hesitate.

Beautiful performances of Ravel.......2002-04-30

These are warm hearted performances, full of nuance and sensitivity of expression, and beautifully played. Furthermore, the recorded sound is both very full bodied and detailed. I disagree with the previous reviewer who asserts that these performances are not properly French sounding compared with Martinon's later EMI recordings with the Orchestra de Paris (as to which, for what it is worth, Martinon said that he preferred his EMI Debussy recordings with the Orchestral National de France). Although I have not heard those performances, I don't think that Ravel's orchestral works fall flat unless they are played with somewhat nasal sounding brass and winds (i.e. the French sound). Instead, Martinon provides idiomatic phrasing combined with a virtuosity and beauty of orchestral sound beyond the capabilities of French orchestras of the time. Definitely one of the finest collections of his orchestral music.

So, why do I like it?.......2000-07-26

There's a lot wrong here: Martinon, before the wrong orchestra. So, why do I like it? Probably because Martinon didn't take the first thing that came to him and did some work to turning the orientation of these performances toward Paris. It makes a lot of difference. And it's wonderful listening.

But, unlike the previous reviewer, I think this is rather a well-done compromise and can't really fulfill the French performance paradigms that Martinon sought. The EMI recordings with the Orchestre de Paris show the conductor uncovering a lot of color, elan, and that ascerbic, Gallic nastiness that's essential to Ravel and totally, and I mean totally, lacking in this issue. However, it's the best that any French conductor has recorded in Chicago.

But that's the key word: recorded. I have a sneaking suspicion that the storied concerts by Paul Paray may have gone some way beyond this, and his recordings on Mercury with the Detroit Symphony carefully trained in the French style give you spades more in color, character, drama, and rive gauche than you'll ever get a whiff of here.

Buy this, but as supplemental listening to Martinon's Paris work, and file all of that just behind your Paray editions.

Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé; Rapsodie espagnole; Pavane
Average customer rating:

What about Dutoit?

Daphnis and Chloe from the conductor who premiered it

The sexiest Daphnis on record!

Monteux the Magnificent!

Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé; Rapsodie espagnole; Pavane

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
Ravel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Ballets & Dances | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000E6EGZA
Release Date: 2006-04-11

Tracks:

Introduction Et Danse Religieuse
Scene: Danse Generale
Scene: Danse Grotesque De Dorcon
Danse Legere Et Gracieux De Daphnis
Scene: Danse De Lyceion-Scene (Les Pirates)
Nocturne: Danse Lente Et Mysterieuse
Introduction
Danse Guerriere
Scene: Danse Suppliante De Chloe
Lever Du Jour: Scene
Pantomime
Danse Generale
I. Prelude A La Nuit
II. Malaguena
III. Habanera
IV. Feria
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte

Customer Reviews:

What about Dutoit?.......2007-05-01

I'm sticking with my 20-year-old London disc. Dutoit's Ravel was one of the reasons I switched to CDs anyway. $15.99 was a chunk of change back then, and we didn't know if the discs would degrade faster than LPs, but nope---they're perfect forever. And new recordings have to compete with everything ever! I haven't heard this Monteux, but I know his was the best Franck Symphony in D, and I had to defenestrate my beloved Bernstein record when a reissue of it came out. Anyway, I'm docking the unit two stars for Polygram's ugly cover art. Put a naked lady on there, dammit: Renoir, Degas, Manet!

Daphnis and Chloe from the conductor who premiered it.......2006-06-19

Was any conductor better than Pierre Monteux at being in the right place at the right time? As the pit conductor for Diaghilev's Ballet Russe, he premiered Petruskha in 1911, Daphnis and Chloe in 1912, and the Rite of Spring in 1913--amazing. Here, nearly half a century later, his reading of Daphnis seems as authentic as it could possibly be. We get balletic rhythms, pointed French phrasing, an absence of sentimentality, and an intuitive feeling for Ravel's meshing of classic-erotic.

If you like Dapnis to be ultra lush, sexy, sweeping, or fervent, this isn't the recording for you. Monteux's Ravel is glittering and a bit brisk. Sparkle is more evident than high drama. I can imagine living with only this account, especially given Decca's vintage sound, probably the best in the business in 1959. The LSO has picked up the Gallic style from Monteux, and quite often I could have sworn I heard ringers from Paris who had sneaked over the Channel.

