Notes and Editorial Reviews
Pierre Monteux conducted the premiere of Ravel's Daphnis et Chloé, and thank God he lived long enough to record it in very good, if slightly faded, stereo. In the late-1950s/early-1960s the LSO was not the band that it would later become under conductors such as Kertesz and Previn, and its playing in the Rapsodie and Pavane really is nothing special; but Daphnis is something else again--one of those recordings where everything went right. Monteux's interpretation fits the piece like a glove. Flowing tempos knit the orchestral fabric together effortlessly into the "choreographic symphony" of the work's subtitle, without stinting on atmosphere or sheer color. The opening is mysterious but not sluggish. Ravel's sunrise reaches a glorious
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apotheosis, with the choir well-balanced in the mix. The quicker bits have plenty of excitement and glitter. By itself, Daphnis rates a 10 for artistic quality; the less-than-special couplings bring the rating down a notch, but think of them as a bonus. They are never less than good, and the remastered sound is just fine--not better than previously, but perfectly enjoyable as it stands.--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Daphnis et Chloé by Maurice Ravel
Conductor:
Pierre Monteux
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra,
Royal Opera House Covent Garden Chorus
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1909-1912; France
Date of Recording: 04/1959
Venue: Kingsway Hall, London
Length: 52 Minutes 2 Secs.
2.
Rapsodie espagnole by Maurice Ravel
Conductor:
Pierre Monteux
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1907-1908; France
Date of Recording: 12/1961
Venue: Kingsway Hall, London
Length: 15 Minutes 29 Secs.
3.
Pavane pour une infante défunte by Maurice Ravel
Conductor:
Pierre Monteux
Orchestra/Ensemble:
London Symphony Orchestra
Period: 20th Century
Written: 1899; France
Date of Recording: 12/1961
Venue: Kingsway Hall, London
Length: 6 Minutes 32 Secs.
Notes: Version: 1910
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review: 
( 1 Customer Review )
A Magical Daphnis Disc November 25, 2011
By Christian Withers (San Antonio, TX) See All My Reviews
"I'm one of those fanatics who has owned or heard dozens of recordings of this piece, so hopefully that at least qualifies me to write this review! Regardless of age, this is definitely one of the best, both in performance and sound quality. A great performance shouldn't come as a surprise, since Monteux premiered this work in 1912. The surprise is how great the recording sounds, being over 50 years old! If you must have a digital recording, try Petitgirard on Naxos or Boulez on DG, which are both excellent in every way. Another of my favorite analog recordings is conducted by Martinon, now available in a 3-disc set of Ravel's orchestral works. You can hear details that are inaudible in most others. But there's something special in the Monteux that makes it unique and indispensable. It's hard to explain except with subjective terms like "magical"! "
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