Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales

Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales

Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales
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CD Details

Composer: Maurice Ravel
Conductor: Pierre Boulez
Orchestra: Cleveland Orchestra
Orchestra: London Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Krystian Zimerman
Edition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1999-02-09
Music Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Soundtracks:
  1. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G major: 1. Allegramente
  2. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G major: 2. Adagio assai
  3. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G major: 3. Presto
  4. Valses nobles et sentimentales: I. Modere
  5. Valses nobles et sentimentales: II. Assez lent
  6. Valses nobles et sentimentales: III. Modere
  7. Valses nobles et sentimentales: IV. Assez anime
  8. Valses nobles et sentimentales: V. Presque lent
  9. Valses nobles et sentimentales: VI. Assez vif
  10. Valses nobles et sentimentales: VII. Moins vif
  11. Valses nobles et sentimentales: VIII. Epilogue: Lent
  12. Concerto For The Left Hand In D Major: Lento - Andante - Allegro - Tempo I

Music reviews of Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales

Music Review: A Demonstration Concerto Recording in Every Bit and Piece
Rating: 5 Stars

Having spent quite a lot of words on Thibaudet/Dutoit (Jean-Yves Thibaudet - Ravel: Piano Concertos, etc.), Collard/Maazel (Ravel: Piano Concertos; Pavane pour une infante défunte; Jeux d'eau; La valse) and Lortie/de Burgos (Ravel: Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D major, Piano Concerto in G major; Faure: Ballade, Op. 19), I will now, at least try to, be more brief: Here we have one of the most beautiful, pristine and spectacular concerto recordings in the stereo era! How is that possible? Well, looking solely at the line-up, it is a bit surprising: Boulez conducting the Cleveland and London Symphony Orchestras in Ravel. Oh, and then there is Krystian Zimerman as soloist in the Concertos.

I believe that last bit explains it all. Through Zimerman's unbelievably imaginative pianism, each and every bit and piece just surpasses itself--which is especially true for Boulez, who for ones gets behind the notes and almost catches fire at times. As a matter of fact, his Valses may well be the most exciting in a very long time. Still, they are makeweight to the Concertos. So, back to Zimerman: Throughout, his technical refinement is at a level where few living pianists can rival him--e.g. the first movement opening figure and cadenza (listen to those trills!), the total pristine naturalness of the second movement angelic melody (this is most likely one of the tracks they play in paradise), and the astounding articulation of the third movement alternate quints and runs; the F-sharp minor transition at 6:15, the articulation of the 'Bolero' section from 8:24, and last but not least the magical three-minute end cadenza at 14:09. Even if the first movement of the G major shows microscopic traces of detachment, the D major belongs in the Idea World.

If this wasn't enough, also the DG engineers surpass themselves into one of the best demonstrations of how to record a piano concerto. No flaws whatsoever? Perhaps the pedal noise could have been slightly tidied up in the G major slow movement, and perhaps the low bass could have been somewhat less dominating in the D major. Other than that, no.

Ravel's twin Concertos belong to the most rewarding in the repertoire. Zimerman presents the best one-disc coupling. Having said that, my life still wouldn't be complete without Argerich's 1968 G major and Gavrilov's 1978 D major. Oh, you think I forgot the Michelangeli/Gracis in the G major!? No, certainly not, being on the short list of most 'professional' reviewers; and clearly it is good, if perhaps not as good as often suggested--IMHO, Michelangeli completely ruins the flow of melodic beauty in the Adagio assai with those tacky breaking of hands.
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