Maurice Ravel: Piano Concertos

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
Alicia de Larrocha's career has slackened off a bit as she's gotten older, but her interpretive powers in the music she loves so well haven't faded a bit. A couple of decades ago she recorded the two Ravel concertos for London records, performances which were among the most recommendable available. They fell out of print because big labels needed to make room for newer (often less good) versions of the same works. So it's cause for celebration that she has rerecorded these works for RCA.Leonard Slatkin's accompaniments are even finer than on her first versions--critical in this brilliantly scored music--and the sound is better too. --David Hurwitz

Maurice Ravel: Piano Concertos, Music, Maurice Ravel, Leonard Slatkin, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Alicia de Larrocha, 20th/21st Century Sonata/Sonatina for Keyboard, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Concerto, Concerto for Piano One Hand, Keyboard, Music for Keyboard, Piano Concerto

Prokofiev, Ravel: Piano Concertos, etc / Martha Argerich
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treasured

Easily one of the finest releases of the Deutsche Grammophon catalog

Miraculous!

The young Argerich--fresh and completely without affectation

Beautiful rendition

Prokofiev, Ravel: Piano Concertos, etc / Martha Argerich

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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J.S. Bach: Toccata, Partita, English Suite 2/ Martha Argerich

ASIN: B000001GQQ
Release Date: 1996-05-14

Tracks:

Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester Nr.3 C-dur op.26: 1. Andante - Allegro
Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester Nr.3 C-dur op.26: 2. Thema. Andantino - Variations I. L'istesso Tempo - Var.2.Allegro - Var.3. - Allegro moderato - Var.4.Andantino meditativo - Var.5.Allegro giusto - Thema.L'istesso tempo
Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester Nr.3 C-dur op.26: 3. Allegro ma non troppo
Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester G-dur - In G Major: 1. Allegramente
Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester G-dur - In G Major: 2. Adagio assai
Konzert fur Klavier und Orchester G-dur - In G Major: 3. Presto
Gaspard de la nuit - Trois poemes pour piano d'apres Aloysius Bertrand: 1. Ondine. Lent
Gaspard de la nuit - Trois poemes pour piano d'apres Aloysius Bertrand: 2. Le Gibet. Tres lent
Gaspard de la nuit - Trois poemes pour piano d'apres Aloysius Bertrand: 3. Scarbo, Modere

Amazon.com essential recording

This is the original Prokofiev/Ravel concerto coupling as it appeared on LP; the Prokofiev has also been coupled with the Tchaikovsky First Concerto. I prefer this edition since superb performances of the Ravel are less common. The young (1967) Martha Argerich plays the Prokofiev for maximum brilliance but leavens the Ravel with the composer's ironic lyricism. It's very effective. The bonus is one of the greatest performances of the Ravel piano suite ever recorded, but it leaves me wondering what will happen to the remainder of the original LP. All those solo Ravel pieces should be in the catalog; as Argerich plays them, they offer a primer on what keyboard color is all about. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

treasured.......2007-06-05

I won't go at length about this CD's every refinement, but the Adagio assai on ravel's concerto is easily the best I have ever heard. It is possibly the best collaboration between orchestra/conductor and the pianist of any work. Abbado and Argerich just clicked. It's magic. That does not come along often, even with the masters.

Easily one of the finest releases of the Deutsche Grammophon catalog.......2007-05-24

It's criminal that DG waited almost thirty years to reissue these excellent recordings as a compact disc edition. Never mind the middling late Karajan discs or all this overwrought Lang Lang tripe that they're defecating into mass-production these days - this 1967 release is the finest of many stunning collaborations between Argerich and Abbado at the distinguished helm of the BPO.

The first of the two piano concertos on this disc is Prokofiev's third, and it's undoubtedly one of the best of either Argerich's or Abbado's respective careers. The performance ebbs and flows naturally with note-perfect precision and vibrant (but never overstated), colorful dynamics. Argerich has a keen understanding of any composer's more playful sensibilities, which is why her intuition has always been especially keen when interpreting repertoire works that express such wit by the likes of Prokofiev. Cliché as it is, the only complaint that one could direct at this recording is that it's too short - after three thrilling, relatively brief movements, one is left breathless, but wanting even more. If a better performance of this work has been committed to disc, I'm not familiar with it. Argerich's 1998 recording (paired with Dutoit) is good but nowhere close to this, and the Prokofiev/Coppola recording available from Naxos suffers from the age and deterioration of its' source; given such a poor recording, many aspects of that terrific performance are impossible to evaluate.

The recording of the Ravel piano concerto is almost as thrilling as that of the Prokofiev concerto, and for all the same reasons. Both pianist and orchestra tackle the amusing inventions that Ravel invested in this remarkable piece. The three part form of the second movement is especially well navigated, something that can't be said of many other performances of this composition.

The expanded storage capacity of the CD format permits another recording in addition to the two of the original Prokofiev/Ravel LP: Argerich's amazing 1974 performance of Ravel's "Gaspard de la nuit." If any recording presents this composition as the one of the most difficult of the standard repertoire and Argerich as one of the finest pianists of her generation, it's this one. Both technically and expressively, it is almost incomparably superb, only surpassed by Pogorelich's brilliant equivalent. Argerich exhibits a curious insight pertaining to Ravel's unique, macabre adaptation of Bertrand's poem, and her execution of what Ravel called a "caricature of romanticism" does this insight justice. The speed and tonal color produced in her performance of the infamously difficult "Scarbo" movement is almost inhuman, and must be heard to be believed. This recording was originally released on LP along with numerous other excellent Ravel solo piano works such as "Valses nobles et sentimentales" and "Sonatine." Most of those other recordings are available on different DG compilations, and the inclusion of "Gaspard" succeeding the two concertos on this disc feels appropriate.

It should be mentioned that DG might regain some of its' straying audience if the label chose to reissue DVDs of the many excellent live performances and music videos that it released over the course of it's long and storied existence, instead of so many pointless, worthless, pretentious albums by pop star morons-turned-fake classicists like Sting and Elvis Costello. The music videos for this disc's recording of "Gaspard de la nuit" were especially interesting - curious little films that capably presented symbolist iconography related to the source material as well as video footage of Argerich's light-speed fingers. I've seen enough of these videos in poor quality on YouTube to know that a sufficient number of them exist to pad out a DVD that any sighted Argerich fan would be willing to view, and probably pay for.

