Ravel: Gaspard de la nuit

On this CD:

1. Prélude, for piano
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Joaquin Achucarro

2. Sonatine for piano
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Joaquin Achucarro

3. Pavane pour une infante défunte, for piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Joaquin Achucarro

4. Jeux d'eau, for piano
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Joaquin Achucarro

5. Valses nobles et sentimentales for piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Joaquin Achucarro

6. Gaspard de la nuit, for piano
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Joaquin Achucarro

Tracks:

Gaspard de la nuit: I Ondine
Gaspard de la nuit: II Le Gibet
Gaspard de la nuit: III Scarbo
Valses nobles et sentimentales: I Modere, tres franc
Valses nobles et sentimentales: II Assez lent, avec une expression intense
Valses nobles et sentimentales: III Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: IV Assez anime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: V Presque lent, dans un sentiment intime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VI Vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VII Moins vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VIII Epilogue, lent
Jeux d'eau
Miroirs: I Noctuelles
Miroirs: II Oiseaux tristes
Miroirs: III Une barque sur l'ocean
Miroirs: IV Alborada del gracioso
Miroirs: V La Vallee des cloches

Tracks:

Sonatine: I Modere
Sonatine: II Mouvement de menuet
Sonatine: III Anime
Le tombeau de Couperin: I Prelude
Le tombeau de Couperin: II Fugue
Le tombeau de Couperin: III Forlane
Le tombeau de Couperin: IV Rigaudon
Le tombeau de Couperin: V Menuet
Le tombeau de Couperin: VI Toccata
Prelude
Menuet sur le nom d'Haydn
A la maniere de Borodine
Menuet antique
Pavane pour une infante defunte
A la maniere de Chabrier
Ma Mere L'Oye: Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant
Ma Mere L'Oye: Petit Poucet
Ma Mere L'Oye: Laideronnette, imperatrice des pagodes
Ma Mere L'Oye: Entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete
Ma Mere L'Oye: Le Jardin feerique

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding performance.......2005-11-29

I have to concur with Del Dotto's opinion in the yr 2000, this is as close to definitive as possible.
But why stop at just 1 excellent recording, also consider Jean Efflam Bavouzet on the MDG label. As well another definitive recording (yes its possible to have more than just one definitive) is Alexandre Tharaud's recent recording on Harmondo Mundi.

Pascal Rouge, a true master in Ravel, a very rare talent in the recording industry.

tour de force.......2005-04-20

Pascal Roges recordings of Ravels great piano works serves as a honest mark of the music that never was, but perhaps might have been. Gently capturing the sheltered aura of pre-novelite Chopin, whilst endowing the music with the acousto-eco-hyperbolies of Keats, this recording is not to be missed. one can almost sense the tragic embrace that beheld Toffy and Dolly in that one moment, that one eternal moment. Ah. I shall never forget it. Ravels piano works are, in all senses, composures of 20th century modernity, suffused with the country-stylised effects of, say, Emmylou Harris, and the impecably marked greenhouse-jubilance connecting all the pieces in one final exotic anti-frenzy makes certain implications on ones ability to hate. I dont hate this cd, for example. the best pieces are Jeux d'eau, what a hit! and Le Tombeau de Couperin. Buy this cd and you will/wont be very very happy.

Ravel Piano Works- Pascal Roge.......2002-08-30

Having searched for ages for a definitive recording of the Impressionistic Masterpiece "Gaspard de la Nuit", I found it in this CD. Roge plays the technical inferno of Ondine and Scarbo with flawless taste and passion. This recording would rival that of Martha Argerich's famous recording of Gaspard that has long been thought to be the best. The Tombeau and Sonatine are also very nicely done. Sometimes however, with the smaller lesser known pieces such as the Minuet, you get the sense that he is sightreading, not truely feeling the music. Nevertheless this is a must have.

Beautiful Works, Excellent Performance.......2002-08-27

Together with the 2CD set of Debussy's piano works, these two albums are master recordings of the finest impressionist piano music. Pascal Roge has an astonishing control of the sound of the piano, and can bring out a beautiful palette of various tone colours and moods, orchestrating the piano and creating a dreamworld of sensations. Listen to the wonderful suite Gaspard de la Nuit, the marvellous sonatine (especially the second movement), and of course the mirroirs... This album is a must!

Prokofiev, Ravel: Piano Concertos, etc / Martha Argerich

Average customer rating:

treasured
Easily one of the finest releases of the Deutsche Grammophon catalog
Miraculous!
The young Argerich--fresh and completely without affectation
Beautiful rendition

Prokofiev, Ravel: Piano Concertos, etc / Martha Argerich

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording
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J.S. Bach: Toccata, Partita, English Suite 2/ Martha Argerich

ASIN: B000001GQQ
Release Date: 1996-05-14

Tracks:

Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester Nr.3 C-dur op.26: 1. Andante - Allegro
Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester Nr.3 C-dur op.26: 2. Thema. Andantino - Variations I. L'istesso Tempo - Var.2.Allegro - Var.3. - Allegro moderato - Var.4.Andantino meditativo - Var.5.Allegro giusto - Thema.L'istesso tempo
Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester Nr.3 C-dur op.26: 3. Allegro ma non troppo
Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester G-dur - In G Major: 1. Allegramente
Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester G-dur - In G Major: 2. Adagio assai
Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester G-dur - In G Major: 3. Presto
Gaspard de la nuit - Trois poemes pour piano d'apres Aloysius Bertrand: 1. Ondine. Lent
Gaspard de la nuit - Trois poemes pour piano d'apres Aloysius Bertrand: 2. Le Gibet. Tres lent
Gaspard de la nuit - Trois poemes pour piano d'apres Aloysius Bertrand: 3. Scarbo, Modere

Amazon.com essential recording

This is the original Prokofiev/Ravel concerto coupling as it appeared on LP; the Prokofiev has also been coupled with the Tchaikovsky First Concerto. I prefer this edition since superb performances of the Ravel are less common. The young (1967) Martha Argerich plays the Prokofiev for maximum brilliance but leavens the Ravel with the composer's ironic lyricism. It's very effective. The bonus is one of the greatest performances of the Ravel piano suite ever recorded, but it leaves me wondering what will happen to the remainder of the original LP. All those solo Ravel pieces should be in the catalog; as Argerich plays them, they offer a primer on what keyboard color is all about. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

treasured.......2007-06-05

I won't go at length about this CD's every refinement, but the Adagio assai on ravel's concerto is easily the best I have ever heard. It is possibly the best collaboration between orchestra/conductor and the pianist of any work. Abbado and Argerich just clicked. It's magic. That does not come along often, even with the masters.

