Reference Recording: Ravel Daphnis et Chloé

Munch's 1955 Daphnis and Chloe is one of the glories of the 1950's. The French gallic quality in this performance is unmatchable. The sound quality of the recording is amazing. Recorded on two-track tape in Symphony Hall, Boston in January 1955. Coincidentally, today is the birthday of the great flutist Doriot Anthony Dwyer who played the gorgeous Pan flute solo. She was born March 6, 1922 in Streator, IL. Today would be her 102nd birthday. Happy Birthday Doriot and thank you for all the years of your fantastic artistry!

The trouble is the first performance you hear imprints a 'model' - and if you were a hard up teenager, you probably played the grooves off the L.P because you listened to it a gazillion times! Of course, I can now shift on to other versions - but, like all habits, listening habits are tough to break...

Ah, this one warms my heart. The 1955 Munch Daphnis was one of the first pieces of classical music I heard as a child. My Mom, having recently moved up to Hi-Fidelity LPs in 1955, bought the Munch performance to add to her, then, very small collection of LPs. I was immediately entranced by the wonderful sounds coming out of that Mono speaker. Bit of trivia: The LP was first issued in MONO only in an oversized fold out album nearly the size of the old 78 sets with pen and ink drawings by none other than a pre-factory Andy Warhol! I was very happy when I found RCA had re-mastered the stereo version into great SACD sound in 2004! Both Munch and Monteux are reference recordings of the highest order.

Boulez and the NY Phil was my first recording of the complete work. The NY Phil plays beautifully and has help up quite well.

As a rank musical amateur who only listens to, not plays music, Daphnis to my ears sounds like an extraordinarily complicated, perhaps even near impossible work to effectively bring off. I'm surprised there are as many as three, perhaps more, reference recordings out there. I gravitate closer to Monteux's version, but the closest I ever came to supplanting an obvious reference recording was when I first heard Cluytens'. As I said before, I'm no critic, I'm no musician, but we're fortunate to have so many remarkable recordings, even reference recordings of Daphnis. The work never gets old to me, even when I myself am old.

Whilst NYC and London are embroiled in civil unrest, along comes a breath of sanity every day in the form of Dave H and his much anticipated Classics Today clip. I would hope that in a (God Forbid) apolcalyptic world, Dave would still be educating and entartaining us with his musical comments of recordings from the past and present. God bless, Dave and many fetes!

Philadelphia’s 1959 recording of just Suite No. 2 is now available in the Columbia Stereo box and is virtuosity on parade. I got the Munch 1955 in the big Living Stereo box years ago and it is wonderful in every way.

What unlocked this work for me was the Boulez DG recording with the Berlin Phil. I’ve since acquired the reference recordings named here as well as several others. One of my very favorite pieces of music.

Gee, I thought it would be John Wilson on Chandos.😜

Bernstein did a terrific recording with the NYPO back in the lates 50s or early 60s.

I grew up with the Szell and Toscanini suites. I will check these out. Thanks.

I have, and love all of these, but Rosenthal is the apex for me personally. It's so otherworldly. Also, Mildred fan club member here glad to see an appearance by our favorite gal.

Dutoit was my first Daphnis, & I was lucky in that. It's still one of my top 3. Munch 61 is also in my top 3, but I wouldn't even put Munch 55 in my top 10. It's wonderful! But I really think that Munch supplanted himself. 61 is just magnificent.

The LSO Pierre Monteux was the recording I used to practiced conducting. LOL

My first Daphnis was the Szell/Cleveland. It is still my favorite of the 2nd suite. The woodwind playing is spectacular. But as always, I will now seek out the 3 that Dave discussed

I enjoy the piece a lot, and consequently, I have heard a number of recordings. However, my own personal reference, the one I cherish above all others, is the one Claudio Abbado made with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1988.

Yep. Struck me at same spot as most people. Including your driver. Gorgeous music. Mine is Phillips Duo. Marriner or...

I agree with the comments below about "first hearing" recordings. It IS hard to overcome them especially when you heard them during the teen years. It's kinda like a first human love crush. There can never be another first. Anyway, with maturity and experience as a classical musician, I started hearing the shortcomings of those first hearings. Even so, it's still hard to get over a first love. First crushes , both human and artistic, are indeed our references for life.

... actually, I've also got it in my Chandos Ravel orchestral box, Pascal Tortillier (probably spelled wrongly).

The original 1955 Munch Daphnis LP has drawings inside by the young Andy Warhol.