Our Summer BAL 40: Ravel Piano Trio

[MickyD]

I agree, StephenO, that Hyperion disc is really lovely and gets regularly played here.

[richardfinegold]

I received the Beaux Art recording, coupled with a Trio by Chausson. It is a worthy contender, but I was a little disturbed by the lack of legato playing. The players seem very conscious of the bar lines and the piece just doesn't seem to breathe naturally.

[gurnemanz]

Boise

That reminds me of getting to know the work about 45 years via the Boise Trio on the cheapo ARC label with Cézanne card players on the cover. Played it a lot and really enjoyed. Now disappeared from my collection and not available.

Present versions are Nash Ensemble and Oistrakh Tio.

[umslopogaas]

I have, on LP, Previn, Kim and Kirshbaum, and de la Pau, Tortelier and Tortelier. I have no recollection of either, and would happily settle for the same.

[akiralx]

I very much like the Roge, Kobayashi, Hasegawa version on Onyx, with the Chausson Trio.

[Mal]

Since it 'won' the French critics' round table on the work, I've discovered and love the performance by the Trio Dali

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ravel-Trio-Piano-Violon-Violoncelle/dp/B001MUJSZU

I also have the Capuçons/Braley, and also Bell/Thibaudet/Isserlis and the J-J Kantorow (used in the film 'Un Coeur en Hiver')

I'd put the Dali performance top, though I don't know the Trieste recording.

From the clips, the Trio Dali was my first choice for a full listen on Spotify - so "dreamy and perfumed". My second choice were the programme launchers - the Nash Ensemble - such a wonderful restrained opening! The Nash maintain this quality throughout, and show restraint in the fast movements. For me, the Trio Dali can get a bit overpowering so, for a library copy, the Nash is my front runner (I'll obtain the CD that wins my streaming comparison... Florestan are out of it, they wouldn't even let BBC stream it on Sunday, which might have kept them in the running... and the clips on BAL didn't impress me enough...)

Capuçons/Braley, and Bell/Thibaudet/Isserlis are next on my list. Why do you prefer the Dali performance to them?

[Mal]

I just watched the movie "Birdman", which features the sublime slow movement. I only have one recording--3 anonymous French Musicians on a CD-R I must have made 20 years ago--and I must say I don't recognize any of the Trios recommended in this thread. Did any of the "Big Boy" Trios ever recordthis piece? Beaux Arts, Oistrakh, Million Dollar, etc?

Beaux arts were mentioned and dismissed as overly sentimental. But was that the digital recording? The BBC Music Magazine guide picks their earlier analog performance as top choice in an "ideal coupling":

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Ravel-Quartet-Quartetto-Italiano-Grumiaux/dp/B00PO5IDK0

"Millon dollar" (Heifetz/Rubinstein/Piatigorsky) were mentioned in passing near the end of the programme. The clip sounded a bit rough. Which is the best transfer?

Given inflation, shouldn't we be calling them "billion dollar" these days?

[Bryn]

Beaux arts were mentioned and dismissed as overly sentimental. But was that the digital recording? The BBC Music Magazine guide picks their earlier analog performance as top choice in an "ideal coupling":

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Ravel-Quartet-Quartetto-Italiano-Grumiaux/dp/B00PO5IDK0

"Millon dollar" (Heifetz/Rubinstein/Piatigorsky) were mentioned in passing near the end of the programme. The clip sounded a bit rough. Which is the best transfer?

Given inflation, shouldn't we be calling them "billion dollar" these days?

There is also a live recording, coupled with the Brahms, on Hänssler Classics:

[Mal]

At the risk of derision, may I say that the recording on Naxos with the Joachim Trio is fab. and very well recorded as well. Paired with Debussy's Trio No 1, and a tiny piece by Schmitt(?) Ref. 8.550934

Penguin like it - "... worth any collector's notice. They play with sensitive musicianship and finesse. Their performance is imaginitive and beautifully recorded....". It's given **(*) rating and Penguin say a bracket indicates a reservation mentioned in the text... and then they don't have any reservations! The full *** is given to the Beaux arts digital performance (that the BBC guide & BAL dismissed as indulgent & sentimental It is raved about by the Penguins ("little short of inspired and is even finer than the earlier recording...") They do have a seeming reservation (where's the bracket?) - Pressler is "rather forward" - but is that a bad thing?

OK, I need to listen to both BA performances and Naxos...

I think I'll be listening to a version of this trio every day for the next month to find *the* performance for *my* library! Happy holidays (and I'm not being ironic...)

[Mal]

A lovely work. I haven't heard any of the Beaux Arts' recordings of it but must try to as they could generally be relied on to set the benchmark for almost anything they played. My only recording of the Ravel is the Florestan Trio on Hyperion, coupled (or should that be tripled?) with Debussy and Fauré. Susan Tomes's playing, in particular, is magical in all three pieces.

Beaux Arts are often wonderful, but I don't think anyone can be relied upon to be good at everything! Their Schubert is mostly heavy, lacking vitality and a sense of abandon. They always play with great affection and competence, but that can be dangerous. It might lead you think that ther performance is "good enough" for any piece when there's *much* better performances of individual pieces out there. Modern trios often do Schubert better, e.g. the Suk trio, and Cortot/Thibaud/Casals is in a totally different league to everyone I've heard.