Ravel's Bolero

[Pulcinella]

Just remembered that, in addition to a BBC MM version (which I haven't dug out) I also have a version by the Philharmonia under Pesek.
Given the comment about Pesek's Czech recording in the original post, I wonder how his Philharmonia one will fare?
Anyone else got it?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Just remembered that, in addition to a BBC MM version (which I haven't dug out) I also have a version by the Philharmonia under Pesek.
Given the comment about Pesek's Czech recording in the original post, I wonder how his Philharmonia one will fare?
Anyone else got it?

That BBS MM version has a very limited dynamic range.

[Barbirollians]

I listened to the five versions I own last week.

By the end of the fifth (Bernstein ) I felt like I had had enough of the work for a long time .

Monteux still my favourite.

[cloughie]

I listened to the five versions I own last week.

By the end of the fifth (Bernstein ) I felt like I had had enough of the work for a long time .

Monteux still my favourite.

What incredible patience in the name of research. I doubt I’d want to do one!

[bluestateprommer]

Seems that no one has included a link to Philip Clark's Gramophone survey (unless I missed the link in this thread elsewhere), so just in case:

https://www.gramophone.co.uk/feature/ravel-bol%C3%A9ro-which-recording-should-you-buy

The first recording that I recall hearing of it, back in the day, was the Bernstein / ONF version, where Clark's "sensible in all the right ways" characterization rings true, and I still recall that version fondly. Although Clark disses the "Andrew Preview" / LSO version, I rather liked the tiny stretch of the penultimate bar that Previn pulled off. I admit that I'd fallen for the old Penguin Guide evaluation of Karajan / Berlin Phil 1966, and then after getting the LP back in the day, feeling rather underwhelmed when I'd actually heard it. Should give it another go, though. I do have the Boulez NYPO recording on the shelf, in the 3-CD Sony Classical set, but to my shame, I've never made the time to listen to it. From hearing the praise lavished on it here and by Clark, I'll have to make time for it.

As mentioned elsewhere, Boléro is definitely best experienced live (like pretty much all great concert hall music). IMHO, the best place to experience the work in the concert hall is at the top center of the balcony, where you have a full view of the orchestra, and can "watch it grow", so to speak, as Ravel builds up the layers and textures so very carefully. Watching where the melody goes among the soloists, and then groups of musicians, is also part of the fun, and the challenge, in experiencing the work. Even after seeing Bolero several times live, when I think that I know what to listen for at a given moment, something always catches me off guard, because there's so much going on with the orchestration. That is another irony of the piece, that for all its nominal "simplicity" of concept, one actually has to pay extremely close attention to the orchestra to hear, and see, what Ravel does with the two melodies (not to mention the "gear shifts" towards the end). One can't just wallow, because in doing that, one misses how precisely calculated everything is about the work.

Speaking of "calculation", I recall another characterization and "industrial age" interpretation from Max Harrison about Boléro: "a disturbingly successful attempt to turn the orchestra into a machine". (Interestingly, that quote comes from the liner notes of a version missing in Clark's survey: Haitink and the Boston Symphony. The Concertgebouw version with "Uncle Bernie" is also missing from his survey, which I have also.)

[Pulcinella]

Just discovered another version on the shelves:
RPO/Leaper
in a Naxos collection called Orchestral Spectacular.

On as background (yes, I know) as we have our Sunday supper!

[visualnickmos]

Just discovered another version on the shelves:
RPO/Leaper
in a Naxos collection called Orchestral Spectacular.

On as background (yes, I know) as we have our Sunday supper!

Nothing at all wrong with that. Music has many qualities; who are we to judge how others enjoy them?

Oh - and bon appétit