Ravel : Orchestral works, Edition réeditée

Description

There is no need to introduce the work; everyone knows the Boléro. What remains is to sort through the very numerous recorded versions of this masterpiece of orchestration. Among the great historical “French” recordings of the 1950s and 1960s, it is undoubtedly Munch’s that has aged the best. Munch the fanciful, the improviser, the sensualist. True to his reputation, he leads his orchestra (sumptuous and very well captured) with an extraordinary sense of spectacle. He sometimes seems to improvise; the surprising tempo variations prove it, and he finds very striking balances in which the main theme is rebalanced in relation to the secondary themes. Brilliant, this fiery, all-out version is remarkable for its finale, perfectly built up and tastefully measured.