Easily one of the finest releases of the Deutsche Grammophon catalog.......2007-05-24

It's criminal that DG waited almost thirty years to reissue these excellent recordings as a compact disc edition. Never mind the middling late Karajan discs or all this overwrought Lang Lang tripe that they're defecating into mass-production these days - this 1967 release is the finest of many stunning collaborations between Argerich and Abbado at the distinguished helm of the BPO.

The first of the two piano concertos on this disc is Prokofiev's third, and it's undoubtedly one of the best of either Argerich's or Abbado's respective careers. The performance ebbs and flows naturally with note-perfect precision and vibrant (but never overstated), colorful dynamics. Argerich has a keen understanding of any composer's more playful sensibilities, which is why her intuition has always been especially keen when interpreting repertoire works that express such wit by the likes of Prokofiev. Cliché as it is, the only complaint that one could direct at this recording is that it's too short - after three thrilling, relatively brief movements, one is left breathless, but wanting even more. If a better performance of this work has been committed to disc, I'm not familiar with it. Argerich's 1998 recording (paired with Dutoit) is good but nowhere close to this, and the Prokofiev/Coppola recording available from Naxos suffers from the age and deterioration of its' source; given such a poor recording, many aspects of that terrific performance are impossible to evaluate.

The recording of the Ravel piano concerto is almost as thrilling as that of the Prokofiev concerto, and for all the same reasons. Both pianist and orchestra tackle the amusing inventions that Ravel invested in this remarkable piece. The three part form of the second movement is especially well navigated, something that can't be said of many other performances of this composition.

The expanded storage capacity of the CD format permits another recording in addition to the two of the original Prokofiev/Ravel LP: Argerich's amazing 1974 performance of Ravel's "Gaspard de la nuit." If any recording presents this composition as the one of the most difficult of the standard repertoire and Argerich as one of the finest pianists of her generation, it's this one. Both technically and expressively, it is almost incomparably superb, only surpassed by Pogorelich's brilliant equivalent. Argerich exhibits a curious insight pertaining to Ravel's unique, macabre adaptation of Bertrand's poem, and her execution of what Ravel called a "caricature of romanticism" does this insight justice. The speed and tonal color produced in her performance of the infamously difficult "Scarbo" movement is almost inhuman, and must be heard to be believed. This recording was originally released on LP along with numerous other excellent Ravel solo piano works such as "Valses nobles et sentimentales" and "Sonatine." Most of those other recordings are available on different DG compilations, and the inclusion of "Gaspard" succeeding the two concertos on this disc feels appropriate.

It should be mentioned that DG might regain some of its' straying audience if the label chose to reissue DVDs of the many excellent live performances and music videos that it released over the course of it's long and storied existence, instead of so many pointless, worthless, pretentious albums by pop star morons-turned-fake classicists like Sting and Elvis Costello. The music videos for this disc's recording of "Gaspard de la nuit" were especially interesting - curious little films that capably presented symbolist iconography related to the source material as well as video footage of Argerich's light-speed fingers. I've seen enough of these videos in poor quality on YouTube to know that a sufficient number of them exist to pad out a DVD that any sighted Argerich fan would be willing to view, and probably pay for.

Like most of the discs in DG's "The Originals" reissue series, the remastering of these recordings is adequate, but hardly exceptional. The original recordings of the concertos were a bit too bright (almost harsh), and the remastered versions fix this while rendering the soft passages a bit too subdued. Overall, this is a fair trade-off. At the cut price, you can't possibly go wrong with this phenomenal release.

Miraculous!.......2007-05-12

The collaboration between Argerich and Abbado is impressive. Argerich is at her best. A must for your classical collection.

The young Argerich--fresh and completely without affectation.......2007-02-25

The few complainers about this famous recording have slipped fra down the list here at Amazon, and what's striking is that the things they hate about Argerich (mannered phrasing, overly aggressive attack, rushing, banging) are the very things we don't get here. Ms. Argerich can display a reckless, hectoring style, but at her best--as here--she's full of imagination, wit, and an uncanny ability to see beneath the surface of the score.

I can only second everyone else's high praise for the Prokofiev and Ravel concertos, which are spellbinding, as well as for her Gaspard de la Nuit, which is staggeringly virtuosic and original. Abbado conducts with gusto and style, if not the greatest nuance, and only the somewhat dated sonics detract (marginally) from a recording that has remained in print for forty years.

Beautiful rendition.......2007-01-03

The piano concertos by Prokofiev and Ravel are played brilliantly and the quality of the recording is all right, though it could be better (which cost this recording a star). A real treat, both Argerich and the orchestra show great timing and dynamics.
Both sound and interpretation of Gaspard de la nuit do not match the recording by Alexandre Tharaud (Ravel: l'oeuvre pur piano). Still I wholeheartedly recommend this album.

