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Reviews: Gershwin, Ravel: Piano Concertos - Pascal Rogé

Reviews: 3

Site review by akiralx January 6, 2005
Performance:   Sonics:    
Yep, I agree with the previous review - this is a very fine release, especially the Gershwin. What is remarkable is how idiomatically the Vienna Radio SO play in this, with a beautifully sleazy trumpet glissando near the beginning of the slow movement - in music with which they can hardly be familiar.

Roge's performance is slightly more relaxed than another favourite of mine, Andre Previn on EMI - but none the worse for that, and de Billy's orchestra more than match Previn's own LSO. Occasionally Roge leans on an accent a little heavily compared to the fleet-fingered Previn - but he more than compensates by his jazzy rubato and rhythmic subtlety.

The Ravel is also enjoyable if not quite at the same high level - this is very competitive repertoire with superb versions by Michelangeli, Zimerman, Collard, Francois and a host of others, but I think he has the field to himself in terms of multichannel SACD.

Soundwise this is very good - the piano sound is excellent and superbly integrated into the orchestral fabric, who themselves make wonderful sounds especially in the Gershwin central slow movement. In multichannel this sounds very natural and enjoyable.

I listened to the stereo layer through my Stax Classic earspeaker system, and the results were outstanding - beautiful orchestral textures and perfect piano sound, wonderfully integrated.

Strongly recommended for the outstanding Gershwin - and the Ravel is a more than fine bonus.

Review by jdaniel@jps.net October 30, 2004 (10 of 10 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:
A winning disc. Who would have thought: Ravel and Gershwin Piano concerti on SACD so soon--and with Pascal Roge no less! Roge tosses off an exciting and fragrant performance of the Ravel. Listen to the tocatta-like material in the first mov't--if this doesn't raise the hairs I don't know what will. The slow mov't is a still, crystaline beauty; the contributions of the RSO Wien winds are lovely. The finale zips along--listen to the shading of the final piano tremolo--loving touches like this abound throughout the performance. Never did the collective and individual abilities of the orchestra sound wanting to my ears in this difficult music. If anyone doubts the magic of discreet surround, have them listen to the opening of the slow mov't of the Gershwin. Never have I heard this music sound so atmospheric--humid, in fact. The RSO Wein under de Billy are alive and alert--lush when they need to be, and (95%) idiomatically jazzy. Gershwin is in good hands here with Roge, and the orchestra accompaniment is excellent in mov'ts two and three. (Listen to that gong that heralds the re-entry of the motto theme for the finale of the 3rd mov't. Wow!) If you know your Gershwin through MTT or Bernstein, you might find portions of the prickly 1st mov't to be just a touch heavy-handed. Just a touch. The recording in surround is wide and deep--lush, similar to the house sound of Pentatone. Excellent release.

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Review by Jonalogic July 14, 2010 (4 of 7 found this review helpful)
Performance:   Sonics:  
I completely disagree with the other two reviewers here, I'm afraid. I find this one seriously flawed in a number of important respects.

In fact, this is a bit of an odd one. The Ravel performances is good, but really not up to Rogé's previous efforts - for example his RBCD digital recording with Dutoit for Decca. The Gershwin in interesting, but not particularly idiomatic.

The sound is really not up to SACD standards routinely achieved by BIS, Chandos, Linn, Pentatone or Capriccio. It has a blatantly 'manufactured' stage with spot-lighting, strange dynamic swings and a general incoherence in the sound. When will recording engineers figure out that the intrinsic transparency of SACD ruthlessly reveals this sort of multi-mike mucking around? Just keep it simple, guys...

OK if you really want the pieces, but I was sufficiently alarmed to steer clear of its companion Ravel/Gershwin recording. Now can someone please produce a truly recommendable version of the two Ravel concertos on SACD, please?

I'm afraid this just isn't it.

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