Ravel's Rotunda

[Brian]

And Boulez!

Since I'm a sucker for orchestrations of Ravel's and Debussy's piano works, chances are I'll be picking this up. I'm just not sure Slatkin and French music sounds like a great mixture.

Sadly you're right. My impression was that the problem was less with Slatkin, actually, than with the acoustic (rather dull) and the orchestra, which no longer sounds especially French or distinctive. He could achieve similar results with any other C-list ensemble; contrast with the Luxembourg PO, which in Krivine's ongoing series (and a lot of Timpani CDs) really preserves the Martinon-style "French" orchestral sound.

I will be an eager listener for the Gaspard, nonetheless. Not an orchestration I can remember hearing.

[North Star]

Abbado too!

And Boulez!

Sadly you're right. My impression was that the problem was less with Slatkin, actually, than with the acoustic (rather dull) and the orchestra, which no longer sounds especially French or distinctive. He could achieve similar results with any other C-list ensemble; contrast with the Luxembourg PO, which in Krivine's ongoing series (and a lot of Timpani CDs) really preserves the Martinon-style "French" orchestral sound.

I will be an eager listener for the Gaspard, nonetheless. Not an orchestration I can remember hearing.

I have no warm feelings toward the arrangement.
http://www.youtube.com/v/UZ7qgB4yqZI

[Sergeant Rock]

Probably plenty more I haven't heard (Munch is popular, too).

Boulez. (Edit: I see Brian beat me to the punch.) Celibidache (his Ravel and Debussy are awesome).



Sarge

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Can always count on GMG to fill in the gaps!

[Madiel]

So, I'm doing this thing that I do, listening to a composer's work (or the portions of it that I have) in a chronological fashion... and I'm doing it with Ravel.

And I realise now that there's a big chunk of time where the works he was doing for the Prix de Rome are a major part of his output, in terms of quantity. What I'm curious about is... what are they like in terms of quality? Are they any good?  I know the judges often didn't think so but I've also seen suggestions that at least some of them weren't really Ravel's best work anyway.

There are 3 cantatas - Myrrha, Alcyone and Alyssa - and also 5 choral works he did for the first round in each of his 5 attempts. I know the latter have been recorded on Naxos at least, and I also know there's at least one recording of the cantatas by Michel Plasson.

I'm interested in anyone's thoughts on the works, and if there are alternative recordings then recommendations for recordings too.

[Brian]

orfeo, inspired by your post, I found an old Marco Polo disc with the five short (3-5 minutes each) choral works he wrote for the Prix de Rome (the non-cantatas). They're all drop-dead gorgeous: not innovative, maybe, but warm and welcoming and richly scored. Comfortable. Don't expect mature concerto-writing Ravel, but don't expect third-rate student work by any means. The definition of "guilty pleasure that shouldn't be a guilty pleasure." The performances are fine, but I have a hankering to hear a newer recording in better sound.

[North Star]

So, I'm doing this thing that I do, listening to a composer's work (or the portions of it that I have) in a chronological fashion... and I'm doing it with Ravel.

And I realise now that there's a big chunk of time where the works he was doing for the Prix de Rome are a major part of his output, in terms of quantity. What I'm curious about is... what are they like in terms of quality? Are they any good?  I know the judges often didn't think so but I've also seen suggestions that at least some of them weren't really Ravel's best work anyway.

There are 3 cantatas - Myrrha, Alcyone and Alyssa - and also 5 choral works he did for the first round in each of his 5 attempts. I know the latter have been recorded on Naxos at least, and I also know there's at least one recording of the cantatas by Michel Plasson.

I'm interested in anyone's thoughts on the works, and if there are alternative recordings then recommendations for recordings too.

I have managed to avoid listening to this for far too long. Now playing the Plasson disc with the three cantatas. (EMI, licensed by UMG for the Ravel box back when EMI still existed)

[Karl Henning]

orfeo, inspired by your post, I found an old Marco Polo disc with the five short (3-5 minutes each) choral works he wrote for the Prix de Rome (the non-cantatas). They're all drop-dead gorgeous: not innovative, maybe, but warm and welcoming and richly scored. Comfortable. Don't expect mature concerto-writing Ravel, but don't expect third-rate student work by any means. The definition of "guilty pleasure that shouldn't be a guilty pleasure." The performances are fine, but I have a hankering to hear a newer recording in better sound.

