BaL 14.02.15 - Ravel: Piano Concerto in G

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

0930
Jonathan Swain has some tough decisions to make as he explores the the available recordings of Ravel's Piano Concerto in G to make a personal recommendation. With its jazzy rhythms and sultry slow movement, Ravel's Piano Concerto is an evergreen favourite among concert goers and a challenge to performers.

Available versions:


Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Cleveland Orchestra, Pierre Boulez
Martha Argerich, Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
Martha Argerich, London Symphony Orchestra, Abbado
Martha Argerich, Orchestra della Svizzera italiana, Jacek Kaspszyk
Martha Argerich, Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra, Gary Bertini
Martha Argerich, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Yuri Temirkanov (DVD/Blu-ray)
Jean-Efflam Bavouzet (piano)BBC Symphony Orchestra, Yan Pascal Tortelier
Leonard Bernstein, Philharmonia Orchestra
Leonard Bernstein, Columbia Symphony Orchestra
Idil Biret, Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, Jean Fournet
Jacqueline Blancard, L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
Stefano Bollani, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Riccardo Chailly
Aldo Ciccolini, Orchestre de Paris
Aldo Ciccolini (DVD)
Simone Dinnerstein, MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, Kristjan Järvi
Jean Doyen, Lamoureux Orchestra, Jean Fournet
Francois-Rene Duchable, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Armin Jordan
Samson François, Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire, André Cluytens
Samson François (DVD/Blu-ray)
Helene Grimaud, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Jesús López-Cobos
Helene Grimaud, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, David Zinman
Helene Grimaud, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Vladimir Jurowski (DVD/Blu-ray)
Claire Marie Le Guay, Liege Philharmonic, Louis Langree
Monique Haas, Orchestre National de Paris, Paul Paray
Monique Haas, National Radio Orchestra, Jascha Horenstein
Werner Haas, Monte Carlo Opera Orchestra, Alceo Galliera (download)
Nicole Henriot-Schweitzer, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch
Jeno Jando, Budapest Symphony Orchestra, Antal Jancsovics (download)
Benjamin Grosvenor, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, James Judd
Julius Katchen (piano). London Symphony Orchestra, István Kertész
Zoltán Kocsis, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Iván Fischer (dlownload)
Alicia de Larrocha, London Philharmonic Orchestra. Lawrence Foster
Louis Lortie, London Symphony Orchestra, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos
Yundi Li, Berliner Philharmoniker, Seiji Ozawa
Andrew Litton, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Libor Pesek
Marguerite Long, Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra, Maurice Ravel (download)
Albert Roussel, Maurice Ravel
Oleg Marshev, South Jutland Symphony Orchestra, Vladimir Ziva
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo, Alexander Rumpf
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Philharmonia Orchestra, Ettore Gracis
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, Orchestra Sinfonica di Torino della RAI, Nino Sanzogno
Ivan Moravec, Prague Philharmonia, Jirí Belohlávek
Roger Muraro, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Myung-Whun Chung
Roger Muraro, Basel Symphony Orchestra, Hubert Soudant
Yukie Nagai, Malmö Symphony Orchestra, Juni'chi Hirokami,
Kun Woo Paik, Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart, Gary Bertini
Ian Parker, London Symphony Orchestra, Michael Francis
Vlado Perlemuter, Colonne Concerts Orchestra, Jascha Horenstein
Georges Pludermacher, Orchestre National de Lille, Jean-Claude Casadesus
Anne Queffélec, Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, Alain Lombard
Pascal Rogé, RSO Wien, Bertrand de Billy
Pascal Rogé, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Charles Dutoit (download)
Francesco Schlime, Russian National Orchestra, Mikhail Pletnev
Basinia Schulman, Moscow Orchestra, Roland Freisitzer
Huseyin Sermet, Lyon National Orchestra, Emmanuel Krivine (download)
Michael Studer
Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Charles Dutoit
Francois-Joel Thiollier, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Florian Uhlig, German Radio Saarbrucken-Kaiserslautern Philharmonic Orchestra, Pablo Gonzalez
Anna Vinnitskaya, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Gilbert Varga
Alexis Weissenberg, Orchestre de Paris, Seiji Ozawa
Ivan Klára Würtz, Janacek Philharmonic Orchestra, Theodore Kuchar
Yakov Zak USSR State Academic Symphony Orchestra, Evgeny Svetlanov
Krystian Zimerman, Cleveland Orchestra, Pierre Boulez

