La Valse

[Nightscape]

This really isn't a piano work, but it's incredible!
Pure genius!

What do you think of the piano transcription?

[DarkWind]

Considering the fact this piece can actually be considered a piano work, as Ravel played his transcription for Diaghilev when he was auditioning this piece for a new ballet, it is also an orchestral work. Anyways, being the Ravel fan you all know me as, this is my favorite work in all of piano and orchestral literature. I could listen to it for years and never tire of it. I think my interpretation of this piece is very unique compared to what I've heard. I prefer the piano version, since it allows for a much wider chance of interpretation, rubato, etc. Anyways, I really like your taste in music.

[Sketchee]

I've never heard a recording of the piano version although I have sheet music in one of my books.  What's your favorite recording?

[dlu]

what do you think of glenn gould's transciption? I haven't heard all of it (just a small clip from my DVD of Great Pianists of the 20th century or whatever it's called). I've heard people say that his transcription is too literal (what's wrong with that?) and they say that all the "unnessesary" notes distract from the melody lines. Do you agree or disagree? Again, I haven't heard the whole thing so I don't know.

[DarkWind]

I've listened to Glenn Gould's Transcription. Fact is, it's the same sheet music as normal, but he included all the parts in it. The transcription is well done, but the piece feels too mechanical for my tastes. I haven't heard much recordings of the piano version, but of what I heard, Francois Joel-Thiollier plays it nicely. Also, the recordings at classicalarchives.com are not to be neglected .

[Nightscape]

Yes... the archive recordings are the ones that I have.  I would have liked to have seen this in it's actual ballet form, with dancers and all.