# Ravel's Shéhérazade



## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I can't see any discussion anywhere of Ravel's gorgeous song cycle, and wondered if there were others here who love it as I do.

I have six different recordings, all quite different, each of the singers having something different to say.

My latest is the Hendricks/Gardiner version, and I have a feeling it will become a favourite. Hendricks's French has always been particularly good, and she unerringly captures the mood of the songs. Gardiner and his French orchestra are also excellent.










I have six other versions, and I'd find it very difficult to put them in any kind of preferential order. The others I own are Baker/Barbirolli, Berganza/Plasson, Crespin/Ansermet, De Los Angeles/Prêtre and Teyte/Rignold.

Do others have favourite versions?


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Crispin / Ansemet

No contest


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

I have only one criticism of it - it's too short. I wouldn't have expected a massive _Winterreise_-style cycle, just another two or three songs. I have just the one recording, the previously mentioned Crespin/Ansermet.


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

DavidA said:


> Crespin / Ansemet
> 
> No contest


Not necessarily. Crespin's version is certainly one of my favourites, and I prefer it to her *Les Nuits d'Eté*, which has been bettered by quite a few other singers, but all the others I have also have a great deal to commend them, and the Hendricks version I've only just acquired finds her at her very best.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

A lovely piece. I' ve always liked the very lush Jordan/Yakar recording, but have a few others too, didn't make a real comparison though - 

- Harper,Boulez,BBCSO/cbs 84 mk 39023
- Danco,Ansermet,LamO/artone 4cd 48-05 222520-354
- Crespin,Ansermet,SuissRomO/ decca 14cd 478 372-5
- Casei,Turnovsky,PragueCO/sup 69 112 0513 (S.Vajce)
- Kanawa,Pritchard,BruxOpSO/emi 067 270135-1
- Stark,Burkh,BratRSO/opus 91 912315-1 (M.Balazikova)
- Norman,Davis,LSO/ph 80 9500 783

Ameling recorded it in the piano version:
- Ameling,Jansen/erato 3984 20915-2


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

I find Crespin having a very strong presence without her needing to raise her voice. It also sounds very dark. Quite extraordinary.

I also love the colourful story teller in Bernarda Fink (Nagano), 
the glorious sounding Jessye Norman (Colin Davis), 
the dreamy out-of-the-world-ness of Elly Ameling (Jansen), 
the high-voltage Elisabeth Söderström (Boulez)......
My soft spot is Catherine Dubosc (Dutoit), who sounds so young and innocent. Perhaps a little bit underwhelming, but she sounds like she just might have been Shéhérazade herself telling the stories.

Have to confess I have not heard Barbara Hendricks'. I'd image her pure, crystalline voice back in 1988 should be very suitable for singing Shéhérazade.

The one recording that I cannot come to terms with (yet) is Ian Bostridge! Talking about the imprinting of a female voice singing Shéhérazade, I need more time to let his Shéhérazade sink in...


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

It's one of my favourite song cycles. I love Elly Ameling in this. I have the piano version on Erato as mentioned above, but also, and to my taste the superior, orchestral version (with the SF Symphony under de Waart on Philips).


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