Like most of the discs in DG's "The Originals" reissue series, the remastering of these recordings is adequate, but hardly exceptional. The original recordings of the concertos were a bit too bright (almost harsh), and the remastered versions fix this while rendering the soft passages a bit too subdued. Overall, this is a fair trade-off. At the cut price, you can't possibly go wrong with this phenomenal release.

Miraculous!.......2007-05-12

The collaboration between Argerich and Abbado is impressive. Argerich is at her best. A must for your classical collection.

The young Argerich--fresh and completely without affectation.......2007-02-25

The few complainers about this famous recording have slipped fra down the list here at Amazon, and what's striking is that the things they hate about Argerich (mannered phrasing, overly aggressive attack, rushing, banging) are the very things we don't get here. Ms. Argerich can display a reckless, hectoring style, but at her best--as here--she's full of imagination, wit, and an uncanny ability to see beneath the surface of the score.

I can only second everyone else's high praise for the Prokofiev and Ravel concertos, which are spellbinding, as well as for her Gaspard de la Nuit, which is staggeringly virtuosic and original. Abbado conducts with gusto and style, if not the greatest nuance, and only the somewhat dated sonics detract (marginally) from a recording that has remained in print for forty years.

Beautiful rendition.......2007-01-03

The piano concertos by Prokofiev and Ravel are played brilliantly and the quality of the recording is all right, though it could be better (which cost this recording a star). A real treat, both Argerich and the orchestra show great timing and dynamics.
Both sound and interpretation of Gaspard de la nuit do not match the recording by Alexandre Tharaud (Ravel: l'oeuvre pur piano). Still I wholeheartedly recommend this album.

Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales

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High quality piano music
Peerless Ravel-Astounding, Heart Stopping
Not quite the summit
A Popular Recording with Suprising Disappointments
Breathtaking beauty

Ravel: The Piano Concertos; Valses nobles et sentimentales

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ravel: Piano Works

ASIN: B000009MF7
Release Date: 1999-02-09

Tracks:

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G major: 1. Allegramente
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G major: 2. Adagio assai
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in G major: 3. Presto
Valses nobles et sentimentales: I. Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: II. Assez lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: III. Modere
Valses nobles et sentimentales: IV. Assez anime
Valses nobles et sentimentales: V. Presque lent
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VI. Assez vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VII. Moins vif
Valses nobles et sentimentales: VIII. Epilogue: Lent
Concerto For The Left Hand In D Major: Lento - Andante - Allegro - Tempo I

Customer Reviews:

High quality piano music.......2006-09-05

Zimerman shows an example of extraordinary mastery in the Left Hand concerto, look at the ending cadenza there! It is absolutely amazing and this CD is worth buying a thousand times.

Peerless Ravel-Astounding, Heart Stopping .......2004-09-28

I have adored the 2 Ravel Piano Concerti since high school and I have heard every existing recording of these masterpieces. Nothing compares to the interepretations of Zimmerman, especially in the Left Hand Concerto. The opening solo cadenza is truly breathtaking and accomplishes what Ravel intended--that the absence of the right hand would not diminish in the least, the virtuosity of the piano part. Zimmerman has an uncanny ability to bring rhythmic flexibility and freshness in every measure and the concluding cadenza has never been played with such power and moving commitment to Ravel's score. I adore Alicia de Larrocha's recording but Zimmerman easily takes the first prize. Pierre Boulez' conducting is always impassioned and thrilling. A must for any lover or Ravel and the piano.

Not quite the summit.......2003-09-08

There are some collaborations that are miraculous, where soloist, conductor and orchestra see as one with the score, where everyone seems to arrive at the same point spontaneously and, seemingly, effortlessly, and the music transcends the written score.

Unfortunately, this isn't one of those recordings.

I'd hoped it would be. We have Krystian Zimerman, one of the greatest pianists alive. We have Pierre Boulez, a man who's had half a century to think about these great works. We have the Cleveland Orchestra, one of the greatest orchestras and one Boulez performs with often.

Yet I feel everyone here is just trying too much. They hit this music too hard, with exaggerated crescendoes and tempi fluctuations, and mannerisms that to me seem out of place for such direct music that should sound almost improvised. The "jazziness" (and jazz was a model for Ravel's concerti) is gone. Dynamics range from VERY LOUD to barely audible. Again, though impressive, I feel it's a little too much--this isn't Mahler. It's all immaculately played and beautifully recorded, with lots of inner detail, but I think we expect that from this crew. The problem is, I don't get any new insights into the music. And the Waltzes are "limpy," or wooden-legged. I get the impression Boulez never waltzed in his life.

For the Waltzes I recommend, if you can find it, Eduardo Mata and the Dallas Symphony on a budget RCA recording that also has a superb La Valse and Moussorgsky "Pictures." For the D minor concerto, my favorite is the effortless and flowing Fleisher/Comissiona with the Baltimore Symphony. For the concerto that employs all ten digits, I'll be not-terribly-original and opt for the famous Michelangeli/Gracis/Philharmonia recording that many critics consider one of the greatest piano recordings ever.