Monteux wasn't reliably energetic and alert in his eighties, and the main filler, Rapsodie espagnole, sounds a bit slack and slow. But his devotees will be happy to have it, and the Daphnis alone is worth the price of the CD.

The sexiest Daphnis on record!.......2006-04-14

This is the kind of re-release that can bring tears to the eyes of a grown man. Years ago I gave away my then copy of the first CD release assuming it would be easy to replace. I was wrong. I am glad Monteux's Daphnis is available again now, in its finest sonic reincarnation yet. It is the kind of legendary performance (and an audiophile delight, too!) that should never have been out of the catalogue in the first place. 'Nuff said...

Greetings from Switzerland, David.

Monteux the Magnificent!.......2006-04-13

The merger of Deutsche Grammophon, Decca and Philips under the Universal corporate umbrella has led to the inevitable sharing of music and marketing plans. Now one of DG's most successful reissue programs, the mid-priced "Originals" line, has been expanded to include Decca titles, presumably in an attempt to streamline the company's overall look in the classical marketplace. While many of these initial releases don't appeal to me personally, one that I'm delighted to see available once again is Pierre Monteux's glorious 1959 stereo recording of Ravel's "Daphnis et Chloe." This performance has been previously available on CD in the old "Classic Sound" series, but it has been out-of-print for several years, and until very recently fetching absurd prices as a rare collector's item. Monteux's magnificent account of the complete ballet with the London Symphony Orchestra has to be considered one of the very best, along with renditions by Ansermet, Cluytens, Inghelbrecht and Munch (see my reviews). Included to round out this disc are Monteux's 1961 recordings of "Pavane pour une infante defunte" and "Rapsodie Espagnole," which were also part of the original "Classic Sound" CD, and more recently were available as part of the "Ravel Orchestral Favourites" Monteux title in the now defunct Philips "50" series. In all, these are priceless Ravel performances, finally for sale at a reasonable price.

Ravel: Boléro; La Valse; Rapsodie espagnole; Alborada del gracioso; Le Tombeau de Couperin

Average customer rating:

Haunting Ravel from Paris
Karajan Conducts Ravel: Hot French/Spanish Music

Ravel: Boléro; La Valse; Rapsodie espagnole; Alborada del gracioso; Le Tombeau de Couperin

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000A2H7QS
Release Date: 2005-08-02

Tracks:

Alborada Del Gracioso ('Miroirs' No.4) Rapsodie Espagnole
I. Prelude A La Nuit
II. Malaguena
III. Habanera
IV. Feria
I. Prelude
II. Forlane
III. Menuet
IV. Rigaudon
La Valse - Poeme Choregraphique
Bolero - Berliner Philharmoniker

Customer Reviews:

Haunting Ravel from Paris.......2006-02-13

There are magical sounds on this CD that no one else, not even Boulez, has ever extracted from Ravel's socres. The Rapsodie espagnole in particular, taken almost at a stasis and often in a whisper, is transformd. No longer a glossy also-ran to Debussy's Iberia, the work is spellbinding, entirely due to Karajan's ability to get the Orchestre de Paris (which he briefly led, along with Berlin and Vienna--an achievement never duplicated) to play with transcendent refinement.

The La Vale is equally hypnotic--Karajan finds more than a touch of the ghostly painter Redon in these melancholy, eerie works. EMI's sound is a bit distant but very detailed and natural. As a non-lover of Ravel, I must concede that this is great music when played at such a level.

Karajan Conducts Ravel: Hot French/Spanish Music.......2005-10-02

This remastered recording features Karajan in his prime conducting Ravel music with both the Orchestra De Paris and Berlin Philharmonic. The sound is terrific and the rich melodic and seductive music of Ravel's take on Spanish music has never sounded hotter. The Bolero was made famous through its use in the film "10" with Dudley Moore, Bo Derek and Julie Andrews. It was music that Bo Derek's character intended to hear while making love. Maurice Ravel, a French composer of the turn of the century and early twentieth century, was highly influenced by the music of France's southern neighboor Spain. The music is very Spanish in nature and very sexually-charged. To the best of my knowledge, Zubin Mehta's rendition of the Bolero is the best, though Bernstein and Karajan really deliver it with sizzling hot intensity. La Valse, composed when Ravel's mother died, is sumptuous, slow and develops into a wild frenzy, all done with great orchestral virtuosity. The energy of the Rapsodie Espagnole has never soundes so vibrant and the Alobrada del Gracioso is charming. The melancholy and Baroque-style Tomb of Couperin is also a winner. EMI continues to be the foremost record label of classical music, along with Deutsche Grammophone. They have even surpassed RCA which seems to have faded away and continues to market only pieces that have been on the market for years. Any true fan of classical music, of Maurice Ravel and Herbert Von Karajan, will want to buy this recording. It is excellent.