Any info on either CD, Brian?

[Madiel]

I listened to Miroirs today.  My spreadsheet tells me it's exactly 4 years since the last time I listened to it in full.  That's far too long for a work I consider a landmark in the piano literature.

Pascal Roge is the pianist, by the way.

[Brian]

Any info on either CD, Brian?

Oops!
The Marco Polo CD with the short choral works is called "Cantatas for the Prix de Rome" and also has a big piece by Caplet and a small one by Debussy. Here it is! I'm not sure if there are any alternative recordings. They aren't in the Ravel Complete Edition box set.

Amazon has CD-R and MP3, or get the original CD by ordering from Marketplace. It's not at Berkshire, sadly.

[asin]B000004649[/asin]

[Pessoa]

"Ravel", by Jean Echenoz, a beautiful evocation. Not a biography nor an essay.

[Pessoa]

I own the whole of Ravel´s output in different single cds, some of them in different versions. Of late, I´m considering to get hold of a complete edition box or, if better quality, option, one for chamber music and one for orchestra for instance. Any ideas?

[North Star]

I own the whole of Ravel´s output in different single cds, some of them in different versions. Of late, I´m considering to get hold of a complete edition box or, if better quality, option, one for chamber music and one for orchestra for instance. Any ideas?

Doesn't get any better than this:

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[Pessoa]

Doesn't get any better than this:

[asin]B008KGWWL6[/asin]

Thanks. Surprising. I thought there would be a larger range around to choose from.

[Pessoa]

Have you heard Muraro´s recording of the piano concertos? I haven´t. I´d be thankful to read any comments.

[EigenUser]

I think my favorite piece by Ravel is Bolero.




Just kidding.

I do like it, though, but it's far from Ravel's best work. Most people here probably know that he pretty much thought that it was a stupid piece and that he was confused on why people liked it so much. Good music to listen to while running on the elliptical machine. I'm also aware that this is popular to listen to during other, errr, how shall I say, activities... 

As for my favorites from Ravel, I'd say pretty much ALL of his work! Especially "Miroirs", "Le Tombeau de Couperin", "String Quartet", "Daphnis and Chloe", and "LA VALSE"! I also love the G major piano concerto, although I find the slow movement to be a bit dull (twice as long as it needs to be, I think). I don't think it's his best slow music.

P.S. What is Ravel doing all the way on page 7?!

[Ken B]

I have the Martinon, Dutoit, and Plasson, as well as what comes in mega boxes. They just looked like the best fit for Ravel. Dutoit gets the edge I think over Martinon.

[Mirror Image]

I think my favorite piece by Ravel is Bolero.




Just kidding.

I do like it, though, but it's far from Ravel's best work. Most people here probably know that he pretty much thought that it was a stupid piece and that he was confused on why people liked it so much. Good music to listen to while running on the elliptical machine. I'm also aware that this is popular to listen to during other, errr, how shall I say, activities... 

As for my favorites from Ravel, I'd say pretty much ALL of his work! Especially "Miroirs", "Le Tombeau de Couperin", "String Quartet", "Daphnis and Chloe", and "LA VALSE"! I also love the G major piano concerto, although I find the slow movement to be a bit dull (twice as long as it needs to be, I think). I don't think it's his best slow music.

P.S. What is Ravel doing all the way on page 7?!

No love for L'enfant et les sortileges, Ma mere l'oye, Piano Trio, the song cycle Sheherazade, or Piano Concerto for the left-hand?

[Mirror Image]

BTW, I LOVE the slow movement to Piano Concerto in G. Such crystalline beauty with aching piano cascades that feel like little drops of ice cold water.

[NJ Joe]

I dunno...let's pause and think about that for a second. I don't think it's possible to narrow the list of great Ravelians down to only two conductors. Not when there are the likes of these out there:

Monteux
Cluytens
Ansermet
Haitink (w/ the Boston SO)
Chailly
Koussevitzky

Probably plenty more I haven't heard (Munch is popular, too).

I just ordered 3 used cd's of Haitink conducting Ravel with the BSO.