A Popular Recording with Suprising Disappointments.......2003-07-02

While Gramophone did award this CD, the performance of the G major concerto (heralded as one of the great accomplishments on this album) is a great disappointment. The first movement is a good example: many of the woodwind solos following the introduction are simply out of tune, and Zimmerman's sudden increase in tempo in the recap begs for slowing--- it pains to hear such speed for the orchestra. Thankfully, the infamous bassoon and horns solos are beautifully played and bear none of the same problems. The second movement is wonderfully executed, (though a little lifeless in the strings) but the ending is oddly out of rhythm, probably the result of a strange ritardando. It is the third movement, however, that really disappoints. For starters, if one listens to the beginning and ending of the track (noting the last and first few measures are nearly identical music), an exponential increase in tempo occurs. Although this movement has been referred to as "the chase," it is taken to an uncontrollable extreme here. The French horn duet early in the movement is too brash and forward (as are many brass entrances throughout), and there is a clarinet run that fails rhythmically, giving some hint of how Cleveland struggled under Zimmerman's wild tempi. The duet bassoon runs (a famous orchestral audition excerpt) take on a tempo all their own when they start (much slower). The piano playing throughout is flawless, but one wonders if Zimmerman could not heed more to the orchestra in order to make controlled, flowing music. The fluctuating tempi are hard to miss, and lead to a disappointingly fast and sometimes unmusical rendition of benchmark 20th century music. As for the Left Hand and the Valses, they are in much better shape and worth the purchase, especially the former. More control, musicality, and an orchestra with an unbeatable sound (in the case of the G Major Concerto) can be found in Alicia de Larrocha and St. Louis under Leonard Slatkin, with the piano version of the Valses being a special (and more musical) treat.

Breathtaking beauty.......2003-04-07

Krystian Zimerman is one the very few truly exceptional geniuses that can make the piano sing. His colors and tones are of a breathtaking aesthetic beauty as only a Rubinstein or Horowitz were able to produce... French composers appear most suited for him, just look at his Preludes from Debussy. If you love piano, by all means get this CD.

Average customer rating:

A surprisingly different Ravel
good but a mismatching
Extraordinary Performances and recording clarity

Ravel: Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000001G9Q
Release Date: 1989-05-23

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano And Orchestra: 1. Allegramente
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra: 2. Adagio assai
Concerto For Piano And Orchestra: 3. Presto
Concerto For The Left Hand
L'Eventail de Jeanne: Fanfare for the ballet 'L'Eventail de Jeanne'
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Le tombeau de Couperin: I. Prelude: Vif
Le tombeau de Couperin: II. Forlane: Allegretto
Le tombeau de Couperin: III. Menuet: Allegro Moderato
Le tombeau de Couperin: IV. Rigaudon: Assez Vif

Customer Reviews:

A surprisingly different Ravel.......2006-07-20

Two 'Piano Concertos' by Maurice Ravel, performed by pianists Martha Argerich and Michel Beroff with Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra were a really pleasant change from my recently listening to his lesser ballet works. The concerti are definitely modern, without being dissonant. The influence of jazz literally drips from the orchestra's instruments. I didn't stop to check the dates, but I'm certain these were written about the same time as George Gershwin's great 'Rapsody in Blue' and his piano concerto, so I really have to wonder whether there was some real influence being traded over the Atlantic with these works. So, If you like Gershwin's orchestral works, these are winners. The second concerto has the added interest of having been commissioned by the great left handed pianist, Paul Wittgenstein, the brother of the even greater 20th century Philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein.

So, there is much to be interested in here, even if you are bored with some of Raval's other works.

good but a mismatching.......2000-09-25

Martha Agerich still commands attention with her top-heavy performances of the Ravel G major Piano Concerto. A sensitive performer, Agerich gets 2 thumbs up for her interpretations, albeit with some reservations. Her touch is more suited to the Romantic repertory (I'm thinking of her recording of Chopin Preludes), but doesn't shine as brightly with Ravel. She is an amazing performer, but I think this recording suffers in comparison to better paired performer/conductors. Abbado is a very capabable conductor, but one merely needs to hear the Zimerman and Boulez recording to realize the potential of Ravel's 2 piano concerti. Beroff, another pianist with chops, does admirable work, but again, check out Zimerman doing both of them with Boulez. That recording is like hearing magic: the sparks and fireworks of Ravel's orchestration under Boulez's lucid ears. The other 'plus' of THIS recording is that Abbado has also programmed three of Ravel's orchestrated piano pieces. Showcasing his talent as orchestrator of the century, Ravel orchestrated these pieces originally written for solo piano and one would listen to them none the wiser!

Extraordinary Performances and recording clarity.......1999-10-17

Abbado as always is tops, so are Argerich, who in this recording is better than previously and Beroff who does justice to Ravel's perhaps best opus. Couperin would be satisfied with this fastidiously well timed performance of Ravel's hommage.

Hélène Grimaud ~ Gershwin · Ravel - Piano Concertos

Average customer rating:

Beautiful Performances
The Ultimate "Romantic" Gershwin and Ravel!
A Decent Gershwin and a Great Ravel played by Grimaud
Quite good but not the absolute best
Grimaud at her Best, Gershwin & Ravel at their best !

Hélène Grimaud ~ Gershwin · Ravel - Piano Concertos
George Gershwin , Maurice Ravel , David Zinman , Helene Grimaud , and Baltimore Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Erato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000005E5M
Release Date: 1997-11-25

Tracks:

Piano Concerto In F Major: Allegro
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Piano Concerto In G Major: Allegro assai
Piano Concerto In G Major: Presto

Amazon.com essential recording

This is one class act. Helene Grimaud generally prefers the heavy-duty German repertoire and has fought hard not to be typecast as a dainty "French" female pianist. Nevertheless she has expressed a certain affection for selected French and non-Germanic works, which is a good thing for us because this is the best performance of the Gershwin concerto we are ever likely to hear. It has style, warmth, and bravura to spare. In fact, everyone concerned treats it like it's the greatest piece of music in the world, and the same positives apply to the Ravel. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful Performances.......2007-07-19

I became interested in this recording from reading "The Collection" in the June 2007 Gramophone. In the article by Jeremy Nicholas, after comparing 30 recordings of Gershwin's Piano concerto, selected this one as his best performance. I first heard Gershwin's concerto played by Earl Wild and the Boston Pops but my favorite has always been the recording made by Oscar Levant and Andre Kostelanetz. This recording differs from other recordings of the concerto by playing the work as a Romantic piano concerto instead of playing up the jazz elements. The concerto was adapted for jazz band by Ferde Grofe, who did the orchestration of Rhapsody in Blue but with his concerto Gershwin was writing within a classical structure rather than the free-form of a rhapsody.

