What’s the best complete set of Ravel’s piano music?

Started by Todd, July 08, 2007, 01:32:03 PM

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Dancing Divertimentian

#40
February 18, 2009, 09:47:01 PM
Had a very nice time tonight listening to Gaspard. Michelangeli was the pianist, his 1969 Helsinki performance.

Just a stunning example of re-creative art. His power and concentration in Scarbo sends shivers. If ever a performance deserved "classic" status, I'd say this is it.
Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

rubio

#41
February 19, 2009, 04:52:47 AM
Quote from: donwyn on February 18, 2009, 09:47:01 PM
Had a very nice time tonight listening to Gaspard. Michelangeli was the pianist, his 1969 Helsinki performance.

Just a stunning example of re-creative art. His power and concentration in Scarbo sends shivers. If ever a performance deserved "classic" status, I'd say this is it.

Which other pieces does this Arkadia/Hunt CD include?
"One good thing about music, when it hits- you feel no pain" Bob Marley

George

#42
February 19, 2009, 06:26:04 AM
I hope to do some comparison listening soon with the Casadesus and Bavouzet sets.

Mandryka

#43
February 19, 2009, 07:42:48 AM
Strange that there seems  to be no mention of my favourite Ravel artist.

Actually, truth be told, I haven't heard Casadesus in this -- so maybe he puts Pogorelich in the sahd.

Doubt it though  ;)
Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen

Todd

#44
February 19, 2009, 07:54:12 AM
Quote from: Mandryka on February 19, 2009, 07:42:48 AMActually, truth be told, I haven't heard Casadesus in this -- so maybe he puts Pogorelich in the [shade].


What do you mean by 'put him in the shade'?  Casadesus and Pogorelich are vastly different artists and approach Ravel very differently.  I love Pogo's Gaspard, but even so his take is decidedly self-indulgent and not at all like Casadesus'.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

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Dancing Divertimentian

#45
February 19, 2009, 06:33:54 PM
Quote from: rubio on February 19, 2009, 04:52:47 AM
Which other pieces does this Arkadia/Hunt CD include?

Contents are:

•Ravel Piano Concerto in G, Orchestra Sinfonica della RAI di Torino/Nino Sanzogno
Turin 2 January 1952

•Valses nobles et sentimentales, Arezzo 12 February 1952

•Gaspard de la nuit, Helsinki 22 May 1969

•Galuppi Sonata no 5 in C, Turin 1962

Arkadia GI 904.1

The sound for Gaspard is fairly good. Clean, crisp, no distortion, and virtually no audience noise (except for a hacker at the very opening of the piece).

The concerto and Valses aren't recorded as well but for their vintage are perfectly acceptable.
Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Daverz

#46
February 20, 2009, 01:26:24 PM
Wow, this is an old thread that I missed.  My vote is for Anne Queffelec.  I prefer my Ravel sec.  Other good sets are the previously mentioned Simon and Casadesus.  But you also need Argerich for Gaspard, the Sonatine, and the Valses.  

The Casadesus, though mono, is much better sounding than the horribly swimmy sound Nimbus gave Perlemuter.  I could never adjust to the sound of that Nimbus set, so I eventually got rid of it.

George

#47
February 20, 2009, 01:47:37 PM
This morning I compared 3 short works, Pavane, Jeaux and Prelude, performed by Marcelle Meyer, Casadesus, Bavouzet and Entremont. My conclusion is that I am glad to have the latter three sets.

Meyer was too fast in Pavane and the sound was muddy on Jeaux. No Prelude recorded by her.

Casadesus was great in all three.

Entremont was my favorite for Pavane pour une infante defunte. I wonder why his name never comes up when Ravel piano works are mentioned? The other two works were good as well, just not as good.

Bavouzet was very good too, I just wish that the recorded sound was less reverberant.

George

#48
February 20, 2009, 05:39:59 PM
Quote from: rubio on July 08, 2007, 10:42:54 PM
My only set so far is from Samson Francois (6-CD Debussy and Ravel set on EMI).

What can you (and anyone else) tell me about that set, rubio?

Dancing Divertimentian

#49
February 20, 2009, 07:37:26 PM
Quote from: George on February 20, 2009, 01:47:37 PM
Bavouzet was very good too, I just wish that the recorded sound was less reverberant.