Average customer rating:

One of von Otter's most enjoyable efforts. Buy It.
Otherworldly

Anne Sofie von Otter - La Bonne Chanson
Maurice Ravel , Ernest Chausson , Frank Martin , Maurice Delage , Camille Saint-Saens , Francis Poulenc , Gabriel Fauré , Anne Sofie von Otter , and Bengt Forsberg
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001GRC
Release Date: 1996-10-15

Tracks:

1. Ravel: Trois Poemes de Stephane Mallarme I. Soupir
II. Placet futile
III. Surgi de la croupe et du bond
Chausson: Chanson perpetuelle
Martin: Trois chants de Noel I. Les cadeaux
II. Image de No l
III. Les Bergers
Delage Quatre Poemes hindous I. Madras
II. Lahore
III. Benares
IV. Jeypur
Saint-Saens: Une flute invisible
Poulenc: Rapsodie negre I. Prelude
II. Ronde
III. Honoloulou
IV. Pastorale
V. Final
Faure: La bonne chanson Op 61 I. Une sante en son aureole
II. Puisque l'aube grandit
III. La lune blanche luit dans les bois
IV. J'allais par des chemins perfides
V. J'ai presque peur, en verite
VI. Avant que tu ne t'en ailles
VII. Donc, ce sera par un clair jour d'ete
VIII. N'est-ce pas ?
IX. L'hiver a cesse

Amazon.com

Taking its name from Fauré's famous La Bonne Chanson cycle, this is a collection of French songs for voice and diverse chamber ensemble. It includes not only the Fauré but Ravel's Three Poems of Stéphane Mallarmé, Frank Martin's Three Christmas Songs and, strangest of all, Poulenc's Rapsodie négre, an early, misguided attempt at Gauguin-esque exotica. Most of it is tasty stuff, particularly for those who have a high tolerance for musical radiance and don't need that much shade with their light. Performances by Otter are, as always, smart and fastidious, though perhaps a tad cool. -- David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

One of von Otter's most enjoyable efforts. Buy It........2006-05-05

'La Bonne Chanson' by mezzosoprano Anne Sophie Von Otter is the kind of album I really enjoy from today's great female classic vocalists. Next to interpretations of Kurt Weill's German works, the French art song is by far my favorite. It sounds less stilted than the English chamber song and far less heavy than the German Lieder from Shubert and his compatriots. It is neck and neck in my mind with good interpretations of Italian love songs.

I was fortunate to be able to compare this album with the Dawn Upshaw effort, 'The Girl With Orange Lips', on which she performs Ravel's 'Trois Poemes de Stephane Mallarme', which also open Von Otter's disk. I have to say that on these pieces, the two artists sound virtually identical, although Von Otter has just the slightest greater strength and authority in her voice. Picking between the two on these pieces would require a fair coin toss.

On the other hand, Von Otter's other material on this disk is far better than the material on Upshaw's disk, even though they also share performances of Maurice Delage's 'Quatre Poemes hindous'.

Von Otter's performances of Poulenc's 'Rapsodie negre' and Gabriel Faure's 'La Bonne Chanson' are especially good at having me sit up and take notice.

This is especially more enjoyable than her celebrated recordings of Edvard Grieg's songs.

Otherworldly.......2001-06-30

Anne Sofie Von Otter's vocalism is simply one of the most sophisticated these days and, in this disc, she sings music of a very sophisticated nature. The Mallarmé songs are, in its own right, some of the most creative and exquisite in the French repertoire and here Von Otter produces sounds of instrumental and yet most expressive nature. The Chanson Perpetuelle is also sung in the most expressive and wide tonal range and the Swedish mezzo's French couldn't be more idiomatic. It is no wonder that her Mélisande in the Paris Opera was considered to be a complete success. She offers highly virtuosistic and sensitive performances in the Hindu songs and the Fauré are all delicious. My only doubt is about the inclusion of Poulenc's Rhapsodie Nègre in this recital. It has nothing to do with the rest of the pieces and it is an uninspiring piece, especially today when épater la bourgeoisie is something nobody cares about anymore. It is a minor problem in such a nice disc, but I regret that she didn't record here more Fauré and why not some Debussy? Forsberg is the usual nicest pianist and the rest of the team offer great ensemble performances. Wonderfully recorded sound by DG.

