Search - Ravel, Batagov :: Gaspard De La Nuit

Ravel, Batagov
Gaspard De La Nuit
Genre: Classical

Track Listings (10) - Disc #1
1. Le tombeau de Couperin, for piano: Pr?lude
2. Le tombeau de Couperin, for piano: Fugue
3. Le tombeau de Couperin, for piano: Forlane
4. Le tombeau de Couperin, for piano: Rigaudon
5. Le tombeau de Couperin, for piano: Menuet
6. Le tombeau de Couperin, for piano: Toccata
7. Gaspard de la nuit, for piano: No. 1, Ondine
8. Gaspard de la nuit, for piano: No. 2, Le gibet
9. Gaspard de la nuit, for piano: No. 3, Scarbo
10. Valses (8) nobles et sentimentales, for piano (or orchestra)

CD Details

All Artists: Ravel, Batagov
Title: Gaspard De La Nuit
Members Wishing: 0
Total Copies: 0
Label: Arbiter
Release Date: 5/21/1996
Genre: Classical
Styles: Chamber Music, Historical Periods, Classical (c.1770-1830)
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 789368375127

Synopsis

Amazon.com

Anton Batagov is a still-young Russian musician who has abandoned his piano career to become a composer. When he was playing, he recorded only 20th century music. Batagov plays all of this music with great poise and color, and much of the time he is mesmerising. It's just that, eventually, one realizes that whatever is intriguing us, it isn't what Ravel intended. We know enough about Ravel's intentions, from his piano rolls, performances by his friends, and his indications in the score, to realize that Batagov is playing everything way too slowly. But he certainly does it with conviction. These Ravel performances are bound to be controversial. --Leslie Gerber

CD Reviews

Extraordinary Ravel

Robert L. Berkowitz | Natick, MA United States | 01/29/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This disc is a rare jewel if you can find it. Batagov was a prize winning pianist in an important Soviet competition, but gave up on the traditional piano repertoire after his success because he no longer felt passion for it. He wrote in the liner notes of this CD that he needs to feel compelled by the music that he plays -- as if it were written by him -- in order to put the effort into performing it.

Ravel's music met the test for him, and he committed to recording Le Tombeau de Couperin, Valses Nobles et Sentimentales and Gaspard de la Nuit. These performances are brimming with energy and life, and are worthy to be in any serious collector's catalog. I have reviewed on this website other Ravel discs including Abbey Simon's collection and Louis Lortie's, and I find Pogorelich's Gaspard to be totally ravishing, but Batagov's now has a special place in my collection. His Le Tombeau is my new standard -- he has drawn me into considering learning this piece. No other pianist before has ever made this music this interesting to me. His Ondine is one of the few that gets the central climactic moment just right, leaving the listener limp, breathless and satisfied, and his Scarbo is thrilling, electric, chilling and delectable.

This disc is a real treasure. If you can find it, hold on to it for dear life!"