Ravel: Boléro; Valses nobles et sentimentales [Enhanced]

On this CD:

1. Boléro, ballet for orchestra (or piano)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Jansug Kakhidze

2. La valse, poème choréographique for orchestra (or piano)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Jansug Kakhidze

3. Rhapsodie espagnole for orchestra (or 2 pianos)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Jansug Kakhidze

4. Valses nobles et sentimentales for piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by Jansug Kakhidze

Tracks:

Bolero
Alborada del gracioso
Ma Mere I'Oye (Complete Ballet): Prelude
Ma Mere I'Oye (Complete Ballet): 1 Tableau: Andse du rouet et Scene
Ma Mere I'Oye (Complete Ballet): 2 Tableau: Pavane de la Belle du bois dormant
Ma Mere I'Oye (Complete Ballet): 3 Tableau: Les Entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete
Ma Mere I'Oye (Complete Ballet): 4 Tableau: Petit Poucet
Ma Mere I'Oye (Complete Ballet): 5 Tableau: Laideronette, Imperatrice des pagodes
Une Barque sur l'ocean
Rapsodie espagnole: Prelude a la nuit - Malaguena - Habanera - Feria

Tracks:

La Valse
Pavane pour une infante defunte
Le tombeau de Couperin: Prelude
Le tombeau de Couperin: Forlane
Le tombeau de Couperin: Menuet
Le tombeau de Couperin: Rigaudon
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Modere - Assez lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Modere - Assez anime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Presque lent - Azzez vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Moins vif - Epilogue
Menuet antique
Fanfare pour 'L'Eventail de Jeanne
Daphnis et Chloe (Suite No. 2): Lever du jour
Daphnis et Chloe (Suite No. 2): Pantomime
Dapnis et Chloe (Suite No. 2): Danse generale

Customer Reviews:

Simply wonderful!.......2007-01-09

If you are a music buff like myself ( and I do like all kinds of music ), than what's not to like about The Boléro, by Ravel? And I don't buy into that hog-wash of a story that Ravel wrote this piece in the beginning of dementia...gimmie a break and give that man credit where credit is due.....The Boléro is a master piece! Ok...my review: It was a pleasure to shop for this Cd on Amazon ( after a disappointing search in a main music store )I found what I was looking for, ordered it and anxiously waited it's delivery, which was only about 5 days. The Cd was delivered in tip-top shape and I have enjoyed repeated plays of The Boléro! ( if it were an LP, the grooves would have been worn down by now! ) Today...it's back to classic rock for me. I would surely order from Amazon again!

quiet time reorganization of the mind.......2007-01-05

Have listened to this over the years from a teen who couldn't understand why anyone would write something so slow and repetitive, to a young married who now understood a vehicle for passion in a world filled with disraction, to a person who hears the joy and passion and struggles of a composer and appreciates the pain as a growth process for humans. Tenderly,hot,good stuff.More please.

Sumptuous.......2007-01-04

To heck with arguments about Elvis, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, etc. Ravel's Bolero was the first ever piece of rock music, so there. This version by Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony totally nails it, always been my favorite version. The trick is to not let things get over the top as the intensity heightens. Flawless readings of the Rapsodie Espagnole and La Valse to boot makes this an essential disc. This is all the evidence you need that Charles Dutoit is the greatest living Ravel interpreter.

You never have enough Ravel - just never........2006-01-15

This two disk set is one of those that you should add to your collection because it is wonderful music, sounds great, and is extremely affordable. Everyone knows and loves "Boléro". Commissioned by Ida Rubinstein as a ballet and premiered in 1928 was not a musical success. At another performance, led by Toscanini, Ravel complained that the tempo was too fast. Toscanini replied that it was the only way to save the work. But it soon became a mass success to Ravel's surprise and consternation. He felt they loved it for all the wrong reasons. The violinist Hélène Jourdan-Morhange relates this interesting story of one incident involving the work:

"Ravel was extremely surprised at the mass success of "Boléro" `They're going to turn it into another "Madelon", he said, rather crossly; and deep down he felt that the obsessive, musico-sexual element in the piece was probably behind its enormous popularity. But one old lady was proof against the contagion. Ravel's brother Edouard saw her, at the first performance, wedged tightly in her seat shouting above the applause `Rubbish! Rubbish!' Maurice, when informed by his brother, replied mysteriously: `That Old Lady got the message!'" from Ravel et nous 1945 page 166.

The other works on this disk are more substantive than the 15-minute crescendo and its constantly changing orchestral colors. The entire "Mother Goose" ballet - who doesn't love this? Although you usually here it performed as the suite. The "Rhapsodie Espagnol" is a favorite and delivers that wonderful Spanish flavor with a French sauce.

