Boulez – Ravel: Bolero (APE)

Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Pierre Boulez
Composer: Maurice Ravel
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Size: 244 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: no

1. Prélude.: Très Lent
2. First Movement: Dance Of The Spinning Wheel And Scene-Allegro
3. Second Movement: Pavane Of The Sleeping Beauty- Lent- Allegro
4. Third Movement: Conversations Of Beauty And The Beast
5. Fourth Movement: Tom Thumb- Très Modèrè
6. Interlude
7. Fifth Movement: Laideronnette, Empress Of The Pagodas-March-Allegro
8. Apothéose: The Fairy Garden- Lent Et Grave
9. Une barque sur l’océan
10. Alborada del gracioso
11. No. 1, “Prelude a la nuit”
12. No. 2, Malaguena
13. No. 3, Habanera
14. No. 4, Feria

Ma mère l’oye, ballet for orchestra
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Pierre Boulez

Miroirs, for piano (or orchestra) Une barque sur l’océan
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Pierre Boulez

Miroirs, for piano (or orchestra) Alborada del gracioso
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Pierre Boulez

Rhapsodie espagnole, for orchestra (or 2 pianos)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Pierre Boulez

Boléro, ballet for orchestra (or piano)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Pierre Boulez

The Berlin Philharmonic never has had much opportunity to play Ravel, which is a pity because under Pierre Boulez they do it extremely well. Under their current music director, Claudio Abbado, the orchestra more often than not sounds positively comatose. How gratifying then, that with a dynamic conductor and music that’s fun to play, they rouse themselves to sound like the world-class ensemble they really can be when they’re not resting on their laurels. Boléro is really smashing, with a knockout final cadence, and the solo players in all of these works cover themselves with glory. This is a great Ravel disc. –David Hurwitz