Rather than push the jazz elements this performance by Helene Grimaud and David Zinman takes a less hurried approach, particularly in the first movement. The slower tempos allow more focus on the classical structure; there is no over-emphasis just the musical colors that Gershwin wrote. The slow movement is laid-back with the blues element of the music beautifully played. Here Ms. Grimaud matches the mood of the orchestra with very smooth playing, lingering over the phrases. The Finale is fast and furious with a marvelous rolling of the gong at the end.

The Ravel Concerto is a nice pairing with the Gershwin, especially since they met and admired each other's music. Like the Gershwin, Ravel's Piano Concerto is performed at an easy tempo bringing out the colors of the score. Ms. Grimaud is fantastic throughout and delivers an excellent performance and David Zinman has great sensitivity for the score. The catalogue, however, has many excellent performances and this one does not, for me, displace the highly regarded recording of Zimmerman and Boulez. If you already have a recording of the Ravel G major concerto the reason for buying this disc is the Gershwin.

There is a good balance between soloist and performer and the clarity of the recording allows one to hear many details that were missed before. My only complaint is that at 54:47 there was room for more music; the Ravel Piano Concerto for the Left Hand would seem an obvious choice or what about Gershwin's Second Rhapsody? This is a minor problem that is made up for by two superb performances.

The Ultimate "Romantic" Gershwin and Ravel!.......2006-04-04

Helene Grimaud's performance of the Gershwin Piano Concerto with the Baltimore Symphony conducted by David Zinman is the ultimate "Romantic" performance of this work, unlike the "jazzy" approach most people are used to in this concerto. Grimaud brings out the lyrical and melodic elements of the score, making it more tuneful and memorable than other recordings. By "Romantic" I mean both romantic in its usual sense as well as being in the vein of nineteenth century classical music (the Romantic era in music). The concerto sounds less brash and modernist and more like a traditional piano concerto from the late nineteenth or early twentieth century, albeit with a uniquely American or "Gershwin" sound! This "Romantic" approach to the concerto does not, however, come at the expense of excitement: Zinman effectively controls the orchestra, allowing it to build to climaxes of great physical excitement and Grimaud lets loose with fiery playing when it's called for.

Grimaud's playing is certainly not tentative or signifying her discomfort with the jazz elements of the work, as some reviewers here suggested. Her playing is quite deliberate and a quick listen to her super-fast and virtuosic last movement (as well as the first and third movements of the Ravel) reveals her ability to play quite comfortably at faster tempos. Her delicate entry into the first and second movements of the Gershwin are a deliberate effort to reclaim this work as a genuine "classical" piano concerto. Her approach succeeds in this endeavor, making this work a true piano/orchestral "classic", not just a jazzy crossover attempt by a composer only known for non-classical works. Gershwin's best "crossover" work in the piano format is Rhapsody in Blue, anyway, which made the concerto sound like a distant second in that category, in most performances. (For the best jazzy Gershwin Piano Concerto--fast and exciting--as well as the best Rhapsody out there, try the Wild/Fiedler/Boston Pops account, in one of its incarnations [I like the 2001 release the best]). With Grimaud's fervent interpretation, along with the very precise and lively playing of the Baltimore Symphony--everything seems to be done so carefully, including a perfectly placed gong toward the end of the last movement--Gershwin's Piano Concerto has been "redeemed" as the masterpiece concerto that it is.

Grimaud's rendition of the Ravel as well makes the work sound so different than we usually hear it. It's usually taken at a speedy clip, with the orchestra and pianist having a party, making the work sound like a wild romp, a musical circus of sorts (complete with a whip!). Zinman conducts the orchestra in a more serious and mature rendition, while Grimaud savors the latent Romanticism of the work, without neglecting its Ravelian Impressionism or its jazz influences. (Grimaud here surpasses her own earlier account with the Royal Philharmonic). The result is a very satisfying performance, making this concerto stand, together with the Gershwin, as two of the twentieth century's greatest piano concertos. Add sound quality that is crystal clear and detailed throughout, and you have a CD that is very worthy of the title "Amazon.com Essential Recording".

For those looking for "Romantic" and mature recordings of these two concertos, I can think of no finer disc. Way to go Grimaud and company!

A Decent Gershwin and a Great Ravel played by Grimaud.......2001-04-19

If you're interested in hearing more of Grimaud's playing then buy this CD. However, her performances of the Gershwin and Ravel concerti aren't definitive. Indeed, her playing of Gershwin seems tentative, as though she admits her lack of comfort with playing jazz music or her unfamiliarity with Gershwin's music. She is almost immediately overshadowed by Zinman's energetic conducting and the vibrant performance he yields from the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Much more successful is her fine performance of Ravel's Piano Concerto, which is as good as her earlier Denon recording with Lopez-Cobos conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. If you're interested in hearing her splendid playing of Ravel's music, along with Rachmaninov's, then you might be better off buying her earlier CD instead.

Quite good but not the absolute best.......2000-03-23

Well... this isn't likely to be a 'popular' review, but it will be honest. First let me say that Helene Grimaud is simply the best pianist I've ever heard recorded. I have her Brahms recordings and find her sense of expression, control of dynamics, and most importantly, warmth, unmatched by any other at the instrument. (The only way to get warmer would be to play the Intermezzi, for example, on a Boesendorfer Imperial...but that's another issue.)

In this PARTICULAR recording however, I don't really like what I hear, although the playing is still admirable. The trouble is that Grimaud seems to lack her characteristic dramatic gusto and 'big sound'-- something necessary for playing Brahms. Perhaps she found this mode of playing unsuited to the Gershwin and Ravel-- Ravel, I can understand... that half of the recording is 4 1/2 stars certainly. The Gershwin is more about 3 stars. Zinman and his orchestra outshine Grimaud-- partially Gerswhin's "fault" since his orchestration is so damn coloristic and exciting. Grimaud sounds as if she's playing down at even th big fortes... this might be an acoustic balance problem too. I also find her under tempo-- I understand that for 'modern' recordings it's the in thing to slow down the repertoire and bask in the glorious clarity of the recording... but, if you listen to Gershwin's own interpretation or, better still, OSCAR LEVANT's top-notch interp. of the Concerto, you'll see that Gershwin and his entourage very consciously brushed over notes, used A LOT of rubato, and whizzed through the movements like showoffs. That's the 'jazz spirit' of the piece... Even the slow movement is quite a bit faster in Levant with very tasteful rubato and swing.