"Le tombeau de Couperin" and "Valses nobles et sentimentale" are orchestrations of major piano works (with some alterations in the tombeau) (there are other pieces on these disks that also began as piano works) that are probably more well known to the general public as orchestral works. However, they are very essential works in the pianist's repertoire, and I encourage you to get to know them in that form as well.

"La Valse" is really two things. There is a tribute to Johann Strauss. Ravel admitted that every composer wanted to write a very good waltz, but that it was very difficult. So, he wrote this symphonic waltz as a tribute. However, the second half is something else, is it not? There is decadence and a madness to it that seems like a nightmare to me. As if we are all trapped in this thing until everything falls apart with pain and loss into nothing. A fascinating piece.

There are other small and popular pieces on this disk that are all done well.

Recommended!

The Best of Ravel By Master Conductor And Orchestra.......2005-11-10

French-Canadian conductor Charles Dutoit and the Motneral Symphony Orchestra deliver what is the most musically satisfying collection of Ravel Bolero's French music. At a fine price, this is a fine jewel, with moments that sparkle and burn with a beautiful fire. The first track is of course the famous Bolero, with its hypnotic, singular theme that is expanded into a climatic crescendo which is overtly sexual, primal and sensuous. It was originally a ballet about a Spanish dancer (dancing the bolero of course) in a bawdy cafe. She is spurred on to dance even more erotically by the lusty men until we can assume the men can take no more. The Rhapsody Espagnole is an evocative portrait of Spain, with lyrical passages and tonal beauty. The Valse is another classic of French music of the early 20th century. Ravel's mother had died prior to the premiere. It is a slow, romantic waltz that escalates into a frenzied dance of death. In musical terms, there is nothing too different from La Valse and Bolero. They are both basically one motif that is repeated but changes in volume and pacing. The Pavane For A Dead Princess is my favorite work of his. It is possibly the most gorgeous funeral music one will ever hear. Far from being a melancholy piece, it is a stately, Renaissance-like work that pays homage to exoticism of the East and Romanticism of the West. The Dead Princess we assume is either Moorish or Spanish and the music is lilting and spiritual without ever reaching the heights of frustration or despair that Bolero or Valse take on. The Tomb of Couperin is also a funereal piece but its beauty lies in its imitation of Baroque music. Couperin was a Baroque composer of keyboard works. The music is aptly called neo-baroque or neoclassical since it was composed in the 20th century. This same style is embedded in Valses Nobles Et Sentimentales and Minuet Antique- all works that reflect the music of the Baroque and classical eras, an homage to Handel and Gluck. Daphne Et Cloe is perhaps his most ambitious work, as it expands on the Baroque classic and makes it more operatic and orchestrally grander. All fans of Ravel will want to own this recording. Dutoit knows this music down to a T and the orchestra captures nuance and subtlety in a variety of both light and dark textures. The music is brimming with life and the sound is crisp and beautifully remastered.

Average customer rating:

Salon music at its best.

Complete Orchestral Works
Ravel , London Symphony Orchestra , and Claudio Abbado
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000065TUZ
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Customer Reviews:

Salon music at its best........2004-07-28

What a perfect match! Ravel, a composer who can produce nothing serious but salon music, Abbado, a conductor who almost brought the once venerable Berliner Philharmoniker to a salon band, and the LSO, though still performing respectable works, a regular feature in salon music production.

Average customer rating:

Bolero
Exercise in orchestration.

Ravel: Boléro

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003CUZ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Alborado Del Gracioso
I. Prelude A La Nuit
II. Malaguena
III. Habanera
IV. Feria
I. Modere
II. Assez Lent
III. Modere
IV. Assez Anime
V. Presque Lent
VI. Assez Vif
VII. Moins Vif
VIII. Epilogue
La Valse
Bolero

Amazon.com

Jesus Lopez-Cobos proves himself a perceptive and idiomatic interpreter of some of Ravel's most popular works. A conductor with a fine ear and a style that lends itself more to elegance than brute force, he encourages his players to explore every nook and cranny of these colorful scores, without any sacrifice of energy or excitement. He's helped in no small degree by Telarc's excellent recording, which allows the music to build to a natural climax that conveys maximum impact without any sense of strain. There are many excellent Ravel discs out there, and this certainly deserves to be considered one of them. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Bolero.......2007-03-20

Main reason I bought this disc was Bolero, which is an excellent 15-minute long piece. The rest of the peices, while not what would normally attract me to buying a disc of themselves, were quite enjoyable. Reccommended for anyone who likes classical/orchestral music

Exercise in orchestration........2002-01-31

What else can you say when a spirited performance of astoundingly inspired music is brilliantly recorded with depth and clarity as on this recording? Not only are these pieces excellent examples of Ravel's orchestral mastery; the sonics Telarc uses to tranmit them through your speakers will have you rapt with respect. The instrumental colors captured here run from excitingly vivid pizzicato stings to reflectively subdued woodwinds. The Bolero is excellent; it covers every decibel level. But, some of Ravel's slyest orchestral tricks will delight you in the Rapsodie and La Valse. This disc is well worth adding to your collection.

