This year marks the 150th birthdays of two great French musical figures, Maurice Ravel and Pierre Monteux. Monteux conducted the premières of several of Ravel’s major works and was instrumental in promoting his music internationally, especially in the United States. Among his final recordings were a series made in London with the LSO for Decca in 1959 and 1961—remarkable performances considering he was in his eighties, albeit freshly signed to a 25-year contract with the orchestra!
By the time of this week's London recordings, Monteux had been closely associated with Ravel’s music for nearly half a century, having conducted the première of Daphnis et Chloé in 1912. A live performance of the ballet suites from New York, recorded just seven weeks before the complete London version, attests to the work’s enduring freshness in his hands. In 1961 Monteux added Rapsodie espagnole and Pavane pour une infante défunte to the mix. These vivid stereo recordings—revitalised here through careful XR remastering—still shimmer with vitality, testifying to both Ravel’s brilliance and Monteux’s unmatched authority in his music.
We also celebrate this week's 165th birthday of Spanish composer Albéniz, with a special 15% discount on his music all week at Pristine.