Debussy & Ravel: Piano Works - Samson Francois (6 CD's)

Average customer rating:

great pianist!!!!
Yesterday Francois would be celebrating his eighty-two anniversary

Debussy & Ravel: Piano Works - Samson Francois (6 CD's)
Samson Francois , Claude Debussy , and Maurice Ravel
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Lullabies & Berceuse | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Chopin: Piano Works, Vol. 3
Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works
Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra
Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet
Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas / Daniel Barenboim

ASIN: B0002RUAEM
Release Date: 2004-11-02

Tracks:

1. Danseuses De Delphes
2. Voiles
3. Le Vent Dans La Plaine
4. Les Sons Et Les Parfums Tournent Dans L'Air Du Soir
5. Les Collines D'Anacapri
6. Des Pas Sur La Neige
7. Ce Qu'a Vu Le Vent D'Ouest
8. La Fille Aux Cheveux De Lin
9. La Serenade Interrompue
10. La Cathedrale Engloutie
11. Danse De Puck
12. Minstrels
1. Brouillards
2. Feuilles Mortes
3. La Puerta Del Vino
4. Les Fees Sont D'Exquises Danseuses
5. Bruyeres
6. General Lavine (Eccentric)
7. La Terrasse Des Audiences Au Clair De Lune
8. Ondine
9. Hommage A S. Pickwick Esq. P.P.M.P.C.
10. Canope
12. Feux D'Artifice

Tracks:

1. Reflets Dans L'eau
2. Hommage A Rameau
3. Mouvement
1. Cloches A Travers Les Feuilles
2. Et La Lune Descend Sur Le Temple Qui Fut
3. Poissons D'or
Reverie
1. Andantino
2. Allegretto Scherzando
La Plus Que Lente, Valse
1. Pour Les Degres Chromatiques
2. Pour Les Agrements
4. Pour Les Sonorites Opposees
5. Pour Les Arpeges Composes
6. Pour Les Accords
Masques
L'Isle Joyeuse
Berceuse Heroique

Tracks:

1. Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum
2. Jimbo's Lullaby
3. Serenade For The Doll
4. The Snow Is Dancing
5. The Little Shepherd
6. Golliwogg's Cake-Walk
1. Pagodes
2. La Soiree Dans Grenade
3. Jardins Sous La Pluie
1. Prelude
2. Menuet
3. Clair De Lune
4. Passepied
1. Prelude
2. Sarabande
3. Toccata

Tracks:

1. Allegramente
2. Adagio Assai
3. Presto
Lento/Allegro
1. Pavane De La Belle Au Bois Dormant - Pierre Barbizet
2. Petit Poucet - Pierre Barbizet
3. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes - Pierre Barbizet
4. Les Entretiens De La Belle Et De La Bete - Pierre Barbizet
5. Le Jardin Feerique - Pierre Barbizet

Tracks:

Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
1. Modere, Tres Franc
2. Assez Lent
3. Modere
4. Assez Anime
5. Presque Lent
6. Vif
7. Moins Vif
8. Epilogue: Lent
Prelude
Jeux D'Eau
Menuet Sur Le Nom D'Haydn
1. Noctuelles
2. Oiseaux Tristes
3. Une barque Sur L'Ocean
4. Alborada Del Gracioso
5. La Vallee Des Cloches
Emmanuel Chabrier (Paraphrase Sur Un Air De Gounod)
Borodine

Tracks:

1. Ondine
2. Le Gibet
3. Scarbo
1. Modere
2. Mouvement De Menuet
3. Anime
1. Prelude
2. Fugue
3. Forlane
4. Riguadon
5. Menuet
6. Toccata
Menuet Antique

Customer Reviews:

great pianist!!!!.......2007-02-16

samson was one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century his debussy was sublime and his color palete to impresionism is unsurpassed. could someone tell me if these recordings of his debussy are the stereo ones

Yesterday Francois would be celebrating his eighty-two anniversary .......2006-05-19

Samson Francois figure has evidenced slow but increasing enhancement through the years. His notable pianism, aristocratic approach and refined phrasing are some of his virtues.

If you still do not know about this legendary artist, no itý s the time for you to convince by yourself about the supreme level occupied by him.

When he left us in 1970 at his 46, he had so much to give. The musical world remained legitimately orphan and much more vile since his premature death.

But, fortunately his legacy will live among us, every time you listen any record you acquire of this peerless musician.

His Ravel is loaded not only of notable, sensual and asserive expressiveness. If you know about some other performance able to equal his Gaspard de la nuit, please, be my guest.

His Debussy is sober, eloquent with Impresionist flair and sublime musicality.

A true artistic and a fundamental treasure in your collection.

Average customer rating:

Piano/Dreams

Piano Dreams

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Compilations | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Soundtracks | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music

More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00007L4R7
Release Date: 2003-01-07

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Erik Satie: Gymnopidie No.1 - Lent et douloureux
Franz Liszt: Rjve D'Amour No. 3 in A-flat major
Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky: Octobre - Chant D'Automne
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Sonata in A minor, Ks. 310 - II. Andante catabile con espressione
Ludwig van Beethoven: : Sonata No.14 in C-sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 Moonlight - I. Adagio sestenuto
Robert Schumann: : Fantaisie in C major, Op. 17 III. Langsam getragen. Durchweg leise zu halten
Sergei Rachmaninov: Eligie in E-flat minor, Op. 3 No.1
Paderewski: Nocturne in B flat, Op. 16 No. 4
Erik Satie: Gnossienne No.1
Maurice Ravel: Pavane pour une infante difunte
George Gershwin: Prelude No. 2
George Gershwin: Love Walked In

Tracks:

Claude Debussy: Clair de lune (from Suite Bergamasque)
Edvard Grieg: Notturno in C major (Pihces lyriques, Op. 54 No. 4)
Alexander Scriabin: Prilude in F-sharp minor, Op. 11 No. 8
Frederic Chopin: Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48 No.1
Frederic Chopin: Nocturne in C-sharp minor
Franz Liszt: Au lac de Wallenstadt (Annis de phlerinage, I. La Suisse)
Claude Debussy: La soiree dans Grenade
Artur Rubinstein: Melody In F
Maurice Ravel: Ondine (from Gaspardde la nuit)
Francis Poulenc: Improvisations in C minor, FP 176 No.15- Hommage A Edith Piaf
Sergei Rachmaninov: Prelude in F- sharp minor, Op. 23
Gabrilovich: Melodie in F
Leos Janacek: On the Overgrown Path
Samuel Barber: Sonate Op. 26 - III. Adagio mesto
Roger Quilter: The Crimson Petal
Henri Dutilleux: D'ombre et de silence (from 3 Preludes)

Customer Reviews:

Piano/Dreams.......2003-02-24

I love this cd so much I been play in my store all time and so many customers come up to ask what's cd are we playing and where to get it, i give them all information I know. we love it.

