Your Top Three Favorite Ravel Solo Piano Works

[Josquin13]

Ravel is one of my favorite composers, and my first two votes were easy decisions to make--with no debate whatsoever in my mind: Gaspard de la Nuit and Miroirs.  I consider those two works to be among the most imaginative ever composed for the solo piano.  If only "Ondine" had survived, I'd have still picked Gaspard, and if only "Oiseaux tristes" had survived, I'd have picked Miroirs.

My third choice was more difficult.  As much as I enjoy the "Minuet" from Le Tombeau de Couperin, and the short Prelude (at least, when played by pianists Samson François & Jean-Yves Thibaudet, who both understand the Jazz influence on this piece better than others), I decided upon the Sonatine as my 3rd choice.  Over the decades it has gradually become a favorite Ravel piano work of mine.

Deciding on a single favorite recording for each of these works is a lot harder--except for Miroirs.  Among the many recordings I've heard of Miroirs, the most imaginative account of Oiseaux tristes has come from Samson François; so I would take his Miroirs to my desert island.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqg1Mb-CdIs

As for Gaspard de la Nuit, it's more difficult to say, as so many pianists have played this work extraordinarily well.  But, if pressed to choose, I'd probably take my first recording, the one that I imprinted on, from Ivo Pogorelich.  Michelangeli was brilliant in this work too, but was never given first rate sound quality (as Pogorelich was). Though, admittedly, there are probably more delicate, sensitive, & Gallic sounding versions of Gaspard from a number of excellent French pianists (Fevrier, François, Monique Haas, Meyer, Rouvier, Queffelec, Bianconi, Pludermacher, Collard, Thibaudet, Aimard, etc.).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKgcHjq1xKQ

For Le Tombeau de Couperin, it's an easier choice.  As I think highly of two recordings: from Marcelle Meyer and Madeleine de Valmaléte.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pd49pEjnjS4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFmDWf2b55Y&list=PL28601BC7E4B6CA38

Finally, my three favorite recordings of the Sonatine are from Monique Haas (her earlier recording), Marcelle Meyer, & Jacques Fevrier:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaGYIkrZLuU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th5QqHcVNK0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sff_JrF8l_c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMbBn-SdmUU

[Madiel]

Looks like most folks picked the same pieces I did: Miroirs, Gaspard de la nuit, and Le tombeau de Couperin.

The first two were easy picks. Le tombeau just beat out the Valses for third in my case.

[Crudblud]

Miroirs
Valses nobles et sentimentales
Le tombeau de Couperin

I'm actually not familiar with all those fugues listed in the poll, even the larger "complete" piano works sets seem to omit them.

[Mirror Image]

Miroirs
Valses nobles et sentimentales
Le tombeau de Couperin

I'm actually not familiar with all those fugues listed in the poll, even the larger "complete" piano works sets seem to omit them.

Indeed, but I do wonder how good they are and why haven't they all been recorded? Great list, btw. It seems that people usually pick Gaspard, Valses, Tombeau, and Miroirs unless they're Sarge and they pick Variations on a Theme of Grieg, which has never been recorded before.

[Sergeant Rock]

unless they're Sarge and they pick Variations on a Theme of Grieg, which has never been recorded before.

But I swear I can hear it in my head...and it's really good 

Sarge

[Mirror Image]

But I swear I can hear it in my head...and it's really good 

Sarge

[Crudblud]

Indeed, but I do wonder how good they are and why haven't they all been recorded? Great list, btw. It seems that people usually pick Gaspard, Valses, Tombeau, and Miroirs unless they're Sarge and they pick Variations on a Theme of Grieg, which has never been recorded before.

It's hard to go wrong with the solo piano works, even the ones only Sarge has so much as guessed what they sound like are probably quite good.

[Mirror Image]

It's hard to go wrong with the solo piano works, even the ones only Sarge has so much as guessed what they sound like are probably quite good.

Indeed and this might be a stretch on my part, but I would say the most exquisite piece I've ever heard from Ravel is Oiseaux tristes from Miroirs. There's something that's both deeply moving and frightening about this particular piece that sometimes I play it twice in a row before moving onto Une barque sur l'océan. It never fails to cast it's spell over me.

[Madiel]

The fugues are just student works. They're unlikely to be anything special. And I don't say that because I think Ravel was poor, but because the demands of his study were that he produce things that weren't exciting.

[aleazk]

Miroirs, LTdC, Jeux d'eau

I choose Jeux d'eau because it was the first piece in which Ravel introduced revolutionary sounds from the piano... he was much more advanced than Debussy in this aspect at that time.