Average customer rating:

The only set you need
Outstanding performances at any price
More Evocative than some of Mahler's Symphonies
One stop shopping! Unparalleled Debussy, and excellent Ravel
In Debussy Martinon is unbeatble!

Debussy, Ravel: Orchestral Works
Claude Debussy , Jean Martinon , and Orchestre de Paris
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00006HM8X
Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

I: De L'aube A Midi Sur La Mer - Jean Martinon
II: Jeux De Vagues - Jean Martinon
III: Dialogue Du Vent Et De La Mer - Jean Martinon
I: Nuages - Jean Martinon
II: Fetes - Jean Martinon
III: Sirenes - Choeurs De L'Ortf
Prelude A L'apres-midi D'un Faune - Alain Marion
Marche Ecossaise - Jean Martinon
Berceuse Heroique - Jean Martinon
I: Fanfare - Jean Martinon
II: Le Sommeil De Lear - Jean Martinon

Tracks:

Jeux (Poeme Danse) - Jean Martinon
1. Gigues/2. Iberia - Jean Martinon
I: Par Les Rues Et Par Les Chemins - Jean Martinon
II: Les Parfums De La Nuit - Jean Martinon
III: Le Matin D'un Jour De Fete - Jean Martinon
3. Rondes De Printemps - Jean Martinon
Premiere Partie - Jean Martinon
Deuxieme Partie - Fabienne Boury

Tracks:

1. Doctor Gradus Ad Parnassum - Jules Goetgheluck
2. Jimbo's Lullaby - Jules Goetgheluck
3. Serenade For The Doll - Jules Goetgheluck
4. The Snow Is Dancing - Jules Goetgheluck
5. The Little Shepherd - Jules Goetgheluck
6. Golliwoggs Cakewalk - Jules Goetgheluck
I: En Bateau - Jean Martinon
II: Cortege - Jean Martinon
III: Menuet - Jean Martinon
IV: Ballet - Jean Martinon
I: Danse Sacree - Marie-Claire Jamet
II: Danse Profane - Marie-Claire Jamet
I: Le Magasin De Jouets - Jean Martinon
II: Le Champ De Bataille - Jean Martinon
III: La Bergerie A Vendre - Jean Martinon
IV: Apres Fortune Faite - Jean Martinon

Tracks:

I: Andante - Allegro - Aldo Ciccolini
II: Lento E Molto Espressivo - Aldo Ciccolini
III: Allegro Molto - Aldo Ciccolini
La Plus Que Lente - John Leach
Premiere Rapsodie Pour Orchestre Avec Clarinette Principale - Guy Dangain
Rapsodie Pour Orchestre Et Saxophone Solo - Jean-Marie Loneix
Khamma - Fabienne Boury
Danse: Tarantelle Styrienne - Jean Martinon

Tracks:

Bolero - Marcel Galiegue
Une Barque Sur L'Ocean (Miroirs: No.3) - Orchestre De Paris
Prelude - Orchestre De Paris
Premier Tableau: Danse Du Rouet Et Scene - Orchestre De Paris
Deuxieme Tableau: Pavane De La Belle Au Bois Dormant - Orchestre De Paris
Interlude - Orchestre De Paris
Troisieme Tableau: Les Entretiens De La Belle Et De La Bete - Orchestre De Paris
Interlude - Orchestre De Paris
Quatrieme Tableau: Petit Poucet - Orchestre De Paris
Interlude - Orchestre De Paris
Cinquieme Tableau: Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes - Orchestre De Paris
Interlude - Orchestre De Paris
Sixieme Tableau: Le Jardin Feerique - Orchestre De Paris
Alborada Del Gracioso (Miroirs: No.4) - Andre Sennedat
I: Prelude A La Nuit - Orchestre De Paris
II: Malaguena - Orchestre De Paris
III: Habanera - Orchestre De Paris
IV: Feria - Orchestre De Paris

Tracks:

Sheherazade: Ouverture De Feerie - Orchestre De Paris
La Valse (Poeme Choregraphique) - Orchestre De Paris
I: Prelude - Orchestre De Paris
II: Forlane - Orchestre De Paris
III: Menuet - Orchestre De Paris
IV: Rigaudon - Orchestre De Paris
Menuet Antique - Orchestre De Paris
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte - Michel Garcin-Marrou
1. Modere - Orchestre De Paris
2. Assez Lent - Orchestre De Paris
3. Modere - Orchestre De Paris
4. Assez Anime - Orchestre De Paris
5. Presque Lent - Orchestre De Paris
6. Assez Vif - Orchestre De Paris
7. Moins Vif - Orchestre De Paris
8. Epilogue: Lent - Orchestre De Paris

