Desert Island: Ravel Piano Concerto and Elgar Symphony

[Alison]

Please choose one of each.

What decisions these would be:

For now I'll go for Ravel in G and the Elgar Second.

How about you ?

Mention of recordings to sway opinion gladly received.

[Mr Pee]

I'd also plump for the G Major concerto, and having just this afternoon listened to Mark Elder's recording of Elgar 1, I would have to choose that. What a symphony- the slow movement in particular. It never fails to move me very deeply.

Mind you, tomorrow I'll probably listen to Elgar 2 and choose that instead.....

[Il Grande Inquisitor]

I'd also choose the G major concerto, preferably in Pascal Rogé's recording with Charles Dutoit and the Montréal Symphony Orchestra.

The Elgar would have to be the First - there are so many great recordings to choose from, but I'd probably return to Barbirolli. :)

[BBMmk2]

I would choose the Elgar 1st. Definetly with Barbirolli. I would have Zimmerman and Boulez with the Ravel PC in G

[Roehre]

If the choice is between Ravel's G-major concerto and Elgar's 2nd, it wpuld be elgar.
But I have to concur with the other MBoarders who prefer Elgar's 1st in stead.

[johnb]

Please choose one of each

That's impossible! I love both Ravel Piano Concertos and both of the Elgar Symphonies.

[ahinton]

That's impossible! I love both Ravel Piano Concertos and both of the Elgar Symphonies.

I love all three of Elgar's symphonies! - but, if forced to make such a Desert Islandic choice, it would have to be Ravel's Left Hand Concerto and Elgar's Second Symphony; Ravel's G major concerto never fails to disappoint me, even when played by Argerich (who plays it far too often when she should be playing other things) and, if anything, it proves the point tht one should never try to compose more than one piano concerto at a time - and I say so as someone who holds Ravel in very high regard indeed.

[Alison]

One Ravel Concerto and one Elgar Symphony please, Roehre !

I didnt make it very clear in truth ...

The works just seem so evenly matched. Would anyone seriously prefer Elgar's Third
to the First or Second ??

[johnb]

I love all three of Elgar's symphonies!

Ah, you are including "The Sketches for Symphony No. 3 Elaborated by Anthony Payne"!

[Petrushka]

The choice for the Ravel concerto is much, much easier than the Elgar. Definitely the G Major concerto for me. Astonished to see that I only have one recording on my shelves: Argerich/LSO/Abbado but that will do me. As for the Elgar, the very first recording of one of the symphonies I bought was No 1 with the LPO and Sir Georg Solti back in April 1975. I've heard very many since but for that mythical desert island I'll have that.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Elgar's 1st Symphony would go with me to my desert island even with an unlimited choice. The Ravel would be the G major, if only because I saw Bernstein playing it in the RAH in 1971. He directed from the piano, which must be phenomenally difficult for such a complex work.
For the Elgar, I'd take the 1957 Halle/Barbirolli Pye recording on the Dutton transfer.

[Nick Armstrong]

Tough one this, all four pieces (the sketches for the third Elgar symphony aren't really in the running, for me) are close to my heart.

On balance it would be the Ravel G major... or would it???? even as I'm typing, I'm missing the Left hand one..... Probably the Collard/Maazel recording - certainly, if it was the Left-hand I plumped for, as it's the best recording of that piece, for me (wonderful grumbling opening... and the tang of the French orchestra). But even in the G major, I prefer that performance (of the 7 or 8 recordings I own). There's a simplicity about Collard's way with the slow movement, and that's the movement that would swing it for me - it was one of my first discoveries in music, and has accompanied me in many key moments and places during my life.

And the Elgar. Almost certainly the First, for that opening tune and the fabulous last movement. The recording for me is the Boult/LPO performance on Lyrita.

[Ferretfancy]

Michelangeli in the Ravel surely? There's a run of trills towards the end of the first movement in which he manages to make the piano produce a true glissando, like a musical saw in the way it glides over the notes -magic ! This with it's coupling of Rachmaninov 4 would be in the top ten favourites in my entire collection.
Elgar's second for me rather than the first, but I probably wouldn't take either to the desert island, much as I enjoy them,

[Alison]

On balance it would be the Ravel G major... or would it???? even as I'm typing, I'm missing the Left hand one.....

Yes, that sums up the dilemma for me, Caliban.

I am extremely enthusiastic about the new Bavouzet readings on Chandos. I don't agree with the Guardian review that these
performances are too lightweight. Nor (for once) do I feel that the BBCSO is any hindrance to pleasure. Their lack of creamy
timbre makes for a most refreshing listen. Yan Pascal Tortelier is without peer in this repertoire surely ??
The opening of the Left Hand work is superbly characterised.

[StephenO]

Elgar's First has a very special place in my heart so definitely that. As to conductor, either Boult or Solti - very different interpretations, I know, so please can I have both?! For Ravel I'd choose the G major concerto with Zimerman and Boulez. I'm not keen on the latter's Mahler but love his Ravel.