Post by synthy September 23, 2008 (1 of 6)
|
|
John's glowing review makes me wonder how this disc compares to this one: ( Ravel: Retrospection - Dejan Lazic ). A lot of the same material is on both discs, and I'm pretty happy with Lazic's. I'll probably pick up this new one too, but any opinions out there?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sadly I don't have the Lazic to compare with (yet!)
|
|
|
Post by Domimag October 21, 2008 (3 of 6)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Post by Peter October 21, 2008 (4 of 6)
|
|
Monsieur Huss has very poor opinions about quite a few recordings I like very much, both about the performance and the sound.
On the other hand, there are occasions when we are agreed, either that the recording is marvellous or that it isn't.
I don't have these Pizarro recordings either, as I have Samson Francois' and Jean-Efflam Bavouzet's complete works which I find excellent, in particular the latter's which Huss thinks highly of too. Bavouzet's is a fairly recent one from MDG but not SACD, and neither is Bavouzet's complete Debussy cycle on Chandos which is also, I think, terrific.
By the way, Ravel's complete piano music fits easily onto 2CDs so there won't be a volume 3.
|
|
|
Post by nickc October 21, 2008 (5 of 6)
|
|
Domimag said:
Hello all
About these discs, I have to say that Christophe Huss who have a very long experience and very good knowledge of Ravel's works, say about vol. I and II that they are certainly the worse we can find in the catalogue !!
http://www.classicstodayfrance.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=2052
http://www.classicstodayfrance.com/review.asp?ReviewNum=2772
He doesn't consider it's the real Ravel we hear there, but Ravel played by a "Ravelian tourist".
I didn't hear these SACD so this is not my own opinion but it is just to mention this is not the consensus on that releases.
Volume 1 has some of the best playing and worst sound you will ever hear...unfortunately!
Cheers
Nick
|
|
|
Post by wehecht October 21, 2008 (6 of 6)
|
|
nickc said:
Volume 1 has some of the best playing and worst sound you will ever hear...unfortunately!
Cheers
Nick
Arguing about the sound of a recording is one of the least productive exercises I know. Too much subjectivity, too many variables: equipment, room, furnishings, humidity, you name it, not to mention personal preferences in microphone placement and listening levels. This particular disc seems to produce more disagreement than many and I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything, just offering an alternative view. After setting the level approximately 3db higher than normal I find the sound quite attractive and appropriate to the material, perhaps a 4 star rating. As for the critical reception, writing in Fanfare Peter Burwasser called volume 1 a desert island disc in the interpretive tradition of Gieseking, but in "glistening modern sound" while Jed Distler on the American version of ClassicsToday.com basically agrees with Mr Huss. The current review of volume 2 on audaud.com gives the disc 5 out of 5 stars and is complimentary if not exactly ecstatic about the sound. I guess it's a case of "you pays your money, etc..."
Bill
PS. Would someone please get Mr Huss an antacid tablet.
|
|
