Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe

Affectionately dubbed "the Walrus" owing to his substantial size and curly moustache, Pierre Monteux is largely remembered for the work he did in the United States as the conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 1919 through 1924. In Boston, he instilled a brightness of sound in the orchestra -- a quality that Charles Münch further developed -- and 70-some years later the results of his work can still be heard. A pioneer among conductors, Monteux's subtle but clear conducting technique was not prone to showmanship; he made even the most difficult pieces playable with ease.
Some of the most difficult pieces he conducted were in many ways his greatest accomplishments. Many of those works he conducted while serving as the conductor of Sergei Diaghilev's famous dance troupe the Ballets Russes. Monteux's tenure began there in 1911, somewhat auspiciously -- just in time for the first performances of Stravinsky's Petrushka, followed in two years by the notorious premiere of the Rite of Spring. These two compositions are often remembered as Diaghilev's biggest commissions. In between these two Stravinsky masterworks, however, is Maurice Ravel's own Daphnis et Chloé from 1912. Monteux premiered all three of these seminal masterpieces.
Although Daphnis often appears on record and in concert hall as the reduced Suite No. 2, this release from Decca includes a 1959 recording of the complete ballet version. From the mysterious, exotic opening of the introduction, Monteux and the LSO capture the lushness and richness of the harmonies with an unbridled sense of French passion. The many different sections are linked through Ravel's subtle and delicate transitions; they achieve a real transparency under Monteux's clear hand. Listeners new to the complete ballet but familiar with the Suite No. 2 will appreciate the additional coloring provided by the ethereal voices of the wordless chorus. The clarity of the choral singing is excellent -- the frequently subtle changes of pitch, often lost in murkiness in other performances, are gently but clearly emphasized here with taste. Monteux, a violinist by training, compels his LSO string players to play Ravel's harmonics with a real core and edge to the sound, minus the usual French wispiness. This edge is also apparent in the trumpets' stark flair at the beginning of the "Danse Generale." Throughout the performance, Monteux elicits supreme control over tempo; a technique learned no doubt by his extensive work at the ballet. Gone are the licentious liberties imposed upon this work by other conductors -- here is a performance that allows some real dancing and joie de vivre to shine through.
The disc is thoroughly filled out with two remaining selections: Ravel's Rhapsody Espagnole and the Pavane. The Rhapsody, originally written for piano in 1907 and later orchestrated by the composer, predates Daphnis et Chloé by several years and contains many of the hallmarks of Ravel's early style (many of which were lifted by the admiring Stravinsky, who used Ravel's sonic palette in Petrushka and in his earlier ballet the Firebird).
The delicate beauty contained in all Monteux's performances featured here make this disc a difficult one to pass up. Decca's sound is excellent -- although the microphones pick up a fair amount of graininess from the violins in particular, much of this disc is so excellently remastered you might never have realized everything on it was recorded around 1960. A must-have for any fan of Monteux or Ravel, this disc is a wonderful introduction to some of the composers' best work.