Ravel, Maurice (1875 – 1937)

[Stanfordian]

I don’t believe it but the whole forum world loves Ravel. Totally justified to be at one on this. Happy christmas everyone.

What's not to like!

[Beef Oven!]

For a modern set, this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ravel-Complete-Piano-Bertrand-Chamayou/dp/B017TBVQL4/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1545730948&sr=1-1&keywords=ravel+chamayou

is pretty good. Benjamin Grosvenor's recording of "Le Tombeau de Couperin" is sublime: I hope that he might get round to the rest of the piano music in due course. And the Argerich Gaspard etc very much vaut le détour.

Thanks. Looks interesting. On the shortlist.

[Beef Oven!]

Listening now to the Austbø set mentioned by Biffo. It seems very fine indeed.

I listened to it a second time last night. Yes, very fine indeed.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Thanks. Looks interesting. On the shortlist.

No La Valse, though.

[Beef Oven!]

No La Valse, though.

I realised, but it seemed churlish to point it out on the back of such a good recommendation. You're such a churl!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I realised, but it seemed churlish to point it out on the back of such a good recommendation. You're such a churl!

Perhaps - but I'm just a churl who can't say "no".

[cloughie]

Perhaps - but I'm just a churl who can't say "no".

Perhaps the absence of La valse is a churlish excuse me!

[Bryn]

Perhaps - but I'm just a churl who can't say "no".

It's a pity the Marcelle Meyer did not record La Valse, especially as her performance with Ravel of the 2 piano reduction was responsible for the split between Diagalev and Ravel. Her recordings of most of Ravel's solo piano works can, however, be found in the Intense Media re-issue of her formerly EMI boxed set:

[cloughie]

I realised, but it seemed churlish to point it out on the back of such a good recommendation. You're such a churl!

If you really want La Valse Louis Lortie is your home. On Chandos either the solo piano or the two piano version with Helene Mercier.

[Beef Oven!]

If you really want La Valse Louis Lortie is your home. On Chandos either the solo piano or the two piano version with Helene Mercier.

Thanks. I've never heard a piano version of La Valse that convinces me that such a transaction has merit. I shall seek LL's efforts out and I'm very interested in the two piano version.

[Bryn]

Thanks. I've never heard a piano version of La Valse that convinces me that such a transaction has merit. I shall seek LL's efforts out and I'm very interested in the two piano version.

Just remember that it was the 2 piano version which convinced Diaghilev that La Valse was not a ballet, but a portrait of a ballet.

[Beef Oven!]

Just remember that it was the 2 piano version which convinced Diaghilev that La Valse was not a ballet, but a portrait of a ballet.

That point is not lost on me, but thanks.

[Bryn]

Currently, of the piano versions, I only have that with Lortie and Mercier for 2 pianos, and Geoffrey Saba playing that for solo piano. I am chasing up the Lortie solo piano recording. It is notable that Hewitt did not include it in her set.

[Oops! Forgot about the Steven Osborne, which I seem to have temporarily mislaid, as also the Yuja Wang.]

[Alison]

I don’t believe it but the whole forum world loves Ravel. Totally justified to be at one on this. Happy christmas everyone.

Well said Cloughmeister!

[Rolmill]

Currently, of the piano versions, I only have that with Lortie and Mercier for 2 pianos, and Geoffrey Saba playing that for solo piano.

I have Stephen Coombs and Christopher Scott on Gamut (recorded 1990) - not listened to it for years, but I recall finding it very satisfactory. No solo piano version in my collection, but I would endorse earlier plaudits for the Chamayou (otherwise) complete piano music - lovely, lucid, sensitive playing.