Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole; Debussy: Iberia

Claude Debussy (Artist), Fritz Reiner (Artist), Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 31, 1989)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000003EVU
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #263,004 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Rhapsodie espagnole, for orchestra (or 2 pianos): No. 1, 'Prelude a la nuit'

2. Rhapsodie espagnole, for orchestra (or 2 pianos): No. 2, Malaguena

3. Rhapsodie espagnole, for orchestra (or 2 pianos): No. 3, Habanera

4. Rhapsodie espagnole, for orchestra (or 2 pianos): No. 4, Feria

5. Pavane pour une infante défunte, for piano (or orchestra)

6. Valses (8) nobles et sentimentales, for piano (or orchestra): No. 1, Modere

7. Valses (8) nobles et sentimentales, for piano (or orchestra): No. 2, Assez lent

8. Valses (8) nobles et sentimentales, for piano (or orchestra): No. 3, Modere

9. Valses (8) nobles et sentimentales, for piano (or orchestra): No. 4, Anime

10. Valses (8) nobles et sentimentales, for piano (or orchestra): No. 5, Presque lent

11. Valses (8) nobles et sentimentales, for piano (or orchestra): No. 6, Assez vif

12. Valses (8) nobles et sentimentales, for piano (or orchestra): No. 7, Moins vif

13. Valses (8) nobles et sentimentales, for piano (or orchestra): No. 8, Epilogue; Lent

14. Miroirs, for piano (or orchestra): No 04 ('Alborada Del Gracioso')

15. Ibéria, for orchestra, L. 122/2: Par les rues et par le

16. Ibéria, for orchestra, L. 122/2: Les Parfums de la nuit

17. Ibéria, for orchestra, L. 122/2: La Matin d'un jour de

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars INDISPENSIBLE FOR RAVELIANS & "REINERIANS", January 1, 2008

By 

Mark E. Farrington (East Syracuse, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole; Debussy: Iberia (Audio CD)

Fritz Reiner was noted for his Wagner, Richard Strauss, Bartok and much other 20th-century music (most of which he was never able to record commerically). But his taste and genius went much further afield. His own favorite composer was Mozart, and his recordings of Haydn's 88th, 95th and 101st are among the very best.

Genius though he was, it has to be admitted that, when it came to feeling and phrasing, Der Fritzl was sometimes "Gallic-ally challenged." (Toscanini, for instance, never had this problem.) That is, Reiner's Debussy can be - to put it mildly - quite "Central European." (Over the years, some wags have rightly tagged his LA MER as "DAS MEER.") But Debussy's IBERIA was perfect fodder for Reiner's musical temperament. This remains one of the top stereo Debussy IBERIAs. Still, IMHO nobody could get within a wide sea-mile of the complete IMAGES POUR ORCHESTRE (of which IBERIA is a part), recorded in 1954 by Van Beinum and the Concertgebouw - which sports equally virtuostic playing AND a more naturally Gallic feeling. (This classic has been transferred several times, but Universal's Van Beinum "Original Masters, Volume 2" box offers the best-sounding transfer to date. This is in mono, but very HI-FI mono. See my review.)

Reiner personally knew Maurice Ravel, and those Ravelian scores which call for aggressive rhythm, athletic stamina and refined precision were in better hands with Reiner than anyone else. This applies to Reiner's legendary RHAPSODIE ESPAGNOLE and ALBORADA DEL GRACIOSO. Excellent though they are, Ormandy's and Munch's late 50s/early 60s recordings cannot match the sheer animal magnetism or sound quality of the Reiner / Chicago. (But for these qualities, Paray / Detroit comes in a close second.)

Surprisingly, Reiner's "DEAD PRINCESS" is not only more beautifully played than the Munch / Boston (and THAT is saying something), but even more poignant and "Gallic." (Go figure.)

Reiner's version of VALSES NOBLES ET SENTIMENTALES is also among the best. But in this case, the very top recommendation must go to the 1963 Munch / Philadelphia. Nobody (but NOBODY) was more "in sync" with this work's langorous, sexually charged bittersweetness than Munch. This is on SONY, together with Ormandy's BOLERO, RHAPSODIE ESPAGNOLE, ALBORADA DEL GRACIOSO and LE TOMBEAU DE COUPERIN- IMHO the finest TOMBEAU ever recorded. (The Paray / Detroit versions of these works are also in the top league- especially if you prefer a more angular kind of Ravelian phrasing.)

Not to mention that the fabled sound engineering of Robert Mohr and Lewis Layton is on hand, here, as well. Which leads to one final point.

Amazon does not mention it, but the "1989" edition of this disc was withdrawn and, in 2002, re-released with the same "cover" and far better sound quality. (The average late 80s-early 90s "Gold Seal" transfer did NOT sound this well.)

Did a shadowy personage at BMG take some rare pity on us collectors, and "back" the later Living Stereo remasterings into this collection? After all, this is a better, more comprehensive compilation than either of the Living Stereo CDs which came later. (The RHAPSODIE & 'DEAD PRINCESS' were on the BMG/Living Stereo CD "THE REINER SOUND," and the VALSES NOBLES, ALBORADA & IBERIA were on "IBERIA," an expensive JVC/Living Stereo "XRCD".)

In any case, the BMG catalogue numbers for "1989" and "2002" appear to be identical: 60179-2-RG. So, when shopping for the more desireable 2002 edition, be sure to check for these features:

1) The year "2002" is printed on the bottom of the rear jewel case inset.
2) The same inset's top fascimile signature of Fritz Reiner is white-against-blue (as opposed to 1989's dark gold-against-blue).

Enough, already ! Just find yourself the 2002 edition, buy it and LISTEN.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars some of the best debussy and ravel EVER, March 3, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole; Debussy: Iberia (Audio CD)

I have to agree with another reviewer that reiner's alborada del gracioso is the finest ever made, and that the wind and brass playing has never been surpassed. the rhapsodie espagnole's opening movement is the most hypnotic i've ever heard as well, the dance movements have incredible swagger and flexibility, also, listen to the brass work in "feria." WOW!
the different characters in valses is fabulous, though i'm not as familiar with work as i am some of the others on this disc. Pavane is given a lovely reading with poetry, finesse, great orchestral detailing and coloration, and phil farkas's opening horn solo is simply beautiful.
Another performance that wins the palm is "iberia," which must be among the best ever recorded. it remains my favorite from the first time i heard it, even beating impressionist master charles munch. Again, the wind and brass playing is simply stunning, and the strings portraying the perfumes of the spanish night are incredibly evocative and layered perfectly (debussy used plenty of divided strings here to brilliant effect, which reiner consistently shows) and can there ever be a festival morning played with more fun and joy than this one? With Reiner and the CSO, it was hard to go wrong.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only need one reason to purchase? Let it be for the Alborada, February 8, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Grand Rapids, MI) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ravel: Rapsodie espagnole; Debussy: Iberia (Audio CD)

This recording of the Alborada del Gracioso is the finest made. The speed and finesse of the triple toungings in the flute and trumpet have never been replicated. If you find only one reason to buy this vintage recording let it be this one.