Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, etc.

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Increasingly, for considering modern recordings of Daphnis, it seems you must banish memories of 1959 Monteux; put behind you the most playful, mobile, texturally diaphanous, rhythmically supple... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 1st Sep 1995
Catalogue No: E4470572
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Length: 70 minutes

Building A Library

February 2022

Recommended Recording

Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé

Work length56:45

$11.05

$14.95

Gerd Müller-Lorenz (chorus master)
Berliner Philharmoniker, Rundfunkchor Berlin
Pierre Boulez
Recorded: 1994-05-26
Recording Venue: Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin

Introduction - Lent - Très modéré

Track length3:21

$0.85

$1.15

Danse religieuse - Modéré

Track length5:51

$0.85

$1.15

Danse des jeunes filles - Vif

Track length3:14

$0.85

$1.15

Danse grotesque de Dorcon - Vif - Plus modéré - Trés modéré - Pesant

Track length1:54

$0.85

$1.15

Danse légère et gracieuse de Daphnis - Assez lent - Animé - Vif

Track length3:46

$0.85

$1.15

Lycénion entre - Lent - mois lent - Très libre

Track length4:17

$0.85

$1.15

Nocturne

Track length4:33

$0.85

$1.15

Interlude

Track length3:25

$0.85

$1.15

Danse guerrière

Track length4:16

$0.85

$1.15

Danse suppliante de Chloé

Track length5:32

$0.85

$1.15

Lever du jour

Track length6:30

$0.85

$1.15

Pantomime

Track length5:42

$0.85

$1.15

Danse générale

Track length4:24

$0.85

$1.15

Ravel: La valse, M. 72 - Choreographic poem, for Orchestra

Work length13:43

$0.85

$1.15

Berliner Philharmoniker
Pierre Boulez
Recorded: 1993-03-25
Recording Venue: Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin

La valse

Track length13:43

$0.85

$1.15

Reviews
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Reviews

2010

Increasingly, for considering modern recordings of Daphnis, it seems you must banish memories of 1959 Monteux; put behind you the most playful, mobile, texturally diaphanous, rhythmically supple account of the score ever recorded; one that's uniquely informed by history and selfless conductorial wisdom. For some, Monteux's view may remain a rather moderate one – certainly in terms of basic tempo and basic dynamic range; and Ravel's score suggests tempos and dynamics which modern performances, and especially recordings, have more faithfully reproduced. Boulez has acquired a wealth of experience of conductorial wisdom since his first New York recording of Daphnis. Here he has the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra on top form to sustain and shape melody within some of his strikingly slow tempos (such as the opening, and Part 3's famous 'Daybreak'), and who remain 'composed' in his daringly fast ones (the 'Dance of the young girls around Daphnis' and the 'Danse guerrière' – one of the most exciting on disc).
Just occasionally, you feel that there are parts of the work that interest him less than others. But anyone who doubts Boulez's ability to achieve, first, a sense of ecstasy should hear this 'Daybreak'; secondly, a refined radiance, should try the first embrace (track 5, 2'49"; at this point, this is also one of the very few recordings where you can hear the chorus); or, thirdly, to characterise properly the supernatural, listen to the 'flickering' accents he gives the string tremolo chords in the 'Nocturne'.
The chorus work, not least in the so-called 'Interlude', is outstanding; the harmonic boldness of this passage was just as startling in New York, but the Berlin chorus, unlike the New York one, is here properly set back.
In general, DG's recording strikes exactly the right compromise between clarity and spaciousness, much as Decca's did for Dutoit. With the added lure of an expansive and often massively powerful La valse (spectacular timpani), this is now the most recommendable modern Daphnis available.

Ravel: Daphnis et Chloé, etc.

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