So, I guess I'm saying... this is the "modern master" recording... very good, but not the best. Pick up the OSCAR LEVANT recording, which you can find here at Amazon, to accompany this recording for the Gerswhin. If you're buying this CD for the Ravel... then you've got nothing to worry about. Grimaud and Zinman are, as I said, 4 1/2 stars there. Thanks for reading.

Grimaud at her Best, Gershwin & Ravel at their best !.......1999-03-14

Helene Grimaud is wonderful with her rendition of Gershwin and Ravel. The artists' would be proud and pleased of her interpetion of their works. With each performance Grimaud shows she is one of our generation's best.

Berg, Stravinsky: Violin Concertos / Perlman, Ozawa

Average customer rating:

Bland & Un-Committed Performances
This a Masterpiece of Alban Berg
For the Stravinsky
Why all the fuss? This is mediocre.
Beautiful music

Berg, Stravinsky: Violin Concertos / Perlman, Ozawa

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bartók: Violin Concerto No. 2; Rhapsodies Nos. 1 & 2
Great Recordings Of The Century - Brahms: Violin Concerto / Giulini, Perlman, Chicago SO
Schumann: Piano Concerto Op. 54; Grieg: Piano Concerto Op. 16
Berg: Violin Concerto; Schoenberg: Piano Concerto; Violin Concerto
Alban Berg: Violin Concerto "To the Memory of an Angel" (1935) / Wolfgang Rihm: "Time Chant" Music for Violin & Orchestra (1991-92) - Anne-Sophie Mutter

ASIN: B000001GQX
Release Date: 1996-08-13

Tracks:

Violin Concerto - To The Memory Of An Angel: Andante - Allegro
Violin Concerto - To The Memory Of An Angel: Allegro - Adagio - (Coda)
Violin Concerto In D: Toccata
Violin Concerto In D: Aria 1
Violin Concerto In D: Aria 2
Violin Concerto In D: Capriccio
Rapsodie de concert pour violon et orchestre: Tzigane

Amazon.com essential recording

Berg's Violin Concerto is atonal--yes, it's the "A" word, but you shouldn't let that keep you from getting to know this modern masterpiece; it's actually very listener-friendly. The music tells a story. The first movement is a character sketch of the young, flirtatious Manon Gropius, daughter of Alma Mahler and architect Walter Gropius. She died tragically of meningitis, and the second movement depicts the horrifying onset of her illness, her death, and her transfiguring apotheosis. Dedicated "to the memory of an angel," it's one of the most heartfelt and moving tributes imaginable. Stravinsky's much more abstract Violin Concerto is about being a violin concerto. Both works, modern classics, are exceptionally well played and recorded by Itzhak Perlman and Seiji Ozawa. Regarding Berg, this was a landmark recording of Perlman's both in his career as a performer and in the history of the work itself. For Perlman, generally perceived as a heart-on-sleeve traditionalist of the "old school," this venture into musical modernism confounded his detractors while at the same time introducing many new listeners to a work that, though difficult, has since come to be regarded as one of the touchstones of the Romantic concerto repertoire. Stravinsky's concerto is less controversial though no less well-played. In sum, these performances are landmarks in the Perlman discography. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Bland & Un-Committed Performances.......2004-05-30

These are two of my favorite pieces, but the performances here are utterly bland and un-committed. Perlman merely saws through both with a mechanical, un-inflected proficiency - he often sounds like he's more in a hurry to get home. Ozawa is worse: he virtually sleepwalks his way through both scores, offering very little in the way of true collaboration. The orchestral commentary in both works just sort of wanders by, with little accentuation or inflection. In Perlman's equally bland account of the Stravinsky with Barenboim, the latter at least provided a more detailed and better executed framework than this catatonic effort by Ozawa.

To my ears, no modern version of either work has matched the stunning achievement of Arthur Grumiaux, who recorded both concertos in excellent 1967 stereo sound for Philips (they were coupled on the same LP). In the Berg, Grumiaux was ably accompanied by Igor Markevitch, whereas the Stravinsky was led by Ernest Bour, a champion of modern music who was trained by Scherchen and who succeeded Hans Rosbaud at the SW German Radio. The orchestra in both cases was the Amsterdam Concertgebouw.

Grumiaux was one of the last century's greatest violinists, and his combination of rhythmic zest and soaring lyricism in both works was extraordinary: he was simply a finer musician than the likes of Perlman, Stern, or Zukerman. The Grumiaux Stravinsky Concerto is available in a fine Stravinsky collection on a Philips "two-fer." Unfortunately, the Berg remains in limbo - it is urgently in need of a CD transfer.

There are two old 1930's recordings that remain my interpretive benchmarks in each concerto: Louis Krasner with Anton Webern in the Berg, and Samuel Dushkin with the composer conducting in the Stravinsky. I feel that people who love these pieces should make an effort to find them and hear for themselves what is possible in this music.

Despite crackly, deficient mono sonics, the Berg Concerto from May 1, 1936 on Testament Continuum SBT 1004 is an absolute marvel. Krasner premiered the work a year before in Barcelona with Scherchen conducting. Berg's friend and compatriot Anton Webern was supposed to conduct, but he got cold feet at the last moment about performing his late comrade's final testament. Just listen to the performance on this Testament CD - which Webern DID conduct, with the BBC Symphony - and you will hear what is missing with Perlman and Ozawa. It is deeply inflected and romantically impassioned: the phrasing is simply gorgeous.

The 1935 Paris recording with Dushkin in the Stravinsky can now be heard in a splendid transfer on an Andante CD set. Stravinsky was closer to his roots than would later be the case: he and Dushkin fashion an earthy performance that hails back to ancient Russia itself. Dushkin is an obedient fiddler - he plays his part EXACTLY the way Stravinsky wanted it to be heard. His playing may take some getting used to: the composer insisted on an abandoned, rhapsodic, somewhat swoopy style that makes most contemporary accounts sound bland by comparison. A Columbia Records executive once told me that Stravinsky was so incensed at Isaac Stern being chosen for the stereo re-make that he threatened to break his recording contract. But he later relented, and the result was dreary in comparison with the earlier version.

