CD REVIEW – DAPHNIS ET CHLOÉ
Sinfonia of London Chorus/Sinfonia of London/Wilson
Chandos CHSA 5327 [TT 54:09]

This has been described as one of the most spectacular of showpieces among ballet scores, although now a mainly concert piece. Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) began writing it in 1909 after a commission from impresario Sergei Diaghilev for his Ballet Russes. The composer called it a "Symphonie chorégraphique" (Choreographic Symphony) for orchestra and wordless chorus. It was completed in 1912 – also its first year of performance – and is in three main sections, or parties, and a dozen scenes, most of them dances.

It is played here in a new edition made by maestro John Wilson during the pandemic lockdowns, which he describes in a detailed booklet note. Included alongside this are a five-page essay on the composition by Ravel biographer Roger Nichols and a libretto. Among the credits are flautist Adam Walker and leader John Mills.

The Sinfonia of London Chorus is a 47-strong hand-picked collection of talented choral singers and soloists – their names also listed in the booklet – brought together by the British counter-tenor David Clegg under chorus master Simon Halsey, adding significantly to what is heard on the album.

One of the most famous Gallic composers, Ravel is considered to have written little that was second-rate. This, his longest work, is thought of by many as his masterpiece with some magical musical moments. If you are unfamiliar with it and other of his works or only know of his Boléro, several online sites exist where you can get a flavour of the release for free. A friend of the composer once joked that the most beautiful dawn music ever written (at the start of Part 3 of the ballet) was composed by a man who never got out of bed before 11.00am!

All sections of the orchestra give a tremendous sounding performance well captured as customary by the Chandos team in the Church of St Augustine, Kilburn; because of its size sometimes known as "the cathedral of North London". Following their chart topping 'Oklahoma!', for Ravel admirers this is yet another Wilson/SoL winner.

© Peter Burt, October 2023

[Once again, this new CD release highlights the complete versatility of John Wilson. I don’t believe that there are many contemporary conductors who are so completely at home with Richard Rodgers' music one day and Maurice Ravel's the next, and can make an equally fine job of executing both ! Ed.]