Ravel's Rotunda

[Mirror Image]

Ha ha ha! You beat me to it. 

[Artem]

Sonatine by these three fine performers. Lefebvre's version is very good. He has a good feeling of Ravel's music.

[Mirror Image]

Sonatine by these three fine performers. Lefebvre's version is very good. He has a good feeling of Ravel's music.

And what of Chamayou?

[Artem]

He's great too. I've had Chamayou's disk for a while, but Lefebvre is a recent purchase and his take on Sonatine felt very fresh.

[Mirror Image]

He's great too. I've had Chamayou's disk for a while, but Lefebvre is a recent purchase and his take on Sonatine felt very fresh.

I'm only asking your take on Chamayou because I didn't particularly care for his Ravel. He's a fine pianist, but his Ravel lacked a certain magic. My go-to Ravel pianists for the solo piano works are Tharaud and Queffélec. It's too bad Argerich didn't record all of these works as what I have of her has been outstanding.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I'm only asking your take on Chamayou because I didn't particularly care for his Ravel. He's a fine pianist, but his Ravel lacked a certain magic. My go-to Ravel pianists for the solo piano works are Tharaud and Queffélec. It's too bad Argerich didn't record all of these works as what I have of her has been outstanding.

I checked the Chamayou, it is an enjoyable recording. You may call it too romantic/sugary. Still it's a nice change and there is a cuteness, nostalgia, and his love of the music. Certainly the Tharaud presents a cool/elegant side, and I like (personally prefer) it too.

[Mirror Image]

I checked the Chamayou, it is an enjoyable recording. You may call it too romantic/sugary. Still it's a nice change and there is a cuteness, nostalgia, and his love of the music. Certainly the Tharaud presents a cool/elegant side, and I like (personally prefer) it too.

For me, there really aren't too many ways you can interpret Ravel's solo piano music. What I find interesting is they walk a delicate line of being fantastical in terms of color/texture but yet at the same time, they're compact and crystalline in their structure, but also in their expression, which, to me, makes it quite difficult to "interpret" this music. One can slow the tempi down and phrase things in different ways, but, ultimately, there's not much wiggle room in Ravel like there is in Debussy for example.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

For me, there really aren't too many ways you can interpret Ravel's solo piano music. What I find interesting is they walk a delicate line of being fantastical in terms of color/texture but yet at the same time, they're compact and crystalline in their structure, but also in their expression, which, to me, makes it quite difficult to "interpret" this music. One can slow the tempi down and phrase things in different ways, but, ultimately, there's not much wiggle room in Ravel like there is in Debussy for example.

To me Chamayou is in the acceptable range. Have you listened to the recording by Jean-Yves Thibaudet? He changed/dismantled a lot of things, like a jazz player. To me that's not palatable.

[Mirror Image]

To me Chamayou is in the acceptable range. Have you listened to the recording by Jean-Yves Thibaudet? He changed/dismantled a lot of things, like a jazz player. To me that's not palatable.

I've heard some of Thibaudet, but don't remember much about the performances. Have you heard Queffélec's Ravel? For me, she is top-drawer.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I've heard some of Thibaudet, but don't remember much about the performances. Have you heard Queffélec's Ravel? For me, she is top-drawer.

Yes she is solid.

[vers la flamme]

I like Lortie on Chandos and Bavouzet on MDG. Been listening to both of those recently. My other favorite is Samson François.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

I like Lortie on Chandos and Bavouzet on MDG. Been listening to both of those recently. My other favorite is Samson François.

I like the Lortie and the Francois. I don't have a good chemistry with recordings by Bavouzet. 
Welcome back!

[Mirror Image]

I like the Lortie and the Francois. I don't have a good chemistry with recordings by Bavouzet. 
Welcome back!

Same here. I just can't get into his Debussy or Ravel.

[Mirror Image]

I just ran across this excerpt on the Pierre Boulez Wikipedia page:

Between 1969 and 1975, he recorded the orchestral works with the New York Philharmonic and the Cleveland Orchestra and in 1973 he made studio recordings for the BBC of the two one-act operas (L'enfant et les sortilèges and L'heure espagnole).

If this is true, then where are the damn recordings?!?!? OMG!!!

[Madiel]

Well this appears to be one example of a reissue:

https://www.discogs.com/release/8595938-Pierre-Boulez-Maurice-Ravel-Boulez-Conducts-Ravel

If you look through discogs you might well find more.

EDIT: Here was a 3-CD set. https://www.discogs.com/release/20608651-Pierre-Boulez-Maurice-Ravel-Pierre-Boulez-Ravel-The-Orchestral-Works

[Mirror Image]

Well this appears to be one example of a reissue:

https://www.discogs.com/release/8595938-Pierre-Boulez-Maurice-Ravel-Boulez-Conducts-Ravel

If you look through discogs you might well find more.

I'm referring to Ravel's two operas that Boulez allegedly recorded for the BBC, which is mentioned in the Boulez Wikipedia page I cited from above. I already own all of his Ravel on Sony and DG.

[Madiel]

I'm referring to Ravel's two operas that Boulez allegedly recorded for the BBC. I already own all of his Ravel on Sony and DG.

Oh right. It wasn't clear that you were only referring to the second half of the sentence.

So far I've found a live recording on soundcloud (if information is accurate), but that's 1999 and Cleveland.

No guarantee that Wikipedia is accurate of course, someone might have stuffed up. They could, for example, be confused with Boulez' recording of orchestral songs with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Ravel, orchestra, Jessye Norman singing - must be opera!

Or, stuff from 1973 just isn't available these days.

[Dry Brett Kavanaugh]

When I was checking bunch of Hungaroton recordings, I found this album based on Mandryka's recommendation. I like the playing with space and air.


 

[Mirror Image]

Oh right. It wasn't clear that you were only referring to the second half of the sentence.

So far I've found a live recording on soundcloud (if information is accurate), but that's 1999 and Cleveland.

No guarantee that Wikipedia is accurate of course, someone might have stuffed up. They could, for example, be confused with Boulez' recording of orchestral songs with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Ravel, orchestra, Jessye Norman singing - must be opera!

Or, stuff from 1973 just isn't available these days.

Yeah, I think there is some exaggeration in the Wikipedia article. I think if Boulez did record these two operas for the BBC, they would've been issued from their archives and made available, especially after his passing in 2016. Oh well, here's for hoping!

[Roasted Swan]

Yeah, I think there is some exaggeration in the Wikipedia article. I think if Boulez did record these two operas for the BBC, they would've been issued from their archives and made available, especially after his passing in 2016. Oh well, here's for hoping!

Don't forget re-releasing broadcast archive material is a minefield of rights and permissions.  I can't think of a single Boulez-conducted work on any of the labels who have in the past handled ex-BBC material.  I might well be wrong but perhaps Boulez put a blanket ban on any of his live broadcasts....?