[Don Petter]

Brave work, as ever! There seem to be a few more, still available, from my list.


Aldo Ciccolini, Orchestre de Paris, Martinon is in the Ciccolini big box

Cor de Groot, Concertgebouw, Beinum is available on APR

http://www.aprrecordings.co.uk/apr2/showfullresults.php

Marguerite Long, orchestra, Branco is on Dutton:

http://www.crotchet.co.uk/CDBP9815.html

Gwendolyn Mok, Philharmonia, Simon is available:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ravel-Valley-Bells-Burgess/dp/B000MGV9YI

Abbey Simon, Luxemburg RSO, Froment (Amazon UK download)

Daniel Wayenberg, Orch. Champs Elysees, Bour (Amazon UK download)

[Petrushka]

Only have the one recording: Argerich/LSO/Abbado. A winner if ever there was one.

[Nick Armstrong]

One of my favourite pieces ever... and this BAL will come 36 hours after hearing Mitsuko Uchida perform it with Salonen, a toothsome combination for which I cannot wait. She's never recorded it so this probably heralds an addition to that exhausting list ( Alpie).

As for recordings - I've had the 60s Argerich/BPO/Abbado for years - I prefer it to the LSO 'remake' that I also acquired when it came out; but some corkers have come along lately. I also have Samson François (interesting historic choice, fun in the outer movements, murders the slow movement), Collard/Maazel (better in the Left Hand), Aimard/Boulez (ditto), Bavouzet/Tortelier, Rogé/Dutoit, Yundi Li/Ozawa and Thibaudet/Dutoit.... plus as a wild card, Thibaudet/GMJO-Philippe Jordan (fab performance recorded from the 2013 Prom).

I think I'm right in recalling that in their 2011 programme on the piece, the French critics chose 'blind' the Argerich/BPO/Abbado performance as the favourite. I do remember they gave short shrift to the Michelangeli/Gracis version which I found gratifying as I've never liked it and always found its status as a 'towering classic of the gramophone' incomprehensible. The revelation for me of the French programme was the Yundi Li performance which remains my 'modern' favourite along with the Bavouzet, I think.

[makropulos]

One of my favourite pieces ever... and this BAL will come 36 hours after hearing Mitsuko Uchida perform it with Salonen, a toothsome combination for which I cannot wait. She's never recorded it so this probably heralds an addition to that exhausting list ( Alpie).

As for recordings - I've had the 60s Argerich/BPO/Abbado for years - I prefer it to the LSO 'remake' that I also acquired when it came out; but some corkers have come along lately. I also have Samson François (interesting historic choice, fun in the outer movements, murders the slow movement), Collard/Maazel (better in the Left Hand), Aimard/Boulez (ditto), Bavouzet/Tortelier, Rogé/Dutoit, Yundi Li/Ozawa and Thibaudet/Dutoit.... plus as a wild card, Thibaudet/GMJO-Philippe Jordan (fab performance recorded from the 2013 Prom).

I think I'm right in recalling that in their 2011 programme on the piece, the French critics chose 'blind' the Argerich/BPO/Abbado performance as the favourite. I do remember they gave short shrift to the Michelangeli/Gracis version which I found gratifying as I've never liked it and always found its status as a 'towering classic of the gramophone' incomprehensible. The revelation for me of the French programme was the Yundi Li performance which remains my 'modern' favourite along with the Bavouzet, I think.