Average customer rating:

Low Price....Low quality
Destined to become a classic
No better deal out there
A must-have cd for piano fans
REGARDLESS OF PRICE, IT DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS

Ravel: Complete Music for Solo Piano

Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000001K24
Release Date: 1992-11-04

Tracks:

Le Tombeau De Couperin
A La Maniere De Borodine
Menuet Antique
A La Maniere De Chabrier
Menuet Sur Le Nom De Haydn
Sonatine
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
Jeux D'eau
Prelude
La Valse

Tracks:

Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales
Gaspard de la nuit: Ondine
Gaspard de la nuit: Le Gibet
Gaspard de la nuit: Scarbo
Miroirs: Noctuelles
Miroirs: Oiseaux tristes
Miroirs: Une barque sur L'ocean
Miroirs: Alborado del gracioso
Miroirs: Le Vallee des cloches

Customer Reviews:

Low Price....Low quality.......2002-05-03

This is not the way Ravel is supposed to be played. It sounds heavy-handed, and too Romantic for my taste. The texture variances and image-making techniques are not there. Also the sound quality is poor. If you just want to know what Ravel's piano music sounds like, then buy it for reference. But if you want to experience the music, I reccomend Martha Argerich.

Destined to become a classic.......2002-01-12

I became familiar with this collection only after I had reviewed Louis Lortie's collection of Ravel's piano music. Although I gave Lortie a 5-star rating, and I believe that still holds true, I reach for Abbey Simon's collection more often. I also indicated that Lortie's recording had become my standard, and I am not sure I would continue to say that -- Simon has challenged Lortie in that position. I completely agree with the previous reviewers who note that this collection is a find at any price, and that the special characteristics of Abbey Simon's artistry finds its most perfect expression in Ravel's piano music

Abbey Simon has long been one of my favorite pianists. As some of the previous reviewers have indicated, he is a master of pianistic color, voicing and tone. His performances almost always have a unique signature that makes them distinguishable from everyone else. His piano, a Baldwin, also seems to have a unique sound -- with a big warm resonant bass and scintillating treble. The Vox analog recordings do a surprisingly good job of capturing his special tone and color. They were always among my favorite recordings even in the days of the LP.

I knew Abbey Simon's recording of Gaspard de la Nuit from about 20 years ago from a Vox LP that also included Valses Nobles et Sentimentales. Despite having heard other performances of Ondine, after listening to Simon I just had to obtain the sheet music to learn the piece myself. I think no higher compliment can be paid to a pianist than that he inspires others to approach the music. More than any other pianist, Abbey Simon has re-introduced a familiar piece to me in a way that makes me want to play it. I fully agree with another reviewer who said that his Chopin recordings are worth obtaining as well.

Abbey Simon is not as well-known as he should be. In years to come, many will look back on his recordings and wonder why he wasn't as prominent as many pianists who currently bask in the limelight. I believe these performances of Ravel, as well as many of his Chopin recordings, will be kept in the catalog for years to come and enjoy special status with listeners far into the future.

No better deal out there.......2001-11-28

More than competent playing. Two full CD's. Though the sound is a bit dry and recessed at times, Simon's tone sparkles enough and comes through when it should (Valses... Gaspard la Nuit, for example). For the price, this double CD cannot be beat. Simon's playing is even and consistent, very scholarly, almost pedantic but never boring, and a great study for those who are interested in learning about Ravel's music, much of which, referring to his symphonic work, pre-existed on the piano.

A must-have cd for piano fans.......2001-10-19

This cd presents Abbey Simon's astonishingly elegant and urbane pianism at its best. He is a perfect match for this repertoire.

No pianist of the past 50 years surpassed Simon's mastery of voicing and color at the keyboard. No matter what other favorite versions you may have, don't fail to purchase this one at its giveaway price.

REGARDLESS OF PRICE, IT DOESN'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THIS.......2001-06-20

Here's yet another three disc vinyl Vox Box I cut my teeth on, finally transferred to CD in 1991. Growing up, and collecting records like they were going out of style (little did we know!), I must have had no less than four or five complete sets of Ravel's piano music; yet, the one that has remained in my collection is the Simon.

For me, Simon is the consummate Ravel pianist, and I've heard my share of Ravel (obviously). He's got "bite." He's got fluency, like liquid butter. He's got panache and a genuine "feel" for the Ravel idiom (a characteristic many pianists strive for, but never attain, that seems as natural as breathing to Simon); he's got "mystery." He's got charm, and an impish quality, too.

All this adds up to two major points: The Music. And the performer. Ravel and Simon merge seamlessly.

I've never heard a "Valses nobles et sentimentales" played with such verve, such sweep, such depth. Nor a "Tombeau de Couperin" with a mixture of heady expressionism, stealth and an intriguing waywardness.

As well, Simon's "Gaspard" and "Miroirs" are fabulous poetic etchings. And the Sonatine? Superb!

His "Pavane" is exquisitely touching; and "La Valse," thrilling.

The sound belies the age of these recordings: it is well-rounded, full, yet detailed, warm and present. It rivals many of today's high-priced, digital CDs, not only in sound, but performance.

