Mit dem Wort "definitiv" wäre ich wohl etwas vorsichtiger - das hängt wohl eher mit ihrem persönlichen Geschmacksempfinden zusammen, objektiv hochkarätige Komponisten hat die französische Musikgeschichte zuhauf anzubieten....
What a splendid performance, Ms. Karg is blessed with a glorious voice, fine technique and artistry! And of course Maestro Skrowaczewski was one of the finest conductors- in a wide range of repertory. Thank you for posting this beautiful concert. Ravel left us such a wonderful legacy.
Christiane Karg est une grande chanteuse lyrique, j'ai eu le plaisir de l'écouter au "Théâtre du Jeu de Paume" sur Aix en Provence, en récital, et c'était merveilleux ! Wundebare Singerin Christiane sein !!
Astonishing masterpiece by a young Ravel whose style was still soaked in the musical heritage left him by Chausson and the first Debussy (above all the one of Pelleas et Melisande). There are further obvious influences by the Russian master Korsakov, who himself composed a Sheherazade - but in form of symphonic poem) a few decades sooner than Ravel. Nonetheless the musical matter is surprisingly versatile and original in the way Ravel compounds the stylistic benchmarks he brings in mind. The Interpretation carried out by Skrowaczevsky clearly seems too entangled in tenuto notes. Which every now and then renders the performance somehow flat and stuck. Christiane Karg is terrific at least: her voice is precise and crystal-clear as well as intense and warm.The Orchestra is wonderful as well as the audio quality of the recording.
Ravel young? lol, he was 28 when he composed Shéhérazade in 1903 (the same year as his String Quartet and the first movement of his Sonatine for piano) and had already found his own unique voice and style in earlier works than this, such as the Menuet antique and the Habañera for two pianos (1895), Pavane pour une infante défunte for piano (1899), and Jeux d'eau (1901).
I find Skrowaczewski almost perfect in this inspired reading, and Karg is glorious. I much prefer the concept of tenuto and hesitation that he brings to this piece, especially in the 2nd and 3rd movements. The conductor Manuel Rosenthal (who studied with Ravel) conducted L'Enfant et les Sortileges at the Met and I was fortunate to take part in those performances. He observed the inherent hesitation in Ravel and at one point stopped rehearsal to say "Silence is music, too." Mahler's term "Zogernd" is interspersed throughout his music. Ravel (and Debussy) are both full of silences. Skrowaczewski understands both of those concepts beautifully. For me this performance stands alongside the 1967 studio recording of Dame Janet Baker and Sir John Barbirolli.
I find Skrowaczewski almost perfect in this inspired reading, and Karg is glorious. I much prefer the concept of tenuto and hesitation that he brings to this piece, especially in the 2nd and 3rd movements. The conductor Manuel Rosenthal (who studied with Ravel) conducted L'Enfant et les Sortileges at the Met and I was fortunate to take part in those performances. He observed the inherent hesitation in Ravel and at one point stopped rehearsal to say "Silence is music, too." Mahler's term "Zogernd" is interspersed throughout his music. Ravel (and Debussy) are both full of silences. Skrowaczewski understands both of those concepts beautifully. For me this performance stands alongside the 1967 studio recording of Dame Janet Baker and Sir John Barbirolli.
Her song is a exotism itself, and the comfort of her beautiful voice is off the charts, and invites me into the mysteriousand marvellous unknown world. She is a new player to me . This music sway my heart .Her performance is tremendous edge. In this performance, all is fare superior splendor From A corner of Tokyo of Japan
It looks like Ravel really loved the "Russian Five" music, first is Shéhérazade inspired by Rimsky-Korsakov's symphonic poem, then Scarbo, the piece is famous for its difficulty, because Ravel intended the Scarbo movement to be more difficult than Balakirev's Islamey, and of course he made orchestral arrangement of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition I wonder if there is anything else connects him with The Mighty Handful
It's really more the text by Klingsor that was inspired by the Korsakov work, and yes, there is more connection to the Mighty 5. Ravel and Klingsor belonged to a group of musicians, writers and painters known as Les Apaches. At Ravel's suggestion, they adopted as their motto, a sort of musical calling card which they'd whistle when they met, the opening motive from Borodin's second symphony! Ravel was also definitely a fan of R-K's Scheherazade, and, if you listen closely, towards the end of Daphnis et Chloé you will hear a quick reference/quote from that work. So, there you go.
Though Ravel worked hard and successfully to move into new idioms, the early influence of the Russian aesthetic lingered for a long time, as he was attracted by both the remotely exotic as well as the mechanical quality of modern Parisian life and its sounds. Certainly his mother's Basque lullabies linked his appreciation to the other sources of Eastern music, as they share so much in expression
Au-delà des faux semblants, Maurice Ravel dénonçait l’ordre apparent et les paradoxes d'un monde insensible. Spirituel, sensoriel et rebelle, ce poète dévoile les impostures secrètes, explore des jouissances sereines, un monde de rêves resurgissants, et puis Christiane Karg est sublime !
I love the way Skrowacewski and Karg take time to give Ravel's harmonies and subtleties their utmost. I've heard many wonderful versions of this piece. This is pure magic. Next to this version I love that of Janet Baker and Sir John Barbirolli.
Too dragging. At least at the more MF and F moments, she could have given more strength instead of making it so legato that it just feels all one color.
