A wholly excellent performance, the ‘wholly’ equating to the ‘symphony’ that Ravel described Daphnis as being, also ‘choreographic’, which caters for the ballet side of things – what we have here is a ‘choreographic symphony’ that is ripe for dance and in which every musical incident belongs and is related – beautifully played (solos and tuttis), details and dynamics fastidiously attended to, and conducted by Sir Antonio with a keen sense of theatre designed for the concert-hall without betraying the score’s gorgeous sound-world, glowing depictions, voluptuous expressions, tender characterisations and dramatic turning-points, all captured by first-class engineering, the vocals of Tenebrae contributing from an ideal perspective. By the time the bacchanalian conclusion is reached – thrillingly presto – there is no doubt that Pappano’s Daphnis is right up there with, say, Ansermet, Cluytens and – two versions from each – Munch and Boulez. LSO Live LSO0899 [SACD] is released on February 14, Valentine’s Day, appropriate given the named pair are reunited following her kidnap by pirates.
LSO Live releases Antonio Pappano conducting Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé.
