Search - Maurice Ravel, Pierre Monteux, London Symphony Orchestra :: Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé; Rapsodie espagnole; Pavane

Monteux the Magnificent!

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 04/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The merger of Deutsche Grammophon, Decca and Philips under the Universal corporate umbrella has led to the inevitable sharing of music and marketing plans. Now one of DG's most successful reissue programs, the mid-priced "Originals" line, has been expanded to include Decca titles, presumably in an attempt to streamline the company's overall look in the classical marketplace. While many of these initial releases don't appeal to me personally, one that I'm delighted to see available once again is Pierre Monteux's glorious 1959 stereo recording of Ravel's "Daphnis et Chloe." This performance has been previously available on CD in the old "Classic Sound" series, but it has been out-of-print for several years, and until very recently fetching absurd prices as a rare collector's item. Monteux's magnificent account of the complete ballet with the London Symphony Orchestra has to be considered one of the very best, along with renditions by Ansermet, Cluytens, Inghelbrecht and Munch (see my reviews). Included to round out this disc are Monteux's 1961 recordings of "Pavane pour une infante defunte" and "Rapsodie Espagnole," which were also part of the original "Classic Sound" CD, and more recently were available as part of the "Ravel Orchestral Favourites" Monteux title in the now defunct Philips "50" series. In all, these are priceless Ravel performances, finally for sale at a reasonable price."

The sexiest Daphnis on record!

SwissDave | Switzerland | 04/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the kind of re-release that can bring tears to the eyes of a grown man. Years ago I gave away my then copy of the first CD release assuming it would be easy to replace. I was wrong. I am glad Monteux's Daphnis is available again now, in its finest sonic reincarnation yet. It is the kind of legendary performance (and an audiophile delight, too!) that should never have been out of the catalogue in the first place. 'Nuff said...



Greetings from Switzerland, David."

Daphnis and Chloe from the conductor who premiered it

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 06/19/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Was any conductor better than Pierre Monteux at being in the right place at the right time? As the pit conductor for Diaghilev's Ballet Russe, he premiered Petruskha in 1911, Daphnis and Chloe in 1912, and the Rite of Spring in 1913--amazing. Here, nearly half a century later, his reading of Daphnis seems as authentic as it could possibly be. We get balletic rhythms, pointed French phrasing, an absence of sentimentality, and an intuitive feeling for Ravel's meshing of classic-erotic.



If you like Dapnis to be ultra lush, sexy, sweeping, or fervent, this isn't the recording for you. Monteux's Ravel is glittering and a bit brisk. Sparkle is more evident than high drama. I can imagine living with only this account, especially given Decca's vintage sound, probably the best in the business in 1959. The LSO has picked up the Gallic style from Monteux, and quite often I could have sworn I heard ringers from Paris who had sneaked over the Channel.



Monteux wasn't reliably energetic and alert in his eighties, and the main filler, Rapsodie espagnole, sounds a bit slack and slow. But his devotees will be happy to have it, and the Daphnis alone is worth the price of the CD."