Simon Rattle’s Boléro proceeds dutifully to its clamorous conclusion without incident (or any particular insight). But Daphnis et Chloé is the main interest here, and despite all the hoopla from the British press on its original issue, this is not one of Sir Simon’s better efforts. Rattle’s bland and disinterested interpretation, replete with rigid pacing and insensitive phrasing, is like a candle in the wind next to such masterful renditions as those by Munch, Bernstein, Ozawa, Boulez, and Martinon. Listen to Rattle’s dull renditions of the General Dance and the following Grotesque Dance and you’ll get a sense of the whole performance.
Yes, he opens and closes the work colorfully and effectively, but precious little in between compels, or even holds the attention. Then there’s Rattle’s tendency to equate tempo with expression, as in his suddenly rushed conclusion to Part One. The Birmingham band plays decently, but you clearly miss the more idiomatic artistry and polish of the Boston, New York, Paris, and Cleveland orchestras. EMI’s wide-ranging recording is mostly well balanced (despite a level so low in the beginning that you wonder if the CD is even playing), but it strangely exhibits traces of bass distortion in the tuttis. Why bother with this when Martinon’s magnificent performance is available on the very same label?