Frankly, regardless of price, this VoxBox two-fer, is a critical Ravel resource, and Abbey Simon an invaluable guide.

[Running time--- CD 1: 65:18 CD 2: 70:11]

Schumann: Piano Concerto; Fantasiestücke, Op. 12

Average customer rating:

Argerich at her most brilliant and mercurial
Splendid Compilation from Argerich's Best EMI Recordings
The most stunning pianist of the century

Schumann: Piano Concerto; Fantasiestücke, Op. 12

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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J.S. Bach: Toccata, Partita, English Suite 2/ Martha Argerich
Beethoven: Concertos For Piano And Orchestra

ASIN: B000A2H7PO
Release Date: 2005-08-02

Tracks:

I: Allegro Affettuoso - Andante Espressivo - Allegro Molto
II: Intermezzo (Andantino Grazioso)
III: Allegro Vivace
I: Des Abends
II: Aufschwung
III: Warum?
IV: Grillen
V: In Der Nacht
VI: Fabel
VII: Traumes Wirren
VIII: Ende Vom Lied
I: Ondine (Lent)
II: Le Gibet (Tres Lent)
III: Scarbo (Modere - Vif)
I: Danza Del Viejo Boyero
II: Danza De La Moza Donosa
III: Danza Del Gaucho Matrero

Customer Reviews:

Argerich at her most brilliant and mercurial.......2007-01-15

The long review below gives all the details of this CD, which combines a live Schumann concerto from 2002 and part of a recital from The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam in 1978. Argerich fans will already own both, and newcomers will be entranced. I have not always been a great admirer--Argerich is capable of willful playing and erratic interpretations. But the Schumann, delivered with utmost improvisation, ranks as one of a kind. It far outstrips her clangorous reading under Harnoncourt on Teldec. Be prepared for a less than world class Italian orchestra; the first entry of the feeble oboe and wobbly horn is a shock. But Argerich is the whole show. Among the Amsterdam pieces her Ravel Gaspard de la Nuit is the most astonishing.

Splendid Compilation from Argerich's Best EMI Recordings.......2006-06-12

Among the latest releases in EMI's "Great Artists of the Century" series, this CD is an excellent overview of acclaimed Argentine pianist Martha Argerich's career as a soloist pianist recorded by EMI, from both now and the 1970s, compiled from two recently issued recordings. She has recorded Schumann's Piano Concerto in A minor at least three times in the past twenty years; once each for Teldec (now Warner Classics), Deutsche Grammophon, and EMI. Her latest recording is from a live concert in Lugano, Italy in 2002, backed by the Orchestra della Svizerra italiana under the baton of Alexandre Rabinovitch-Barakovsky. Hers is a fiery, emotionally intense performance, underscoring her still formidable technique, and sounding vividly fresh, with ample dramatic range. In the liner notes critic Bryce Morrison observes how she tries to tackle each performance of this veritable piano concerto classic as if it was entirely new and unpredictable; this is most certainly the case in this riveting live performance.

As much as I admire her latest recording of the Schumann piano concerto, the true gems on this CD are her intense, brilliant performances of Schumann's Fantastucke and Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit from a 1978 live recording of a solo recital at Amsterdam's legendary Het Concertgebouw. Both works are a splendid demonstration of her emotionally intense, technically brilliant playing, with the Schumann illustrating a more gentle, lyrical side, and the Ravel underscoring her fiery playing, as if she was possessed by a demon. More of her dramatic intensity at the keyboard can be heard in her encore performance of Ginastera's three brief Danzas argentinas; her musical tribute to the late great Argentine composer. EMI must be commended for issuing this splendid compilation of some of Argerich's best recordings for its label.

The most stunning pianist of the century.......2005-12-03

Martha Argerich is no stranger to contraversy. Her performances throughout the last half century have been so flamboyant and her excitement unparalleled, but her interpretations are the main focus of the contraversy, because she often seems to draw more attention to herself than to the pieces themselves and their musical qualities. However, no performer that I have ever heard has put so much life into the pieces as she - excitement and passion flow freely from her fingers. The Schumann concerto is very beautiful (although not one of my favorite concertos), and tastefully played (I only have one other recording of this concerto, and really disliked the other one, so I don't have much to compare it to). Schumann's Fantasiestucke is a very beautiful set, and thoughtfully composed. I don't like the anticlimactic ending of the set, but there are some notable highlights, particularly "Aufschwung", "In Der Nacht" and "Fabel". I also really enjoy "Traumes Wirren", a technical powerhouse that Argerich tackles with an amazing blend of ease and excitement. The real highlight of this CD is Ravel's masterpiece "Gaspard de la Nuit". "Ondine" is amazingly beautiful - Argerich executes the runs and tremelos with amazing ease and velocity and doesn't take away from the musical qualities of the piece - she vividly portrays the musical colors Ravel had in mind (this is probably my favorite impressionistic piece, besides possibly Ravel's "Jeux D'Eau"). The middle movement is morbid in its imagery of a corpse hanging and the unrelenting B-flat that is quite effective. "Scarbo" is known to be one of the most difficult pieces ever composed for piano solo, Ravel himself claimed to be trying to make it more difficult than Balakirev's "Islamey." Argerich plays this piece with such passion and technical control that I will forever envy everyone who was able to attend this live performance. Ginastera's dances are a great addition to the rest of the CD - almost a full 80 minutes for a price less than most classical CDs. Although all of these performances are live, the sound quality is excellent (although there is some annoying caughing from the audience throughout much of "Gaspard" - this still doesn't take away from enjoying the recording, though). Definitely a good deal that you will not regret buying.