To conclude: try to hear Grumiaux for the best modern accounts of these magnetic scores. The earlier historic versions are wonderful reminders of truly "living" music: they are a sharp contrast to the sterile, dry-as-toast renderings we usually get these days.

This a Masterpiece of Alban Berg.......2002-06-04

Although atonal music is rather mechanic, Alban Berg's violin concerto is very sorrowful and romantic. Of course Perlman's performance is obviously magnificent. This is a "Must" recording for every deep classical music lovers.Highly recomended.

For the Stravinsky.......2002-02-07

I listened to the vinyl version of this recording as a kid, and along with Schoenberg's string trio, it was basically my introduction to 20th century music. I have to say I usually do not have the stomach for the sustained tension in serial composers longer orchestral works. I respect them as composers and greatly enjoy a disc of Berg/Schoenberg/Webern piano music I have, but really have a difficult time with works such as this Berg and Schoenberg's piano concerto. (Although the Schoenberg string trio is an all-time favorite and I enjoy practically any other kind of 20th century music.) It is difficult to discern any kind of shape in the Berg concerto. That Bach chorale is nice, but everything surrounding it is quite unintelligible to me.

To get to the point, I think the average listener would find the Stravinsky far more accessible and enjoyable. It is basically an all-around well crafted piece and each movement is very exciting.

Why all the fuss? This is mediocre........2001-02-24

I'm normally a big fan of the DG Originals series, but this is one they could have left in the vaults. The performance of the Berg is adequate. But I don't get the fuss when this has now become a competitive field. (It was not when this recording was originally released in 1980.) Throughout the work Perlman is distant and uninvolved, with a thin wirey tone that borders on ugly at times (and yes, I know this is a "dissonant" and tragic work, but the tone is simply colorless, which is different) and Ozawa conducts like he's not really listening to his fiddle player, not really relating some intricate accompaniments to what Perlman's violin line is. Time and again he skates over climaxes, holds back, fails to get all the depth from his accompanist role. The sound is not that great for a DG Originals reissue--it's rather dry. The Stravinsky fares better (though the soundstage is close-up and bizarre), but it is hardly reason to recommend the recording itself. Zukerman/Boulez, Szigeti/Mitropoulos, Krasner/Webern (the very first recording and only the second performance of the work), and above all Mutter/Levine easily beat this recording. The Mutter in particular is a hair-raising account where every shading of the score is examined and given breath and color, where the work's "Modern" and "Romantic" worlds are for once melded appropriately. (The Krasner is another example of that, largely thanks to Webern's insightful accompaniment, but with that 1936 performance there's the issue of extremely limited sound.) In short, Stravinsky, four stars...Berg one.

Beautiful music.......2000-11-26

It is amazing how different these two pieces are. The Berg is cold, almost steely, where as the Stravinsky has a much mnore organic feel to it, I love this recording. In the Berg you can feel the sorrow of the composer, but some sort of comfort is reached in the Bach organ chorale at the end. A msterpiece of composition. Yet if you don't like 12 tone contempoary music, then the its not for you. The Stravinsky is much warmer, with easier to follow themes, good yes, in fact it is very good, but the Berg is great. Despite its warmness of feel that the Stravinsky is less emmotive than the Berg. the playing by both soloist and orchestra is wonderful. They do both composers credit.

Average customer rating:

Too rushed and mechanical
Conciertos de excepcion
Extremely Good Concertos!

Gershwin/Ravel: Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue; Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain; Franck: Symphonic Variations
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Piano Ctos 1 & 4 / Rhapsody on Theme of Paganini
Saint-Saëns: Concertos

ASIN: B00000276T
Release Date: 1991-04-05

Tracks:

Concerto For Piano & Orchestra In F: I: Allegro
Concerto For Piano & Orchestra In F: II: Adagio - Andante con moto
Concerto For Piano & Orchestra In F: III: Allegro agitato
Concerto For Piano & Orchestra In G Major: I: Allegramente
Concerto For Piano & Orchestra In G Major: II: Adagio assai
Concerto For Piano & Orchestra In G Major: III: Presto
Concerto For Left Hand In D Major: Lento-Andante-Allegro-Tempo

Customer Reviews:

Too rushed and mechanical.......2006-09-16

I bought this CD for the Ravel G Major Concerto. Unfortunately, Entremont disappoints on this one-- plunks when he should caress, rushes full speed ahead when he should be teasing us behind the notes he too willingly hurls at us. I've heard a much better recording, but sadly, am still on a quest to locate a quarter of a century later. The music is amazing, but the performances are not.

Conciertos de excepcion.......2004-12-05

Lo mejor de estos conciertos son las dos cosas mas importantes, por tanto es un CD excepcional.
Philippe Entremont es un solista soberbio y lo demuestra en estos conciertos, lo hemos escuchado interpretando a Liszt y Grieg, de un estilo muy diferente a estos autores pero de igual forma fluye en el piano haciendonos disfrutar de una interpretacion sin igual. Por otro lado Ormandy y Boulez sacan aplausos con sus respectivas orquestas, la de Filadelfia lo he dicho y no me cansare es casi perfecta y Ormandy la dirige como solo el lo ha hecho, impecable. Boulez y la filarmonica son estrictos y sonoramente intachables.
Que mas se puede pedir un Cd espectacular. Con un conjunto de conciertos imperdibles en la discoteca de un amante del virtuosismo pianistico sinfonico.

Extremely Good Concertos!.......2001-03-14

All three of these concertos are well performed, and the recording has no sound problems whatsoever. My favorite on this CD is probably Ravel's G Major Concerto (especially the first and second movements). But there is so much on here that is worth buying; and for such a low price this CD really is irresistable.