Tracks:

Introduction - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Religieuse - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Scene - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Generale - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Scene - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Grotesque De Dorcon - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Legere Et Gracieuse De Daphnis - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Scene - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Nocturne - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Lente Et Mysterieuse Des Nymphes - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Interlude - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Introduction - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danses Guerrieres Et Diverses - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Suppliante De Chloe - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Introduction - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Lever Du Jour - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Pantomime - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera
Danse Generale - Bacchanale - Choeurs Du Theatre National De L'Opera

Tracks:

Lento - Aldo Ciccolini
Piu Lento - Aldo Ciccolini
Allegro - Aldo Ciccolini
I: Allegramente - Jean-Claude Malgoire
II: Adagio Assai - Jean-Claude Malgoire
III: Presto - Jean-Claude Malgoire
Lento, Quasi Cadenza - Moderato - Itzhak Perlman

Amazon.com

At long last, Jean Martinon's classic EMI Debussy and Ravel cycles from the 1970s have been gathered in a space-saving, budget-priced box set. If you love this repertoire, you'll gasp with joy at the conductor's crystal-clear orchestral balances, which truly reproduce what you see in the printed music. If you respond to a lean, sinewy approach to this repertoire in the manner of Toscanini and Boulez, but pine for the timbral characteristics that used to distinguish French orchestras (silver-coated strings, tart woodwinds, and slightly watery brass) in gorgeous, vibrant sonics, Martinon's your man. Aldo Ciccolini's crisp, diamond-edged finger work stands out in Ravel's two piano concertos and in Debussy's rarely heard Fantasie. The young Itzhak Perlman's dazzling, effortless traversal of Ravel's Tzigane will humble many an aspiring fiddler. And you won't find a more sparkling, translucent Ravel Mother Goose Suite on record. Martinon was a marvel, and a sadly underrated podium giant. Grab this set while you can. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

The only set you need.......2006-01-13

After owning dozens of Debussy, Ravel recordings, all I can say is ,
if you have this set, no need to look further.
My Ingelbrecht sets are good, but Martinon is better.
Forget the Munch and Monteaux, Bernsteins, Levine, Karajan (UUCCKKKK) etc etc.

Outstanding performances at any price.......2005-04-28

This boxed set provides a comprehensive collection of the orchestral works of both Debussy and Ravel. Jean Martinon conducts the Orchestre National de l'ORTF in the Debussy and the Orchestre de Paris in the Ravel pieces. The sound is stunning, and the performances are extraordinarily engaging. I have other sets of music by these composers (Simon and the Philharmonia Orchestra for the Debussy) Michal Tilson Thomas and the LSO as well as Boulez and the Berlin Philharmonic for some of the Ravel pieces (Boulez and the NY Phil for Daphnis and Chloe) but these other sets do not contain all the music in the 8 CDs by Martinon and his orchestras. I agree with the other reviewers who find the Debussy especially compelling. I am listening to La Mer now, and the recording captures the performance perfectly, clearly separating the horns, strings and woodwinds and providing a great balance. This is a very dramatic reading of La Mer! However, I find the Ravel performances equally inspired. The Daphnis and Chloe performance is tremendously exciting, and the ballet Ma Mere l'Oye is exquisite. When I decided to buy this set, I was looking for performances that would give me new insight into familiar works and also introduce me to some musical treats like Debussy's La Boite a Joujoux. I was not disappointed. This set is not just a bargain, it's a real treasure!

More Evocative than some of Mahler's Symphonies.......2005-01-25

I can't exactly visualise the oils of the French impressionists when hearing these pieces. But I do know what the other reviewer is talking about and the point is well made. They are so inspiring and evocative that they touch your heart strings perhaps deeper than most of Mahler's symphonies despite Mahler's gigantic orchetrations! The recorded sound is excellent: and the conductor is obviously gifted and the orchestra is just beautiful despite the fact that I am no big fan of either Ciccolini or Perlman. Believe it or not, in Hong Kong HK Records and HMV are selling the boxset at about 60% of the listed price in US: a real bargain. Grap it while it is still available, particularly those who live in HK.

One stop shopping! Unparalleled Debussy, and excellent Ravel.......2004-11-21

I've treasured both of these cycles since the 1970s when both appeared in single LP installements, each one eagerly awaited with deserved anticipation. To get them both in outstanding remasterings in a bargain priced box set is almost unthinkable. I'd pay twice the price, even more, if I had to for these recordings.

Other recordings of individual works may excel these, like Karajan's La Mer, or Monteux's Daphnis, Haitink's Nocturnes, and so on. But when listened to in such consistent interpretations as these from Jean Martinon, the works as a whole take on a different dimension. Each work is like a chapter in a novel, and they all weave together to make a very satisfying experience that is quite different than one gets with just the individual compositions.