Average customer rating:

Ravel revealed
Simply Marvelous

Nojima Plays Ravel
Maurice [composer] Ravel , and Minoru Nojima
Manufacturer: Reference Recordings
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Nojima Plays Liszt
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From the Age of Swing

ASIN: B00000158C
Release Date: 1993-04-23

Tracks:

Miroirs: Night Months
Miroirs: Sad Birds
Miroirs: A Boat On The Ocean
Miroirs: Morningsong Of The Jester
Miroirs: The Valley Of Bells
Gaspard De La Nuit: Undine
Gaspard De La Nuit: The Gibbet
Gaspard De La Nuit: Scarbo

Amazon.com

Although the music and performances on this disc are superb, it gets only a qualified recommendation. Minoro Nojima plays these two demanding Ravel suites with all the fluency and color you could ever want to hear, running the range from an eerie Le Gibet to a really thrilling Alborada del Gracioso. The piano sound is outstandingly rich, also. But the pianist didn't play more than these pieces of Ravel, and the company didn't want to couple them with music by another composer, so they agreed to put out this disc with a little less than 50 minutes on it. If that's enough for you, go ahead and buy it. It's wonderful as long as it lasts. --Leslie Gerber

Album Description

"Undoubtedly one of the world's foremost players of Ravel." - Record Geijutsu

Classic 1990 recording reissued by popular demand. One of Japan's most internationally respected pianists, Minoru Nojima began piano lessons at the age of three and at ten years old made his debut with the NHK Symphony Orchestra. Nojima was invited by the Soviet Cultural Affairs Ministry to study at the Moscow Conservatory of Music between 1966 and 1968 under the tutelage of Lev Oborin, during which time he performed numerous recitals in Moscow, Leningrad, and elsewhere in the Soviet Union. After success in several competitions, in 1969 he walked away with second prize in the Third Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Nojima's career went from strength to strength and, the following year, he earned effusive praise from the New York Times for his debut recital at Carnegie Hall. Since then, from his bases both in New York and Tokyo, he has maintained an active schedule of recitals, orchestra engagements, and chamber music performances throughout the United States,! Europe, and Asia. Nojima's Suntory Hall recital, featuring works by Ravel, was hailed by major Tokyo newspapers as being "the best performance heard in years" and Nojima was praised as having "a miraculous technique, his musicianship is polished to the extreme".

Customer Reviews:

Ravel revealed.......2007-03-24

Minoru Nojima is the Clark Kent of pianists. This mild, self-effacing fellow transforms into supernatural powers when placed in front of a piano. In the case of Liszt, reviewed elsewhere, Nojima shows both his power and brilliance. These Ravel works, Miroirs and Gaspard de la Nuit, show off the amazing subtlety of Nojima's pianism. Shimmering is the best adjective I can come up with to describe them. Nojima has to be one of the world's greatest exponents of the romantic era. Unfortunately, the Ravel and the Liszt, both remastered from analog tapes by Reference Recordings, are the only commercial recordings by Nojima available, as far as I know. Get them both.

Simply Marvelous.......2003-08-29

A wonderful recording. Nojima may well be the finest pianist most people have never heard of. Minoru Nojima was a child prodigy in Japan, won a major nationwide competition there as a teenager, studied with Lev Oborin in Moscow and then with Constance Keene and Abram Chasins in New York, and burst upon the international music scene as a winner of the Van Cliburn piano competition in 1969. Although known and highly respected amongst pianists as a "pianist's pianist," he is not well known to most music lovers, largely because he doesn't like to make recordings and has made extremely few. His first recital available in the USA was his 1986 CD Nojima Plays Liszt for the San-Francisco-based audiophile label Reference Recordings. It was enthusiastically received and won rave reviews in several publications. This Ravel CD is the successor to that one. Like the Liszt recital, this technically superb, rich-sounding digital recording was made (in 1989) by Keith Johnson in the Civic Auditorium of Oxnard, California; Nojima plays the same tonally beautiful Hamburg Steinway concert grand. The piano sound here is state-of-the-art, very much like (and perhaps even a tad better than) the stunning sound of the Liszt recital.

Nojima thrives on and indeed seems to seek out music that bristles with formidable technical difficulties and challenges. These he surmounts without breaking a sweat; he almost makes such music sound easy. The pieces here are in their way no less demanding than those in his heroic Liszt recital. Nojima plays Miroirs (1905), five pieces, and Gaspard de la nuit (1908), three slightly longer pieces. Miroirs is certainly taxing enough, but Gaspard de la nuit is even more intimidating. As annotator Harris Goldsmith writes: "Ravel by his own admission sought [in Gaspard de la nuit] to produce a piano work that exceeded Balakirev's Islamey in difficulty. Each of the pieces abounds with knuckle-breaking demands, and each confronts the pianist with a particular, unique problem." The final and longest piece, Scarbo, has been described elsewhere as "a fearsome study in the Lisztian transcendental mold." Nojima is a consummate virtuoso, and his huge, effortless technique embraces with ease all the demands of Ravel's music. His playing here is distinguished not only for its precision, brilliance, and tonal splendor, but also for its poetry, its elegance, its delicacy.

(Note for audiophiles: I compared this performance of Gaspard de la nuit with Vladimir Ashkenazy's on Decca/London, also a digital recording. Ashkenazy, who is of course a world-famous, much-recorded virtuoso, is one of my favorite pianists, and of the major classical labels, Decca/London has long been my favorite for sound quality. But in this comparison, not only does Nojima provide by far the more impressive performance, but the Decca/London recording is not even close in engineering quality. Which prompts this reasonable audiophile question: if Keith Johnson, working for the small audiophile label Reference Recordings, can capture the immediacy, brilliance, depth, and richness of piano tone that we hear here, why can't the major classical labels, with all their resources, engineer recordings of comparable excellence?)

