Title: Masterful Performances of Essential Ravel
Product review: Winner of the 1980 Gramophone Award for best concerto, this recording richly deserves the honor. Collard plays the two concerti with virtuostic magnificence, imbuing them with the alternating buoyant jollity and emotional sensitivity required of these idiosyncratic pieces. The adagio of the Concerto in G is particularly arresting in its delicate luminescence. The balance of the disk is comprised of familiar solo piano works, gorgeously rendered, including the four-hand version of La Valse (fascinating if you only know the orchestral). The analog sound quality of the concerti is lush and vibrant, whereas the solo pieces are a bit dry by modern standards. Considering the budget price tag, this is a winning recording.
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