Daphnis and Chloe

[Mandryka]

The Dutoit used to be an extreme critical darling - and was one of those rare early CDs which had a constituency among those who don't like orchestral music: people would buy it to show off their new systems.

To date, it is the only recording of the complete ballet I'm familiar with, though this thread has reminded me that I need to hear Monteux.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Dutoit's was indeed my first CD. It's quiet opening was superb, and I was waiting for a touch of surface crackle or static, but it never came. I still rate this very highly and 30 years later the original pressing is in pristine condition.

[PJPJ]

...... the 1995 BPO/Boulez in thrilling sound.

DG went back to Dahlem for this rather than using the drier Philharmonie. The other Boulez/Berlin recordings are also rewarding.

[johnb]

I've just started comparing the Dutoit and the Monteux recordings and it is very interesting. Dutoit is very plush and luxuriant in comparison to Monteux. I don't think this is mainly due to the age of the Monteux but more that he doesn't do plushness for its own sake - a different approach. Also Monteux's reading is markedly more characterised and has the feeling of always going from somewhere or going to somewhere whereas Dutoit, to me, luxuriates in the moment much more. Perhaps it would be overstating it to say that Dutoit's reading feels more like a sequence of static tableaux, but there is an element of that.

Curiously, Monteux's recording comes over, to me, as having the greater dynamic range, but that is mainly due to how his quiet passages have much more of a soft hush about them and the way he builds the climaxes. To me, so far, Monteux is definitely the more interesting to listen to.

[richardfinegold]

I've just started comparing the Dutoit and the Monteux recordings and it is very interesting. Dutoit is very plush and luxuriant in comparison to Monteux. I don't think this is mainly due to the age of the Monteux but more that he doesn't do plushness for its own sake - a different approach. Also Monteux's reading is markedly more characterised and has the feeling of always going from somewhere or going to somewhere whereas Dutoit, to me, luxuriates in the moment much more. Perhaps it would be overstating it to say that Dutoit's reading feels more like a sequence of static tableaux, but there is an element of that.

Curiously, Monteux's recording comes over, to me, as having the greater dynamic range, but that is mainly due to how his quiet passages have much more of a soft hush about them and the way he builds the climaxes. To me, so far, Monteux is definitely the more interesting to listen to.

The Monteux finally arrived. I was delighted to see that it was a 24/96 emaster, as the last budget lp issue of this state side was a somewhat dullish sounding affair.
The fillers are the Rhapsodie and the Pavane, and they are both beautifully played. The Malaguena of the Rhapsody is perfectly judged, and this can be a difficult movement to bring off.
I've only played it twice, but so far the first part of Daphnis strikes me as having a lot more monetum and purposeful shaping than the Haitink account that I heard a few days ago. The Second Suite is very fine, but not quite besting the Paray version (which is roughly contemporaneous).

[Lordgeous]

Very slightly OT but I was recently blown away by parts of the Sinopoli recording of Suite 2 (Philharmonia).

Seconded!

OOOps, wrong quote! I was meaning the Cantelli!

[BBMmk2]

Being blown away bvy Sinnopli? That must be a first or seconded!?!?

[Ferretfancy]

" For the ninth time, dear Daphnis, said Chloe
You have told me my bosom is snowy
You've made delicate verse on
Each part of my person
Now do something! There;s a dear Bo-ee "

( Well, somebody had to include it ! )