This “Panorama” entry isn’t bad by any means, but it’s not quite as good as it could have been. Karajan’s Boléro doesn’t hold a candle to Ozawa’s, Haitink’s, Boulez’s, or Abbado’s (to list only a few of heaven knows how many available to Universal’s programmers), and Martha Argerich’s remake of the Concerto in G yields pride of place to her first version. Everything else, though, is very good indeed: Boulez directs a finely detailed yet apocalyptic La Valse; Ozawa’s Rapsodie espagnole and Pavane rank among the best; and Abbado’s early (Boston Symphony) Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé and his later Tzigane with Accardo are equally outstanding. The Beaux Arts Trio does well by Ravel’s single work in this genre, and Argerich’s Gaspard de la nuit and Jeux d’eau richly deserve their legendary status. Very good then, but it easily could have been great.