George, it might not be the recorded sound that's bothering you, but the piano. Bavouzet's set is a "HIP" set, using a 1901 Steinway D. The early Steinway isn't as "meaty" as a modern Steinway but compensates by being more sweetly sonorous in timbre. It might take a bit of an "aural adjustment" to acclimate yourself to the piano but the effort is definitely worth it. :)
Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

George

#50
February 20, 2009, 07:44:14 PM
Quote from: donwyn on February 20, 2009, 07:37:26 PM
George, it might not be the recorded sound that's bothering you, but the piano. Bavouzet's set is a "HIP" set, using a 1901 Steinway D. The early Steinway isn't as "meaty" as a modern Steinway but compensates by being more sweetly sonorous in timbre. It might take a bit of an "aural adjustment" to acclimate yourself to the piano but the effort is definitely worth it. :)

No, I actually dig the different sound of the piano, it's just that like many reverberant recordings, the effect is wonderful when the music is simple and slow, but as soon as things speed up and/or get complicated, the focus begins to blur.

Dancing Divertimentian

#51
February 20, 2009, 07:50:25 PM
Quote from: George on February 20, 2009, 07:44:14 PM
No, I actually dig the different sound of the piano, it's just that like many reverberant recordings, the effect is wonderful when the music is simple and slow, but as soon as things speed up and/or get complicated, the focus begins to blur.

I guess it's just a difference in perspective, then. The sound on this set doesn't bother me at all.
Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

George

#52
February 20, 2009, 08:00:24 PM
Quote from: donwyn on February 20, 2009, 07:50:25 PM
I guess it's just a difference in perspective, then.

Yep, once again.  :)

Chafing Dish

#53
February 20, 2009, 08:51:42 PM
Quote from: lukeottevanger on October 22, 2008, 02:24:13 AM


I am certainly going to look out for this! Thanks for the tip.

I can vouch for the quality of the Perlemuter Nimbus disc, but I really dislike the Nimbus recorded sound. It's just very artificial and faux-dimensional to me. Though unique...

My overall winner is Louis Lortie, though. I have yet to hear this Bavouzet fellow, but Lortie beats out Thibaudet for my ears. Then again for the Valses Nobles et Sentimentales I'd go for Dezso Ranki (sorry, too lazy to type diacritics, but not too lazy to type this excuse for not typing diacritics).

Peregrine

#54
May 22, 2009, 08:18:12 AM Last Edit: May 23, 2009, 09:29:32 AM by Peregrine
I don't know (or care!) if it's the best, but thoroughly enjoying the Abbey Simon set I bought a few weeks ago and an absolute steal for the price sold on Amazon -

Yes, we have no bananas

betterthanfine

#55
November 29, 2012, 02:20:14 PM
Bumping this thread to ask if anyone has heard the sets by Hewitt and Osborne? Any good?

StLukesguildOhio

#56
November 29, 2012, 02:36:10 PM
Allow me to add another voice in favor of Jean-Efflam Bavouzet. I love his Debussy as well. Of course I have to have Walter Gieseking, but Bavouzet is my "go-to" choice for a modern recording.

Modern art is what happens when painters stop looking at girls and persuade themselves that they have a better idea.
-John Ciardi

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Dancing Divertimentian

#57
November 29, 2012, 03:00:40 PM
Quote from: Joe_Campbell on October 20, 2008, 07:17:03 PM

I have this set, and Thibaudet's technique and sense of colour is amazing. His ultra-light style of playing, however, seems to me a hinderance in some of the "heavier" music (like Gaspard de la Nuit). Still, he plays the Miriors incredibly. Amazon has samples, so I think you could get a pretty good idea whether or not you like his style from those. :)

Despite all the love I've showered on Bavouzet over the years Thibaudet is now the set I favor most. What a Gaspard!!




Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

SonicMan46

#58
November 29, 2012, 03:47:23 PM
Quote from: StLukesguildOhio on November 29, 2012, 02:36:10 PM
Allow me to add another voice in favor of Jean-Efflam Bavouzet. I love his Debussy as well. Of course I have to have Walter Gieseking, but Bavouzet is my "go-to" choice for a modern recording.



Bavouzet is my current set for these works (replaced Louis Lortie, which I probably should have kept?) - Roge is another 'older' consideration - I've not heard the Jean-Yves Thibaudet, although I own some of his other recordings - plenty to think about! :)

Daverz

#59
November 29, 2012, 11:32:11 PM
Update on my the Perlemuter: I recently found flacs of this, and found it quite a bit more listenable on my current BAT/Rogue/Vandersteen system.  I'd still vote for Queffelec, though.
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