That is especially true of the Debussy.

Two different Orchestras are represented. The Debussy are performed by the French National Orchestra, the Ravel by the more well known Orchestre De Paris, an orchestra that made recordings in those days with such notables as Kerbert von Karajan and Seiji Ozawa. The Debussy, though is actually better executed. The ensemble is tighter, the string tone more sumptuous.

The Debussy has no competition for completeness. No other conductor has traversed the entire orchestral output with the thoroughness that Martinon has. Boulez is probably the closest available. I think very highly of the Boulez recordings, especially the newer ones for DG. But the interpretations lack the unity and consistency that Martinon maintains throughout the cycle.

There is more competition with the Ravel, though. When issued, the cycle was met equally by an excellent set from the Minnesota Orchestra under Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, which came in a box at a lower price. Again, Martinon won my heart for his consistency. The Skrowaczewski was better executed by the Minnesota Orchestra than Martinon's Orchetre De Paris. The EMI sound was better, but back then the quality of the Angel LPs was terrible, so the Skrowaczewski go tthe nod for technical superiority unless you were fortunate enough to get your hands on more expensive import copies of the Martinon. There was a cycle from Ozawa on DG also, but artistically it could not match up with the other two. When CDs were introduced, along came Charles Dutoit and the Montreal SO on London/Decca. And they came with a huge splash and acclaim. I puked! and I have always puked when I hear Dutoit conduct anything, with maybe one or two exceptions. Dutoit makes Ravel sound too smooth and glossy. I do give the Decca engineers great credit for the sound (though the Daphnis gets my vote as the worst CD ever produced, being that it was 55 minutes long with no tracks or indexes!).

Now that EMI have so excellently remastered the Martinon recordings though,the choice for a complete set of the orchestral works is very clear. The experience of Martinon's unified consistent interpretations is not quite the same with Ravel as it is with Debussy, partly owing to a less well formed vision from that composer than Debussy. Debussy was more rigid in his world view and musical thought throughout his life, whereas Ravel wavered in many different directions.

When you consider the price, there no reason to think twice about this set. The accompanying booklet is not extremely comprehensive, but adequate enough.

In Debussy Martinon is unbeatble!.......2004-07-31

Jean Martinon is the last director really inmersed in the impresionist mood . His performances are deeply inspired and above all idiomatic . Marie Claire Jamet in the Sacred Dances is absolutely comitted with the elusive forms and pagan enchantment.
Martinon belonged to that hard to find status conductor who really know to engage with the composer mood . So when he played his music the results were overwhelming . He had a enormous gift to suggest . I still remind The Prokoviev seventh symphony with the Chicago Symphony and I can not get another first movement so well performed , for instance .
Back to Debussy he combines the charm and nuance with that incorporean and elusive approach that Debussy and Ravel demands . I state a parallel (if I may) between Martinon - Debussy and Beecham - Delius in what idiomatism concerns .
When Martinon performs Debussy the paintings of Matisse , Monet and Manet seem to awake and come to our mind .
The prientemps and the children 's corner are absolutely of first rate . The clarinet rhapsody is the best in the market .
In the images I prefer the Ansermet version , but the whole set is fundamental if you enjoy the orchestral music of Debussy.
Notice I have not mentioned Ravel works . I have another name in Ravel : Andre Cluytens . But this is out of context.

Average customer rating:

Coil yourself up and let yourself be mesmerized
Ravel lovers take note.
masterpiece

Ravel: Bolero; Rapsodie Espagnole

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ormandy Conducts Sibelius & Grieg

ASIN: B0000027UZ
Release Date: 1992-06-02

Tracks:

Bolero
Rapsodie espagnole: I. Prelude a la nuit
Rapsodie espagnole: II. Malaguena
Rapsodie espagnole: III. Habanera
Rapsodie espagnole: IV. Feria
Alborada del gracioso
Le tombeau de Couperin: I. Prelude
Le tombeau de Couperin: II. Forlane
Le tombeau de Couperin: III. Menuet
Le tombeau de Couperin: IV. Rigaudon
Valses nobles et sentimentales: I. Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: II. Assez lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: III. Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: IV. Assez anime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: V. Presque lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VI. Assez vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VII. Moins vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VIII. Epilogue. lent

Customer Reviews:

