Excellente analyse, sublime version, et direction très inspirée du grand Ansermet

No surprise - it's just very straightforward and not flashy, just like Ravel's music (and by all accounts personality) is/was.

thanks for good information and i also feel this is “the” perfect interpretation

Ansermet and the Swiss Romande Orchestra were the go to combination in the 1960s at WFLN. the Classical music station in Philadelphia..

Ansermet was one of the great conductors of the 20th Century. His authoritative performances of the great French and Russian composers can still stand the test of time, even if the OSR (the orchestra that he founded) was not always the best, from a technical point of view. Ansermet knew Ravel and he studied his works and discussed his style with him. To me, his recordings come pretty close to an ideal interpretation of Ravel: unsentimental, clear, precise with great attention to details and rhythm, intelligent phrasing, but also evocative, well-balanced and with great beauty of sound. Ansermet gave the premiere of La Valse in Geneva in 1921, and Ravel was present at the concert. He later wrote him: "Your understanding of La Valse is perfect. I could never get this rhythmic suppleness in Paris."

This is undoubtedly a very fine performance - it's just that I've heard others that I've been more excited by (e.g. Franz Welser-Möst and the Vienna Phil on the radio the other day). I think it may also be worth remembering that Ansermet got Ravel's 'seal of approval' because 1) his performance was very good and 2) Ravel was around to hear it! Had he been around more recently he may well have given his words of commendation to other conductors as well ...

paulprocopolis Yes, but he is *not* around anymore, so we will never know that! Ravel gave Ansermet much more than only "approval" with his words, "perfect understanding" really means something. Many times his style was misunderstood by various (great) conductors and instrumentalists. I am not saying that Ansermet's Ravel is the only "right" one, but I think it came very close to Ravel's own intentions. I think it's important to know the man Ravel, and the fact that his music, or the spirit of his music, is much closer to Mozart than to any of the (late-)Romantic composers... "simplicité et intensité". What I wrote about Ansermet's interpretation is also true for the performance of Ravel on piano, that's why I prefer the more "simple", straightforward interpreters like Casedesus, Michelangeli and Aimard -- "'you needn't interpret my music, just play it" was one of Ravel's remarks. Some of the "excitement" you are looking for perhaps doesn't always serve Ravel's music very well. I don't know what gets you excited but during the whole performance I was at the edge of my seat! La Valse is not only a tribute to the genius of Johann Strauss, it's also "an ascending progression of sonority, to which the stage comes along to add light and movement."... I think both aspects were conveyed beautifully here: the elegance of the waltz and the build-up toward the end.

I agree with a great deal of what you write - and I too like Ravel 'clean' and unfussy (which is why I still have a huge affection for John Browning's Ravel recordings). However, it's also worth remembering that Ravel did not hear the performance in this video, but a very much earlier one - and age can change all sorts of things (as I know only too well!) ... and I do like this performance!

paulprocopolis My guess is that the OSR with Ansermet played a lot better in the 50s than it did in the 20s (only a couple of years after it was founded). Btw, looking back now, I think Ansermet was absolutely right to attack serialism in the 60s...