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Topic: Who Is the best playing Ravel??  (Read 33687 times)

Offline dreamplaying

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Who Is the best playing Ravel??
on: June 05, 2005, 04:09:11 AM
What is your opinion?....

Many versions of Ravel's piano music, but I have to say that Samson  François is by far the best playing Ravel .....(Gaspard de la Nuit.....Scarbo is the finest version among all).

Offline steinwayguy

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #1 on: June 05, 2005, 04:13:43 AM
What is your opinion?....

Many versions of Ravel's piano music, but I have to say that Samson  François is by far the best playing Ravel .....(Gaspard de la Nuit.....Scarbo is the finest version among all).

I'd agree, although Argerich is fair game too.

Offline nicko124

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #2 on: June 05, 2005, 07:39:19 AM
Pascal Roge has been great listening for me but the only other good recordings i have heard are Vlado Perlemuter . To be honest they have both ben really powerful recordings but i am not sure if they are the best. You should consider though that Perlemuter studied the music with Ravel himself.

Maybe it is better to pick the best recordings for specific Ravel works rather than everything unless there is one performer who wins hands down for everything.
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Offline Alde

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #3 on: June 06, 2005, 01:10:06 PM
The Canadian pianist Louis Lortie plays phenomenal Ravel.

Offline shasta

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #4 on: June 06, 2005, 03:11:11 PM
Moravec
Ravel (piano rolls)
Roge
Gieseking
Thibaudet
"self is self"   - i_m_robot

Offline Floristan

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #5 on: June 06, 2005, 04:33:30 PM
IMO, Argerich's "Gaspard" from about 1976 on DG is perfection.

Offline pianomann1984

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #6 on: June 06, 2005, 10:06:46 PM
I agree - Argerich's Gaspard has not yet been surpassed IMO.  However, for pure beauty of sound and excitement in all Ravel's other works,  Gieseking's recordings are sublime.
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Offline dreamplaying

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #7 on: June 07, 2005, 04:22:40 AM
I fully Agree with your comments on Argerich, Gieseking, Lortie . Roge,...., etc.  when playing Ravel, but just one thing... This morning (on www.radioclassique.fr) I Listened to a new version (for me) of Ravel’s 1st piano concerto with Zimmerman …highly superior to Argerich’s Deusche Grammophone recording (from any point of view).

This Zimmerman’ version is quite similar to that one of Samson François, recorded in August 1959. Have a look here for more details

https://www.iclassics.com/productDetail?contentId=7403 

But I strongly recommend to listent to François’s Gaspar de la Nuit…is certainly Monumental… the best of all so far.

Offline Jacey1973

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #8 on: June 07, 2005, 10:32:58 AM
Moravec
Ravel (piano rolls)
Roge
Gieseking
Thibaudet

I heard that Ravel himslef wasn't a brilliant pianist. Apparently the piano roll of him playing his Toccata (from Tombeau de Couperin) was played much too slow - but later research suggests that that had something to do with the actually recording than Ravel's playing.

Didn't Vlado Perlemuter say Ravel had short, stubbly thumbs which made them ideal for glissandi?
"Mozart makes you believe in God - it cannot be by chance that such a phenomenon arrives into this world and then passes after 36 yrs, leaving behind such an unbounded no. of unparalled masterpieces"

Offline odsum25

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #9 on: June 08, 2005, 10:34:40 PM
Perlemuter and Giesking work quite well for me.

Offline upright

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #10 on: June 09, 2005, 07:47:50 PM
Has anyone heard Robert Casasdesus? I heard that his crystalline technique transforms Ravel into fine gems or something like that.

Offline Floristan

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #11 on: June 09, 2005, 08:09:57 PM
Off-topic a bit...

RE: Ravel's small hands: Wasn't Ravel about 5'3" (160 cm) tall ?

Offline maxy

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #12 on: June 09, 2005, 09:25:45 PM
Gieseking and Samson François are big references for both Ravel and Debussy. 


Argerich and ABM are also excellent for Ravel.  I am surprised ABM was not yet mentionned.

How about Richter's Alborada and Valse noble et sentimentale? 

Offline gregory4249

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #13 on: December 27, 2012, 05:07:23 AM
For me the best recording I've heard is the complete Ravel solo piano works by Abbey Simon.
I've listen to Gieseking, Thibaudet, Casadesus and feel that Abbey Simon's musicianship is spot on. In Simon's hands, every piece is glorious.  Ravel is one of my favorite composers, and I've listened to this recording countless times.  I just think Simon "gets it" in a way the others don't.
I give it my highest recommendation.

Offline patrickd

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #14 on: December 27, 2012, 05:13:30 AM
I enjoy listening to ABM.

Offline cmg

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #15 on: December 27, 2012, 05:26:40 AM
I really don't know why I bother . . .
Current repertoire:  "Come to Jesus" (in whole-notes)

Offline vsrinivasa

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #16 on: December 27, 2012, 02:32:42 PM
Off-topic a bit...

RE: Ravel's small hands: Wasn't Ravel about 5'3" (160 cm) tall ?

He was about 5'4" if I remember correctly. I'm over a foot taller than he was.

Offline teosoleil

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #17 on: December 27, 2012, 08:47:05 PM
It is my opinion that Gieseking has a phenomenal understanding of tone and touch (pick up his book on piano technique--a must read). His Jeux d'eau sparkles like crystal clear water.


I know this sounds shallow, but Argerich plays phenomenal Ravel as well. This is one of the many cases where her speed and fire really do mark her interpretations as one of the best. Instead of listening to her Gaspard, try her Sonatine :).

This post reminds me that I need to listen to a lot more Ravel-pianists, haha.

Offline camille101

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #18 on: December 28, 2012, 04:58:10 AM
Perlemuter had a perfect understanding of Ravel's music, I'd recommend his Ondine as an example.  Really the best realisation of the piece I have heard.
Casasdesus has a lovely Sonatine video on youtube that is well worth looking at.
Yvonne Lefebure has an incredible touch in Jeux D'eau - the closest thing to 'musical water' I've come across.
Cortot also brings his poetic tone to Ravel's music, though he didn't play much.
And Francois' Scarbo is simply the best I've heard !

Offline sehmett

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #19 on: March 13, 2013, 11:55:04 AM
Please, could you give feedback on this performance? It's not from "the best playing Ravel" but I'd appreciate your opinion a lot!  :)

https://kck.st/160UhzQ
Please help to keep it up!

Offline worov

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #20 on: March 13, 2013, 02:28:29 PM
What about Pogorelich's Gaspard ?

Offline chopin2015

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #21 on: March 13, 2013, 02:48:21 PM
Ashkenazy
Giesking
Sokolov
"Beethoven wrote in three flats a lot. That's because he moved twice."

Offline celegorma

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #22 on: March 15, 2013, 03:34:27 PM

Magical live recording of Miroirs by Richter.

Offline chopin2015

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #23 on: April 12, 2013, 06:49:40 AM

Magical live recording of Miroirs by Richter.

Anything by Richter is amazing...that is implied in any rep/performance/recording question!  :P :-* 8)
"Beethoven wrote in three flats a lot. That's because he moved twice."

Offline louispodesta

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Re: Who Is the best playing Ravel??
Reply #24 on: April 12, 2013, 02:55:38 PM
Duh!

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