Pianist Elaine Greenfield releases her new album Ravel Compared, on Navona Records. The French composer’s works are carefully analysed and brought to clarity with Greenfield recording the same repertoire twice, on two very different pianos – and juxtaposing them on this two-disc album. The first disc presents Ravel’s music on an 1893 Erard from Paris, the same make and model as the composer’s personal piano. This rendition is contrasted with a second on an American Ivers & Pond parlor concert grand from 1917, highlighting Ravel’s idiosyncratic harmonies with modern, almost contemporary exactitude...

Elaine Greenfield tries an interesting experiment on Ravel Compared. Here, over two discs, she performs the same pieces, once on a 1893 Erard piano (the same make and model as Maurice Ravel would have composed and performed his works on) and then again on a 1917 Ivers & Pond parlor concert grand piano.

This gives the listener the unique perspective of being able to compare how Ravel's original performances may have sounded when put side by side with a modern concert piano performance. It's an experiment that works wonderfully to illustrate the beauty and intricacies of both instruments.

There's no "better" version, just subtle differences that shine through on all of the recordings. I thoroughly enjoyed this collection, and wish there were a few more around in a similar vein.

If you're a true classical music fan then this is an essential purchase.

Track listing:

Disc 1 - 1893 Erard (Paris)

01. Pavane pour une infante défunte (1899) - Assez doux, mais d'une sonorité large (6:21)
02. Sonatine (1903-1905): I. Modéré (4:38)
03. Sonatine (1903-1905): II. Mouvement de menuet (3:46)
04. Sonatine (1903-1905): III. Animé (5:09)
05. Miroirs (1903-1905): II. Oiseaux tristes (Très lent, expressif – Lent – Encore plus lent) (4:49)
06. Miroirs (1903-05): IV. Alborada del gracioso (Assez vif) (8:08)
07. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): I. Modéré (1:49)
08. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): II. Assez lent (2:14)
09. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): III. Modéré (1:52)
10. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): IV. Assez animé (1:30)
11. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): V. Presque lent (1:30)
12. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): VI. Assez vif (0:50)
13. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): VII. Moins vif (3:44)
14. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): VIII. Lent (4:23)
15. Gaspard de la nuit (1908): I. Ondine "Nocturne, la berceuse d'un dormeur" (8:36)
16. Le tombeau de Couperin (1914-1917): VI. Toccata (Vif) (5:47)

Disc 2 - 1917 Ivers & Pond (Boston)

01. Pavane pour une infante défunte (1899) - Assez doux, mais d'une sonorité large (6:00)
02. Sonatine (1903-1905): I. Modéré (4:36)
03. Sonatine (1903-1905): II. Mouvement de menuet (3:39)
04. Sonatine (1903-1905): III. Animé (4:53)
05. Miroirs (1903-1905): II. Oiseaux tristes (Très lent, expressif – Lent – Encore plus lent) (4:36)
06. Miroirs (1903-05): IV. Alborada del gracioso (Assez vif) (7:48)
07. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): I. Modéré (1:51)
08. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): II. Assez lent (2:10)
09. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): III. Modéré (1:45)
10. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): IV. Assez animé (1:32)
11. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): V. Presque lent (1:25)
12. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): VI. Assez vif (0:53)
13. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): VII. Moins vif (3:31)
14. Valses nobles et sentimentales (1911): VIII. Lent (4:16)
15. Gaspard de la nuit (1908): I. Ondine "Nocturne, la berceuse d'un dormeur" (8:46)
16. Le tombeau de Couperin (1914-1917): VI. Toccata (Vif) (5:31)

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Darren Rea