Search - Maurice Ravel, Lorin Maazel, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra :: Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé Suites (No. 1, No. 2); Rapsodie espagnole; La Valse; Bolero

Remarkable technique and orchestral beauty

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 10/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There are any number of omnium gatherum Ravel CDs, and if anyone wants to compete against the classic recordings from Monteux, Munch, and Boulez, they have to offer something extra special. Maazel has always had an affinity for Ravel, going back to his early recordings of the composer's two exquisite operas. But this CD doesn't succeed on the basis of interpretation.



Instead, it's the Vienna Phil. and the recorded sound that provide thrills and spills. Originally released as a sonic blockbuster by RCA, the sound has held up: every thread in Ravel's luscious tapestry of sound is highlighted. The result cold be vulgar, but Maazel is relatively austere in his conducting of Daphnis nd Rapsodie espagnole (he's garish in La Valse, to creepy effect), so the listener can revel in gorgeous sensations without feeling that the whole enterprise is cloying. Highly recommended for the sensualists out there."

Excellent overview of Ravel

_snowcrash | Seattle, WA | 09/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording includes some of Ravel's better-known works. The performances, and the quality of the recording, are superb. I highly recommend this disc (though I would be fine with never hearing "Bolero" again)."

Go Beyond The Usual

Emily | Phoenix, AZ | 03/07/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It's a shame that classical music falls prey to a trend in popular music -- that of stereotyping an artist with one or two songs (or "pieces"). In the case of Gustav Holst, the suite you always hear is THE PLANETS -- beautiful and brilliant, but hardly anyone bothers to explore further, so many people have never heard THE PERFECT FOOL, EGDON HEATH, or Holst's beautiful choral music. In Ravel's case, BOLERO is even more ubiquitous. It's also a marvelous composition, but for years I never investigated Ravel beyond that point. Eventually, I heard PAVANE FOR A DEAD PRINCESS -- oddly enough, playing overhead in a department store. I was intrigued by this lovely, melancholy piece, and surprised to hear the composer was Ravel. But what finally clinched it for me was hearing the DAPHNE & CHLOE suite on the radio. I rushed home to write down the time and day, then looked it up on the radio station's website. Bingo! Ravel again. So I bought this album, and it's a gem.



Lorin Maazel and the Wiener Philharmoniker do a brilliant job in this recording, and the sound quality is excellent. BOLERO is included, but it's at the end, so you don't have to listen to it if you're tired of it. I don't mean to criticize BOLERO, it really is a great piece, but it's not the reason I bought the album, and I would have been just as eager to get it if BOLERO had not been included. If, like me, you were inclined to dismiss Ravel on the basis of one famous composition, here's your chance to explore a new world."