Average customer rating:

Excellence and elegance

Maurice Ravel: Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ravel: Piano Concertos
Albéniz: Iberia; Granados: Goyescas

ASIN: B000003F8O
Release Date: 1993-10-12

Tracks:

Piano Concerto In G Major: Allegament
Piano Concerto In G Major: Adagio assai
Piano Concerto In G Major: Presto
Piano Concerto For The Left Hand: Lento; Andante; Allegro; Tempo I
Valse nobles et sentimentales: I Modere-tres franc
Valse nobles et sentimentales: II Assez lent
Valse nobles et sentimentales: III Modere
Valse nobles et sentimentales: IV Assez anime
Valse nobles et sentimentales: V Presque lent
Valse nobles et sentimentales: VI Vif
Valse nobles et sentimentales: VII Moins vif
Valse nobles et sentimentales: VIII Epilogue: lent
Sonatine: Modere
Sonatine: Mouvement de menuet
Sonatine: Anime

Amazon.com essential recording

Alicia de Larrocha's career has slackened off a bit as she's gotten older, but her interpretive powers in the music she loves so well haven't faded a bit. A couple of decades ago she recorded the two Ravel concertos for London records, performances which were among the most recommendable available. They fell out of print because big labels needed to make room for newer (often less good) versions of the same works. So it's cause for celebration that she has rerecorded these works for RCA.Leonard Slatkin's accompaniments are even finer than on her first versions--critical in this brilliantly scored music--and the sound is better too. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Excellence and elegance.......2003-04-24

Alicia de Larrocha's place in the pianistic history of the twentieth century is by now assured. Still, within the great many areas of the repertory she does well there are those that stand out.

The Spanish pianist's style seems especially suited to the polished perfection of Maurice Ravel's piano music, as this recording of the two concertos and two well-known solo works amply demonstrates. There are pianists who capture the jazzy swagger of the outer movements of the G major Concerto with more unbuttoned glee, and those who revel in the Gothic melodrama of the left-hand work with greater abandonment, but overall de Larrocha's traversal of both works is unmatched in poise and elegance. She projects the long opening solo of the Adagio assai of the G major Concerto with a nobility and poignance that brings a tear to the eye. Leonard Slatkin and the St. Louis Symphony seem totally attuned to the soloist's sensibility and play with panache.

Customer Reviews:

A Ravel omnium gatherum in Decca's best sound.......2006-08-09

Dutoit was Decca's house conductor of French music for almost two decades, and here is gathered at budget price all the significant orchestral works as well as the two piano concertos. The spledid sonics and Dutoit's reputation will probably be enough to attract listeners who want everything from one conductor, but to my ears none of these performances rises to the very highest level.

With Boulez, Munch, and Monteux looking over his shoulder, Dutoit's readings come off as colorful, restless, bright, often brash, and lacking in that final touch of elegant style. Outside the French tradition we also have great Ravel recordings form Karajan, Reiner, Bernstein, and (in the two operas) Maazel. I'm not so sure it's such a good idea to put all one's egs in Dutoit's basket.

Since Amazon doesn't give track listings, here's the lineup as listed at Tower Records.

1. Daphnis et Chloe
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1909-1912
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Ballet

2. Pavane pour une infante defunte
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1899
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Pavane

3. La valse
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1920
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Waltz

4. Concerto for Piano in G major
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1929-1931
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Roge, Pascal
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Concerto

5. Le tombeau de Couperin
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1914-1917
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Roge, Pascal
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Tombeau / Suite

6. Valses nobles et sentimentales
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1911
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Roge, Pascal
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Waltz

7. Menuet antique
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1895
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Minuet

8. Concerto for Piano left hand in D major
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1929-1930
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Roge, Pascal
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Concerto

9. L'eventail de Jeanne: Fanfare
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1927
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Fanfare / Ballet

10. Bolero
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1928
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Bolero

11. Miroirs: Alborada del gracioso
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1904-1905
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Suite

12. Ma mere l'oye
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written:
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Suite / Ballet

13. Miroirs: Une barque sur l'ocean
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1904-1905
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Suite

14. Rapsodie espagnole
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1907-1908
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Rhapsody

15. L'enfant et les sortileges
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1920-1925
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Dubosc, Catherine; Alliot-Lugaz, Colette
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Opera

16. Sheherazade
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1903
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: Dubosc, Catherine; Alliot-Lugaz, Colette
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Melodie / Song / Song Cycle

17. Ouverture de feerie "Sheherazade"
Composer: Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)
Written: 1898
Conductor: Dutoit, Charles
Ensemble: Montreal Symphony Orchestra
Performer: n/a
Period: 20th Century
Country: France
Form: Overture

Average customer rating:

Genius Performance
"Classic" pianism, but...
Michelangeli at His Best
Great Ravel and stunning Rachmaninov!!!
Inarrivabile !!

Ravel/Rachmaninov: Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00004R95P
Release Date: 2000-03-14

Tracks:

Piano Concerto In G: I. Allegramente
Piano Concerto In G: II. Adagio assai
Piano Concerto In G: III. Presto
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Minor, Op. 40: I. Allegro vivace
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Minor, Op. 40: II. Largo
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G Minor, Op. 40: III. Allegro vivace

Customer Reviews:

Genius Performance.......2005-12-03

The usual superlatives -- astonishing, amazing, extraordinary, etc -- do not do justice to this recording. Michelangeli's interpretation is superhuman, almost God-like in its majestic grandeur. I have a collection of more than 250 romantic piano concerti and no other pianist comes close to this level of genius.

"Classic" pianism, but..........2005-07-27

Technically it is difficult to imagine either of these performances being surpassed. Michelangeli's technique was dazzling in its brilliance and refinement, and brilliance counts for a great deal in both the Ravel and Rachmaninov here. In Ettore Gracis, he's got a strong and sympathetic accompanist with the late-1950s Philharmonia at its peak.

However... to hear what either of these works are made of, you should turn to other recordings. The recent Stephen Hough 2-disc set of all four Rachmaninov concerti includes a Fourth that gets to the heart of this underappreciated work and makes the Michelangeli sound like an empty display of virtuosity. Similarly, the early-jazz element of Ravel's G Major concerto comes out far more positively in another 2-disc set, in which the late Werner Haas is heard in both Ravel concerti and in his works for solo piano. Moreover, in the Adagio assai second movement Haas is more attuned to the spell the composer casts; Michelangeli, for all his patrician refinement, seems outside the music if not the notes. The Michelangeli disc is one of those standard-recommendation "classics" that makes one suspicious of standard-recommendation classics, in that there's less here than its reputation would suggest. Put another way, it's great pianism for great pianism's sake, but those who care about either composer represented here should look elsewhere.

