Zubin Mehta’s Ravel receives some predictably fine playing from the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Boléro really lets the individual members of the orchestra show off, and the repetition (one hesitates to use the word “variation”) featuring horn, celesta, and bitonal piccolo has seldom sounded so perfectly blended. There’s an unusually detailed spatial quality to the recording too, even to the extent that it’s clear when the two snare drummers exchange parts. The climax is suitably rousing. In the Daphnis suite, aside from one surprisingly rough entry of the chorus, Mehta’s direction has the right opulence and sensuality. His Mother Goose Suite is subtle and sensitive; if only he’d done the complete ballet! La Valse simply smokes: this is meat and potatoes (or schnitzel and spätzle) repertoire for Mehta, and this sultry, decadent performance is just the ticket. Pierre Monteux’s genial Rapsodie espagnole’s been kicking around for years. It’s not the most disciplined version, but the old man certainly knew what he was doing. He whips up the concluding “Feria” to bring the disc to a blazing, percussive close. A fine Ravel collection, all in all. [6/16/2000]