I love it too. Favourites include Argerich/Abbado/BPO, and François/Cluytens (the first record I ever had of this work), and I also have a very soft spot for Monique Haas/Paray (DG) and Queffelec/Lombard (Erato). Another on my own shortlist would be Katchen/Kertesz on Decca. No doubt one of Bernstein's performances is going to be a controversial choice, but I always enjoy the 1946 one with the Philharmonia (RCA) and the remake for Sony.

It's a relief to read what you say about Michaelangeli/Gracis - I feared I was alone in thinking that.

[Barbirollians]

Argerich/LSO/Abbado for me too - but I am in the towering classic of the gramophone camp for the Michelangeli/Gracis record though Argerich would still be my winner - Michelangeli's Rachmaninov 4 is even more dazzling - an account that won me over to a concerto I disliked .

[jayne lee wilson]

Francois/Cluytens VG for me too - on Toshiba, naturellement...

Listening to several Rattle/CBSO CDs recently, including these Ravel Concerti with Cecile Ousset. Sure ranks high with me...

[Belgrove]

I have many versions of this, all of which give pleasure but listen to Argerich/Abbado and Ousset/Rattle the most. It seems fairly bomb proof as a work, so Jonathan Swain may have his work cut out to come to a decision for good reasons. I would never use the word 'sultry' to describe the gorgeous second movement.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I would never use the word 'sultry' to describe the gorgeous second movement.

Gosh, nor would I (Alpie is probably quoting from the Beeb site): there's pain and regret there, but never wallowing - keeping a c'est la vie detachment that makes the melancholy all the more moving.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Gosh, nor would I (Alpie is probably quoting from the Beeb site): there's pain and regret there, but never wallowing - keeping a c'est la vie detachment that makes the melancholy all the more moving.

I was indeed quoting from the Beeb site, which I do every week, except when there is an obvious error.

[Pulcinella]

Another to add to the list:
Entremont/Philadelphia/Ormandy, included in the Boulez (sic) not-so-complete Columbia Album Collection.

[gurnemanz]

A favourite early LP purchase was Bernstein playing and conducting Columbia SO, coupled with Shostakovich 2. A great version in my book, but like makropulos above, I doubt if he will win.

[Nick Armstrong]

It seems fairly bomb proof as a work

Well it was reduced to smithereens by the digital detonations of a German pianist I once witnessed launching an attack on it in the Festival Hall He shall remain nameless (largely because I've forgotten his name ).

I do think the slow movement is easily undone (Samson François... ) by pianists who do that horrible mannered thing of playing the right hand notes behind the left hand ones (there's a name for the technique, can't remember that either!). It's a no-no for me, it tears that most delicate fabric apart....

[Maclintick]

I do think the slow movement is easily undone (Samson François... ) by pianists who do that horrible mannered thing of playing the right hand notes behind the left hand ones (there's a name for the technique, can't remember that either!). It's a no-no for me, it tears that most delicate fabric apart....

Cali, that slight delay in the right-hand you object to is truly HIPP. Here's Marguerite Long shortly after the G major concerto's premiere...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D10Tlp6JTPY

Many pianists of that vintage & later employ the same technique to either expressive or ruinous effect, according to one's personal predilection, & for me it doesn't disqualify Michelangeli/Philharmonia/Gracis from equal honours with Argerich/BPO/Abbado, which enjoys more refined DG sound. Samson/OSCC/Cluytens is also required listening, despite being holed below-the-waterline by agogic hesitations in the adagio & the failure of OSCC woodwind to agree on tuning, but is eclipsed by the blistering account of the Left Hand Concerto with which it's coupled -- that second cadenza !

[BBMmk2]

This has to be one of my favourite piano concerti ever. I have Argerich, BPO/Abbado, Zimmermann, Cleveland, Boulez. The sublime slow movement really hits at the centre. Can't wait.