Michelangeli at His Best.......2004-11-13

One of my favorite albums has always been the Ravel Concertos with Argerich playing the G maj Concerto and Beroff play the Concerto in D. I still think this disc is unmatched when it comes to an album with both concertos. I've always loved the Argerich and always thought the performance couldn't be matched. This was until I heard Michelangeli's version on the radio. The first movement was coming to an end and I didn't know who the performer was. Then the 2nd movement came on and the rest was history. It's one of the most devastating experiences of my musical life so far. Until this, I had the ever-familiar misperception of Michelangeli just being a technician, and that he is cold. Nothing can be further from the truth. I've learned that you really need a completely blinded test to truly gauge a performance because the preconceptions and reputations can unjustly influence a listening experience. The Argerich seems like child's play compared to Michelangeli, beyond comparison. This is also extremely well-recorded for 1958, better than Argerich's. The Rach 4 is simply stunning. I had never heard this work before and now I can't stop listening to it. Again, this is unmatched, nothing and I mean nothing comes closer. Not Wild, Ashkenazy, no one! Michelangeli had very few studio concerto recordings and these 2 concertos must have been special to him. I own >1300 clasical discs and can't think of a better concerto recording. It ranks up there with such great recordings as Kleiber Beethoven 5th and 7th as one of the greatest albums ever!

Great Ravel and stunning Rachmaninov!!!.......2004-11-03

I love Ravel's concerto in G ever since I heard it for the first time back in 1982! The first version I bought was the one with Pascal Roge (directed by Charles Dutoit); a nice version indeed! However, I love this concerto so much that this year I decided to buy two more versions that I was always curious about: the one with Martha Argerich (directed by Claudio Abbado) and this, my newest acquisition, with Michelangeli (directed by Ettore Gracis) from EMI's fantastic series "Great Recordings of the Century"!

In many ways I feel a certain similarity between Argerich's and Michelangeli's versions. Both exhibit tremendous power and great passion, although I feel Martha Argerich's has a little more feeling and perhaps a bit more excitement overall! Her playing also feels more relaxed than Michelangeli's. The second movement (adagio assai) is played beautifully by both of them, and it is perhaps in the first and third movements where I have a slight preference for Argerich's playing. Both Claudio Abbado and Ettore Gracis direction is fine in either version, however I prefer the overall orchestral sound in my older (Rage-Dutoit) version, it's more lushious than the other's!

I also like Rachmaninov's 4th concerto a lot, and have two other versions as well: Earl Wild's (under Horenstein) and Kocsis (under de Waart). If Wild's version is great and Kocsis' is just fine, Michelangeli's is simply stunning!!! The first movement is awesome!

One thing that dissapointed me a bit in this "Great Recordings of the Century" version is the recording's sound. There's more tape noise than I was expecting, judging by the excellent remastering shown in most of the other CDs that I own from this fabulous series!

So, if you don't mind a bit of tape noise and if you're ready to listen to a great version of Ravel's and an absolutely stunning Rach 4, go for it, this is truly one of the "Great Recordings of the Century"!

Inarrivabile !!.......2004-09-22

Se cerchi una registrazione di questi due concerti, e vuoi la registrazione di riferimento, questa fa per te; anzi fa per tutti dato che le registrazioni, soprattutto per il quarto concerto di Rachmaninov, sono inarrivabili !!!
Anche se la qualita del suono non è il massimo (1958) è abbastanza per poter percepire bene la tridimensionalita del suono e non perder tutte le gamme del suono che Michelangeli da.
Colpische sopratutto per la gran personalita che il pianista esegue questo concerto, senza mai un calo di tensione, senza perdere lucidità tanto da declassare l'interpretazione di Ashkenazy/Previn.

Per quanto riguarda il concerto di Ravel (1957), sempre di primissimo ordine, anche se stavolta la si può paragonare con quella della Argerich/Abbado e soprattutto di Zimerman/Boulez per precisione e controllo del colore. Di particolare splendore è il secondo movimento dove l'inguagliato tocco di Michelangeli regala alla composizione una particolare magia.

Debussy: Solo Piano Music; Fantaisie; Ravel: Piano Concertos

Average customer rating:

Excellent value, refreshing interpretations

Debussy: Solo Piano Music; Fantaisie; Ravel: Piano Concertos

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000E0LB8Q
Release Date: 2006-04-11

Customer Reviews:

Excellent value, refreshing interpretations.......2006-11-03

Philips has again come up with a budget 4-disc anthology that's hard to pass up -- five hours of music at under $8 per disc (less if you buy it used or on sale), all of it in excellent sound. Zoltan Kocsis has enough technique to play exactly as he wants, and his interpretations are refreshingly intelligent and never unduly showy. These recordings were made over a 14-year period, but the personality of the artist is consistent throughout. Other pianists have done great work with Debussy, and indeed, Philips's own Mitsuko Uchida did Debussy's Etudes so splendidly that the company evidently chose to omit these pieces here. No matter; if you're like me and had never heard "Hommage a Haydn" or "Ballade slave" before, you'll get to know these and a dozen other individual pieces along with the complete Preludes, Images, Arabesques, Children's Corner, Pour le piano, Estampes, and Suite bergamasque. Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra join in for the quasi-concerto Fantasie and for Ravel's two Concertos as a bonus. These last two really sparkle, and now I'm wondering what I've been missing by not putting a trip to Budapest on my wish list.

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Slight Chance of Rain

Selma Carvalho [Import]

Spirals in Hyperspace

Swedish Radio Recordings [Import]

Schenck: The Nymphs of the Rhine, Vol. 1 (Sonatas for Two Violas da Gamba) / Les Voix Humaines

Terminal V.1 [Import]

Se Me Pego Tu Nombre

Puro Michoacano

Joseph Eybler: Requiem In C Minor

Chariots Of Fire