Coil yourself up and let yourself be mesmerized.......2003-08-07

The audience is reduced to be a bunch of serpents and snakes in a pit and Ravel is the snake charmer. The audience has to be mesmerized and hypnotized by the music, by the flute, clarinet, bassoon, oboe, oboe d'amore, saxophone, strings and many others. The drums and the percussions are there to make the audience undulate, imposing a rhythm behind, over and beyond the melody, the simple musical line played over and over by all the other instruments in succession and together, make the audience undulate to the music, all of them coiled up on their tails, their heads swaying to the right and to the left, forward and backward. Hence the audience is swallowed up in some kind of obsession and obsessive domination that they come to like and desire in total abandon to the drowning flow of the music. A sudden modulation in E major introduces a break, a moment of relief maybe, of liberation maybe, but also a moment during which the audience may try to recapture control over themselves, but it is shortlived and the audience falls back into the loss of themselves in the music that drapes them in a straightjacket of pure enjoying of this total loss of control. And the piece crashes, and the audience crashes along with it in a resounding finale of percussions and strings, falling back onto the ground and breaking a few limbs at the same time. The levitation is over. The hypnosis is over. The audience find themselves crawling on the ground broken and beaten. It is a perfect composition showing how strong music can be when the composer dominates the orchestra and the composition so brilliantly. Note this piece of music is all the better when the instruments have deep and rich sonorities.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University of Perpignan

Ravel lovers take note........2003-02-07

Eugene Ormandy, Charles Munch and The Philadelphia Orchestra produce here unique sensitive readings of Ravel's Bolero,
Rhapsodie espagnole, Alborada del gracioso, and the Valses nobles et sentimentales. The stereo is stunning and the instruments are heard vividly in these complex orchestrations like no other CDs of these works I have heard. Although taped about 1960, the sound leaves nothing to be desired. These are fulfilling "new" readings of these orchestra showpieces. A real treaure in my music collection.

masterpiece.......2001-11-07

this is the greatest classical CD i have ever heard.
I love Debussy, Stravinsky, and Ravel, and this is an awesome
preformance by Eugene Ormandy.
I have listened to many other conductors of the same music
and they just don't possess the mysticism of this MASTERPIECE.

Average customer rating:

Wonderful interpretations of Ravel music
Everything is good but Le Tombeau de Couperin

Ravel: Orchestral Works

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000001GHS
Release Date: 1995-05-16

Tracks:

Bol - Tempo di Bolero moderato assai
Rapsodie espagnole: Prde a Nuit: TrMod
Rapsodie espagnole: Malaguena: Assez Vif - Assez Lent
Rapsodie espagnole: Habanera: Assez Lent et d'un Rythme Las
Rapsodie espagnole: Feria: Assez anim Trmod - De plus en plus anim
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Mod
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Mod
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez Anim
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Presque Lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez Vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Moins Vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Epilogue: Lent
Ma M L'Oye: Prde: TrLent - Anim
Ma M L'Oye: Danse du Rouet et Sc: Allegro - TrLent
Ma M L'Oye: Pavane De La Belle Au Bois Dormant: Lent
Ma M L'Oye: Les Entretiens de La Belle et de La B - Mouvement de Valse Mod
Ma M L'Oye: Petit Poucet: Trmod
Ma M L'Oye: Laideronnette, Imptrice des Pagodes Mouvement de Marche
Ma M L'Oye: Le Jardin Fique: Lent et Grave

Tracks:

Menuet antique - Maestoso
Le tombeau de Couperin: Prelude: Vif
Le tombeau de Couperin: Forlane: Allegretto
Le tombeau de Couperin: Menuet: Allegro moderato
Le tombeau de Couperin: Rigaudon: Assex vif Moins vif - Assex vif
La Valse
Alborada del Gracioso
Une Barque sur l'Ocean
Pavane pour une infante defunte
Daphnis et Chloe
Daphnis et Chloe
Daphnis et Chloe

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful interpretations of Ravel music.......2006-03-16

This double decker DG release of the Ravel Orchestral works with Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony are first rate recordings. This was my first exposure really to Ravel as a child and have since amassed recordings of various works by great conductors of his music including Abbado, Boulez, Martinon, and Previn. This collection still remains to be a favorite of mine.

I suspect that they are a favorite of mine in large part due to the fact that Mr. Ozawa was fresh in Boston having recently taken the helm there in the early 1970's. They are light, dynamic, fast-paced, exciting, not to mention the incredible recording techniques of the DG engineers.

My favorites in this collection include Alborada, La Valse, Rhapsodie, and of course Daphnis et Chloe Suite No.2. What I especially love about this Daphnis is that Seiji did not opt out of the chorus for the suite like so many conductors do. It really adds to the impressionistic sound that Ravel was so famous for.

As a percussionist myself , i found the section to be played cleanly - and these recordings bring out all the nuances without overpowering. The section simply sparkles. On the whole - the BSO (in my opinion) really stand up to their European counterparts.

I highly recommend this set - treat yourself and pick it up.

Everything is good but Le Tombeau de Couperin.......2001-04-30

I had never heard of Seiji Ozawa before I purchased this double-CD set. I can't say that I am awe-struck, but I am not disappointed.

