Search - Ravel, Debussy, Giulini :: Ma Mere L'Oye / Pavane / La Mer / Concertgebouw

Carlo Maria Giulini and the French Repertoire

Grady Harp | Los Angeles, CA United States | 07/11/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Carlo Maria Giulini remains a giant in the memory of performances and recordings of the great Romantic works. His Brahms, Bruckner, Mahler, Dvorak, and opera recordings are still considered definitive. But perusing the over 500 entries in the recorded catalog of his performances, the presence of works less ascribed to him impress. This recording made with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (recordings separated by time and studios) is a refreshingly sensitive approach to the French repertoire. He did record these works with other orchestras (the Philharmonia and London Symphony among them) and for some of the works, those recordings are superior to this one.



But for sheer elegance of sound and shaping of phrases, for the lingering over passages that are caressed by solo instruments, and for one of the most 'French' sounding interpretations, the Ravel 'Ma mère l'oye' (Mother Goose Suite) is, for this listener, the finest recording yet made. Giulini understands the poetry, the delicate humor, and the lush orchestration of Ravel as well any conductor, but he adds to that his innate sense of pacing that makes this short suite shimmer. It alone is worth finding a copy of the CD before it becomes unavailable.



The other works included are Debussy's mighty 'La Mer' (one of his less successful recorded performances of the work), a sensuous 'Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune' (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun), and an elegant 'Pavane pour une infante défunte'. Each is worth attention, but the real treasure here is the 'Ma mère l'oye', quite simply one of the finest recordings available. Grady Harp, July 07"