Tracks:

Serenade Grotesque
Menuet Antique
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
Jeux D'Eau
1: Modere
2: Mouvement De Menuet
3: Anime
1: Noctuelles: Tres Leger
2: Oiseaux Tristes: Tres Lent
3: Une Barque Sur L'Ocean: D'Un Rythme Souple
4: Alborada Del Gracioso: Assez Vif
5: La Vallee Des Cloches: Tres Lent

Tracks:

1: Ondine: Lent
2: Le Gibet: Tres Lent
3: Scarbo: Modere
Menuet Sur Le Nom D'Haydn
1: Modere/Tres Franc
2: Assez Lent (Avec Une Expression Intense)
3: Modere
4: Assez Anime
5: Presque Lent (Dans Un Sentiment Intime)
6: Vif
7: Moins Vif
8: Epilogue: Lent
Prelude
Borodine: Valse/Allegro Giusto
Emmanuel Chabrier (Paraphrase Sur Un Air De Gounod, Faust, Acte 3): Allegretto
1: Prelude: Vif
2: Fugue: Allegro Moderato
3: Forlane: Allegretto
4: Riguadon: Assez Vif
5: Menuet: Allegro Moderato
6: Toccata: Vif

Customer Reviews:

look at my other Ravel reviews.......2007-07-08

to see which other pianists I prefer.
As I listen to ravel's incredible breath-taking mezmerising genius of poetic beauty and dazzling skills at composition, I understand why ravel and Debussy did not care much for the geramn romantic tradition. Ravel could not stand anything from Beethoven. In my 30 yrs, the only thing i liked by Beethoven was his 4th sym(only Walter/Columbia), but even that work has faded to a lost memory.
Its amazing how few folk know the genius of Ravel, and even less appreciate the timeless beauty of his creations.
ravel is the flowering and culmination of the romantic period , which is why i feel no desire to hear Chopin.

Martha Argerich: Live from the Concertgebouw 1978 & 1979 - Schumann, Ravel / Argerich

Average customer rating:

Argerich radiates spontaneity and freedom--mesmerizing
An evening with a legend
A free spirit.
Simply wonderful
Amazing and beautiful

Martha Argerich: Live from the Concertgebouw 1978 & 1979 - Schumann, Ravel / Argerich

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Live from the Concertgebouw, 1978 & 1979
Martha Argerich: Live from the Concertgebouw, 1978 & 1992
J.S. Bach: Toccata, Partita, English Suite 2/ Martha Argerich

ASIN: B000055WFF
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

Des Abends
Aufschwung
Warum?
Grillen
In Der Nacht
Fabel
Traumes Wirren
Ende Vom Lied
Modere
Movt De Menuet
Anime
Ondine
Le Gibet
Scarbo

Amazon.com

While the keyboardist herself continues to limit her public performances, great reissues featuring Martha Argerich's riveting live displays of solo piano virtuosity just keep coming out. Someone at the record label clearly knows what she's doing. Argerich's two previous recital discs from Amsterdam's Concertgebouw chronicled her performing the unusual (Bach, believe it or not) and the predictable (Mozart and Beethoven). On this disc (recorded in 1978 and 1979 but still boasting superb sonics), Argerich is again in her element with electrifying readings of Schumann's Fantasiestücke and Ravel's Sonatine and Gaspard de la nuit. While Gaspard offers the clearest portrait of her prodigious technical skills, Argerich's Schumann is simply stunning. She throws caution to the wind and probes the work's emotional depths with all the intensity she can muster. Intense and lovely, this is incredible music-making and a must-have for piano lovers. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Argerich radiates spontaneity and freedom--mesmerizing.......2006-07-27

I'm not always a fan of Argerich when she gets into crash-and-bang mode, but when she manages to hold herself (slightly) reined in, she deserves every accolade thorwn her way. She plays Schumann with great imaginative freedom, and since he, among all composers, should be played with spontaneity, there have been few to match Argerich. These eight Fantasiestucke are supberb. (A reviewer above was at a 1979 concert that preceded this one, and Argerich's tight black T-shirt seems to have convinced him that she was 18 at the time--she was 38.)

But we shouldn't spill all the superlatives before getting to her Ravel. The Sonatine may be short and slight, but it displays some of Ravel's most exquisite tuoches. ARgerich elevates the score to the heights of a Debussy Prelude with her amazingly sensitive imagination. Gaspard de la Nuit was a showpiece for her teacher, Michelangeli. If his version didn't exist, we would consider ARgerich's matchless for touch and control, yet she is far less cool than Michelangeli, whose tone was glassy where hers is emotionally more yielding. The repeated midnight bell in Le Gibet is almost gentle, while Scarbo is all brilliance and nerves.

In sum, a great recital, even if 51 min. is stingy

An evening with a legend.......2005-11-10

Those who had the priviledge to attend any of Martha Argerich's solo recitals will usually say her concerts were major events in the classical-music world and were attended by the best and brightest. When people heard of Argerich playing in town, calanders were cleared and buzz began. People came with a tantalizing sense of expectancy to witness something unique, awesome and, sadly, something all too rare (she largely stopped solo recitals in the 80's). And while many in attendance were devoted purists, for one night this "purity" was often set aside to be freely engulfed by the sheer magnetism and pure drama of Argerich's playing and alluring Argentinian mystique - albeit much of her playing being heavy on individualism.

The live recordings of Schmumann and Ravel on this CD capture the electricity of such long-talked about concerts and are a special piece of history for Martha's fans. Of course, much of the tempos will be fast and overdriven, but perhaps the question is to what extent such tempos and rhythms adds to (or detracts from) the resulting music. I think a main thing that attracts people to Miss Argerich's music is her ability to create "a true event" from the music - music filled with a sense of an unfolding drama and an animated life that she breathes into the music - all combining to create an event that is a memorable moment in time that moves you and leaves you even tingling with excitment, awe or musical inspiration. True, with this artist much of this excitement and sheer drama will be from the performer and less perhaps from the composer. But, is that a bad thing? I guess it depends on many things and your perspective at the time.