Tracks:

Bol - M. Ravel
Alborada del gracioso - M. Ravel
Rhapsodie Espagnole: Prde a nuit - M. Ravel
Rhapsodie Espagnole: Malague M. Ravel
Rhapsodie Espagnole: Habanera - M. Ravel
Rhapsodie Espagnole: Feria - M. Ravel
La Valse - M. Ravel
Pavane pour une infante dnte - M. Ravel
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Mod - M. Ravel
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez lent - M. Ravel
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Mod - M. Ravel
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez anim M. Ravel
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Presque lent - M. Ravel
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Vif - M. Ravel
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Moins vif - M. Ravel
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Epilogue: Lent - M. Ravel

Tracks:

Menuet antique - Maurice Ravel
Le tombeau de Couperin: Prelude - Maurice Ravel
Le tombeau de Couperin: Forlane - Maurice Ravel
Le tombeau de Couperin: Menuet - Maurice Ravel
Le tombeau de Couperin: Rigaudon - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Prelude - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Danse du rouet et scene - Interlude - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Interlude - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Entretiens de la Belle et de la Bete - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Interlude - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Petit Poucet - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Interlude - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Laideronnette, imperatrice des pagodes - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Interlude - Maurice Ravel
Ma Mere L'Oye: Apotheose: le jardin feerique - Maurice Ravel
Daphnis et Chloe: Suite no 2: Lever du jour - Maurice Ravel
Daphnis et Chloe: Suite no 2: Pantomime - Maurice Ravel
Daphnis et Chloe: Suite no 2: Danse generale - Maurice Ravel

Amazon.com

Haitink has re-recorded much of this music for Philips with the Boston Symphony. Don't buy those records. About a decade ago something happened to Bernard Haitink that turned him into the dullest major conductor still active. Before that, he presided over a series of recordings with the Concertgebouw Orchestra which stand among the finest musical documents ever made. Exactly what induced his current interpretive coma is anyone's guess, and we're very lucky that we have stunning recordings like these preserving his fruitful artistic partnership with this great orchestra. It's hard to imagine what Philips could have been thinking in releasing two full-priced CDs with less music, when at two discs for the price of one you can have these better conducted, better sounding performances. Go figure. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Haitink's Excellent Interpretations of Ravel's Music.......2002-03-28

I strongly disagree with David Hurwitz's strongly negative view of Haitink's current skills as an orchestral conductor. Having recently heard Haitink conduct the Vienna Philarmonic at Carnegie Hall, I think Haitink is still a first-rate interpreter of both German Romantic and Modern classical music. I'm sure the same holds true for his interpretations of Ravel's scores. Still, I will say that Haitink's tempi on this two CD set are slightly more brisk than those I heard in his relatively recent Bolero recording with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. However, the differences are quite minor, ranging no more than a few seconds to almost a minute at most.

Tracks:

I. Prelude A La Nuit. Tres Modere - Colin Stark
II. Malaguena. Assez Vif - Colin Stark
III. Habanera. Assez Lent Et D'un Rythme Las - Colin Stark
IV. Feria. Assez Anime - Colin Stark
Alborada Del Gracioso - Charles Miller
I. Chanson Romanesque. Moderato - Ulster Orchestra
II. Chanson Epique. Molto Moderato - Ulster Orchestra
III. Chanson A Boire. Allegro - Ulster Orchestra
Tzigane - Yan Pascal Tortelier
Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte - Ulster Orchestra
Bolero - Ulster Orchestra

Tracks:

I. Modere - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
II. Assez Lent - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
III. Modere - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
IV. Assez Anime - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
V. Presque Lent - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
VI. Assez Vif - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
VII. Moins Vif - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
VIII. Epilogue. Lent - Yan Pascal Tortelier
Menuet Antique - Yan Pascal Tortelier
I. Prelude. Vif - Yan Pascal Tortelier
II. Forlane. Allegretto - Yan Pascal Tortelier
III. Menuet. Allegro Moderato - Yan Pascal Tortelier
IV. Rigaudon. Assez Vif - Yan Pascal Tortelier
Une Barque Sur L'ocean - Yan Pascal Tortelier
Prelude - Yan Pascal Tortelier
Premier Tableau. Danse Du Rouet Et Scene - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
Deuxieme Tableau. Pavane De La Belle Au Bois Dormant - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
Troisieme Tableau. Les Entretiens De La Belle Et De La Bete - Yan Pascal Tortelier
Quatrieme Tableau. Petit Poucet - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
Cinquieme Tableau. Laideronnette, Imperatrice Des Pagodes - - Yan Pascal Tortelier
Sixieme Tableau. Le Jardin Feerique - Yan Pascal Tortelier

Tracks:

