Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole; Valses nobles et sentimentales; La valse; Menuet antique

The LSO are past masters in this particular repertoire, and they perform these orchestral showpieces with their customary virtuosity. However, I find Nagano’s conducting rather disappointing. On the surface, his cool approach, emphasising clarity of texture at all costs, may appear appropriate to Ravel. Yet the performances never really take off, Nagano singularly failing to inject the necessary element of magic into the reflective sections of Rapsodie espagnole, nor embracing wholeheartedly the spirit of the dance in Valses nobles. Erik Levi

Published: January 20, 2012 at 3:06 pm

COMPOSERS: Ravel
LABELS: Erato
WORKS: Rapsodie espagnole; Valses nobles et sentimentales; La valse; Menuet antique
PERFORMER: London SO/Kent Nagano
CATALOGUE NO: 4509-98479-2 DDD

The LSO are past masters in this particular repertoire, and they perform these orchestral showpieces with their customary virtuosity. However, I find Nagano’s conducting rather disappointing. On the surface, his cool approach, emphasising clarity of texture at all costs, may appear appropriate to Ravel. Yet the performances never really take off, Nagano singularly failing to inject the necessary element of magic into the reflective sections of Rapsodie espagnole, nor embracing wholeheartedly the spirit of the dance in Valses nobles. Erik Levi

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