No piece better represents Argerich's ability to create this unfolding sense of drama better than her electrifying performance of Ravel's rather strange and seethingly-virtuostic work, "le Gaspard de la Nuit." This is the star of the CD and a performance often noted in the music critic world as most fascinating. Right from the cascading opening bars of the mesmerizing "water-effects" of Ondine, Argerich creates an charged atmosphere of expectancy and excitement. Her dramatic rolling build up in the middle and later "outburst" from the so-called water nymph is sheer mastery of pianism for its tingling effects. The middle movement le Gibet (the gallows) like the others is based on a scene from a imaginative literary work. Here, Martha exudes a most convincing stillness of death and desolation (in spite of a brisk pace even) as she continues her (Ravel's) build-up of the drama. Strangely in this movement, an audience member's creaking chair eerily adds to the chilling scene (like the corpse swinging on the wooden gallows). A rather creepy coincidence! In the last movement, she introduces the audience to the menacing figure Scarbo in the first few bars climaxing with a stunning, two-note "flutter" possessing a piercing electricity unlike any other. Its enough to send chills down your spine especially if you know the story behind this work. So, especially in this most frenzied-by-design movement, Argerich's blazing pianism finds its perfect home and definately adds - or even creates its own category of performance - by its uniqueness and ability to powerfully move the listener. The Gaspard is one of her most notable concert performances to be experienced, and she delivers the imagery and effect that Ravel probably intended in this piece of program music.

If there is one movement that Argerich's rushed tempos starts to detract, it is the opening movement of the Sonatine (Modere). Here, Argerich speeds by the more subtle beauty inherent in this work and creates more inner tension and nervousness than ideal for its more subtle intentions. Critics often cite her missing the inner beauty and soul of some music in the quest for virtuosity and this is one example of that I think. Some movements in the Schumann work also fall in this category too in an otherwise passionate performance (Schumann's music takes well to her style for sure). Yet, she turns right around in the second Sonatine movement (menuet) to reveal a work of delicate artisty and nuance with a wonderfully flowing and most natural tempo.

So, while other artists (Angela Hewitt for one) consistently represent more accurately the composer's musical intent and tempo indications, the final measure to many will be the overall effect on the music and listener - does it just seem rushed or does it seem to match the spirit of the music and add to its powers of peruasion? I would say in this CD, the "Gaspard" is the piece that Argerich does best in this manner, the Fantasiestuck also, but less in parts of the Sonatine. Gramophone gave this CD high marks and was not able to resist the allure of her mesmerizing performance of 'le Gaspard.' As far as sound quality, it is bright and full, fairly closely miked. There is some analog "hiss" (heard mostly in headphones) and some audience coughing, but nothing bad enough to detract from its magical moments and sense of being witness to a musical legend and magical moment in time.

A free spirit........2002-10-23

This live recording demonstrates that Argerich is one of the very few pianists who can actually breathe soul into the music she plays. While other pianists have no problem playing all the notes and giving a musically correct presentation of the works they play, Argerich actually makes the music come alive. When she plays, the music speaks directly and effectively to the audience. She's not an academic pianist who strives for political correctness or one who modifies her speech in order to offend the least. No, what she wants to say she says it with the utmost conviction and confidence. Her honesty and boldness is in her personality as well as in her playing. That is why her playing always provokes the strongest reactions - either love or hate. No matter what, she claims all the freedom that all true artists deserve and never permits herself to be imprisoned between bar lines. Hers is a free spirit, and to listen to Argerich is to embark on a journey that is fantastic and unforgettable.

Simply wonderful.......2002-06-22

I bought this disc as a sad reminder that she probably won't be giving many more recitals, or recording much new repertoire, let alone ever tour the African continent, and becuase she is a great pianist I never heard live. I was completely bowled over. Most live recitals one listens to every now and again, but her unique Argerich combination of energy, craftsmanship and mercurial insight that reveals new splendours even in well-known works, is simply addicting. I LOVE this disc.

Amazing and beautiful.......2002-04-19

My daughter and I just heard Martha Argerich play in Philadelphia in April, 2002. Instead of the listed Chopin, she chose to play Schumann. In the twenty years since this album was recorded, she has lost none of her technical ability or delicacy of feeling. What a range. What a musician..... I found myself wishing the patron would have either had the foresight to bring lozenges or the decency to leave the auditorium. Aside from that, this is a wonderful disc. Miss Argerich demonstrates that playing with speed and power are *not* the same as "banging on the keys". Buy it.

Louis Lortie Plays Ravel's Complete Works for Solo Piano

Average customer rating:

An overlooked set

Louis Lortie Plays Ravel's Complete Works for Solo Piano

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Ravel: Music for Four Hands

ASIN: B0000VM3Y0
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Tracks:

Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte
I Prelude
II Fugue
III Forlane
IV Rigaudon
V Menuet
VI Toccata
Serenade Grotesque
Jeux D'eau
I Adelaide. Modere - Tres Franc
II Assez Lent - Avec Une Expression Intense
III Modere
IV Assez Anime
V Presque Lent - Dans Un Sentiment Intime
VI Vif
VII Moins Vif
VIII Epilogue. Lent
La Valse

Tracks:

I Ondine. Lent
II Le Gibet. Tres Lent
III Scarbo. Modere
Majestueusement
Mouvement De Menuet
Allegro Giusto
Paraphrase Sur Un Air De Gounod - Allegretto
Assez Lent Et Tres Expressif
I Noctuelles. Tres Leger
II Oiseaux Tristes. Tres Lent
III Une Barque Sur L'ocean. D'un Rythme Souple
IV Alborada Del Gracioso. Assez Vif
V La Vallee Des Cloches. Tres Lent
I Modere
II Mouvement De Menuet
III Anime

Customer Reviews:

An overlooked set.......2006-05-04

Lortie's technique is assured and (I say this as a compliment) his approach seems to take Ravel's advice to heart: it suffices to perform the music rather than [over]interpret it. Ranks up there with Simon, Thibaudet, and Casadesus among other sets. Very good recorded sound.

Music Review:

Music Review

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