Average customer rating:

Poulenc: Complete Chamber Music, Vol. 4
Francis Poulenc , Franck Leguérinel , Alexandre Tharaud , Ronald Van Spaendonck , Celine Nessi , Philippe Bernold , Olivier Doise , Andre Moisan , Guy Touvron , Pascal Delage , Herve Joulain , Marc Bauer , and Jean Delescluse
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004XQG0
Release Date: 2000-11-14

Tracks:

Le Bal masque: Preambule and Air de bravoure
Le Bal masque: Intermede
Le Bal masque: Malvina
Le Bal masque: Bagatelle
Le Bal masque: La Dame aveugle
Le Bal masque: Finale
Le Bestiaire or Cortege d'Orphee: Le Dromadaire
Le Bestiaire or Cortege d'Orphee: La Chevre du Tibet
Le Bestiaire or Cortege d'Orphee: La Sauterelle
Le Bestiaire or Cortege d'Orphee: Le Dauphin
Le Bestiaire or Cortege d'Orphee: L'Ecrevisse
Le Bestiaire or Cortege d'Orphee: La Carpe
Four Poems Of Max Jacob: Est-il un coin plus solitaire
Four Poems Of Max Jacob: C'est pour aller au bal
Four Poems Of Max Jacob: Poete et tenor
Four Poems Of Max Jacob: Dans le buisson de Mimosa
Rapsodie negre: Prelude
Rapsodie negre: Ronde
Rapsodie negre: Honoloulou - Vocal Interlude
Rapsodie negre: Pastorale
Rapsodie negre: Finale
COCARDES: Miel de Narbonne
COCARDES: Bonne d'enfant
COCARDES: Enfant de troupe
Elegie For Horn And Piano
Sarabande For Guitar

Berlioz: La Marseillaise; Symphonie fantastique; Ravel: Boléro; Rapsodie espagnole; Etc.

Average customer rating:

Berlioz: La Marseillaise; Symphonie fantastique; Ravel: Boléro; Rapsodie espagnole; Etc.

Manufacturer: Teldec
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00004SCXT
Release Date: 2000-09-12

Tracks:

Hymne Des Marseillais - Placido Domingo/Chicago Sym Chor/Duaine Wolfe
Sym Fantastique, Op.14: Reveries - Passion
Sym Fantastique, Op.14: Un Bal
Sym Fantastique, Op.14: Scene Aux Champs
Sym Fantastique, Op.14: Marche Au Supplice
Sym Fantastique, Op.14: Songe D'une Nuit Du Sabbat

Tracks:

Daphnis Et Chloe: Deuxieme Ste: Lever Du Jour - Pantomine - Danse Generale - Donald Peck
Rhap Espagnole: I. Prld
Rhap Espagnole: II. Malaguena
Rhap Espagnole: III. Habanera
Rhap Espagnole: IV. Feria
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
Alborada Del Gracioso
Bolero

Average customer rating:

Bolero / La Valse / Rapsodie
Ravel , Dutoit , and Mso
Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000041OM
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Bolero
Alborada del gracioso
Rapsodie Espagnole
La Valse

Product Description

15 tracks Highlights of Handel's Messiah.

Music Review:

Music Review

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The Best of Arrested Development

Bellini - Beatrice di Tenda / Sutherland · Campola · Kabaivanska

The Best of Sade

1. Pièce en Forme de Habanera
2. Tombeau de Couperin: 2 Prélude
3. Tombeau de Couperin: 3 Forlane
4. Tombeau de Couperin: 4 Menuet
5. Tombeau de Couperin: 4 Rigaudon
6. Rapsodie
7. Improvisation L - Manfred Wordtmann
8. Impromptu as - Dur Op. 34 Nr. 3 - Noriko Kitano
9. Sicilienne Op. 78: De Pelléas et Mélisande
10. Vocalise
11. Air Tendre
12. Et Courante
13. Concerto D - Moll Op. 9 Nr. 2: Allegro et Non Presto
14. Concerto D - Moll Op. 9 Nr. 2: Adagio
15. Concerto D - Moll Op. 9 Nr. 2: Allegro