Sheherazade: Ouverture De Feerie - Ulster Orchestra
I. Asie - Colin Fleming
II. La Flute Enchantee - Colin Fleming
III. L'Indifferent - Colin Fleming
Introduction Et Allegro - Rachel Masters
Fanfare From 'L'Eventail De Jeanne' - Ulster Orchestra
I. Modere - Ulster Orchestra
II. Pantoum. Assez Vif - Ulster Orchestra
III. Passacaille. Tres Large - Ulster Orchestra
IV. Finale. Anime - Ulster Orchestra

Tracks:

Premiere Partie. Une Prairie A La Lisiere D'un Bois Sacre - - Michael McGuffin
Deuxieme Partie. Une Lueur Sourde. On Est Au Camp Des Pirates - - Michael McGuffin
Troisieme Partie. Le Decor Semble Se Fondre. Il Est Remplace Par Le Paysage De La Premiere Partie A La Fin De La Nuit - Michael McGuffin
La Valse - Ulster Orchestra

Maurice Ravel: The Composer as Pianist and Conductor

Average customer rating:

Maurice Ravel: The Composer as Pianist and Conductor

Manufacturer: Pierian
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Pavanes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Claude Debussy: The Composer as Pianist
The Composer as Pianist
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Bartók Plays Bartók
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ASIN: B00008BNTE
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Ravel: Boléro; Daphnis et Chloé; Ma Mère l'oye; Valses nobles et sentimentales

Average customer rating:

Monotonous Boléro
Not a good choice - even for its price!

Ravel: Boléro; Daphnis et Chloé; Ma Mère l'oye; Valses nobles et sentimentales

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ballets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

4-for-3 Classical | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 All Music | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B0000013LK
Release Date: 1992-06-30

Tracks:

Ma m l'oye: Pavane de la belle au bois dormant
Ma m l'oye: Petit poucet
Ma m l'oye: Laideronette, impiratrice des pagodes
Ma m l'oye: Les entretiens de la belle et de la bete
Ma m l'oye: Le jardin feerique
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez anime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Presque lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Assez vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Moins vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: Epilogue
Bolero
Daphnis et ChloSuite 1): Nocturne
Daphnis et ChloSuite 1): Interlude
Daphnis et ChloSuite 1): Danse guerriere

Customer Reviews:

Monotonous Boléro.......2004-12-11

If, as one might expect, it is Ravel’s ever-popular “Boléro” you are looking for, then I suggest you move on: the Czecho-Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra directed by Kenneth Jean takes the piece too monotonously. The soft, slow beginning is done quite well, and there is a certain sensuousness to the clarinets, but as the tension mounts and the piece reaches its (in-)famous climax, one has the feeling that Jean is too rigid, too bound to the written notes, too determined to demonstrate Ravel’s simple rhythmic structure and not interested enough in creating genuine excitement, let alone eroticism.

However, this disc contains three other pieces by Ravel, and here I had the feeling that Jean had, on the whole, done a very good job. “La Mère l’Oye” (Mother Goose) was originally a seven-movement piano piece for children, but Ravel himself orchestrated it and turned it into a five-movement orchestral fairy-tale. This (1912) was the age of impressionism in literature, and Ravel breaks through traditional barriers while managing to make his music both tuneful and programmatic. The instrumentation is fascinating, and I have enjoyed listening to “The Conversations of Beauty and the Beast” over and over again. The “Valses nobles et sentimentales” originated about the same time, and here Ravel manages to combine reminiscences of Schubert with a musically ambiguous language that sounds highly modern and could hardly have less in common with Schubert. Finally, there is the first of the two suites from the ballet “Daphnis et Chloë”, a piece demanding a large orchestra and choir ad libitum. Even without the ballet or any information about its action, the music is able to bind me spellbound for its 12 or so minutes duration, and although the Slovak Philharmonic Choir seems to have been recorded without additional microphones, the singers sound, although a little distant, absolutely excellent.

The sound quality of this 1988 production from Bratislava in Slovakia is above-average for early Naxos, although there is a certain amount of hissing in the background reminiscent of re-mastered analogue tapes. And the empty Czechoslovak Radio Concert Hall does cause a certain amount of echoing and harshness on crescendos.

Not a good choice - even for its price!.......2001-11-14

This is the worst Bolero I've ever heard. I could hardly believe this is performed by a professional orchestra! From the very first note (well, beat in fact), the drum is lifeless and boring. Drums are supposed to make this song go forward, no dragging behind. But that was exactly how I felt.

Also, most of the solo are just plainly BAD. They basically sound like some high school students doing it for the first time. I also think they got some jazz saxophone player doing the solo, for they totally ruined the smoothness of this classical composition.

As for other songs in this CD. They are not really much better, the whole orchestra is very dull. But I address heavily on Bolero because I hate to see when someone ruin a classic piece!!!

Music Track:

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