The Classical Collection

Interesting to compare Rattle and the Berliner Philharmoniker with their most recent major rivals in this repertoire, Nikolaus Harnoncourt and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (WEA). Where Rattle is big on tonal lustre and significant minutiae (texture, instrumental pointing and line), the rawer, more impulsive Harnoncourt prefers to dance and fantasise. Take the motorised opening of "The Golden Spinning-Wheel": Rattle pitches each note with laudable precision and Harnoncourt centres more on the wheel's rickety motion. Both maestri bask in the music's lyrical elements, Rattle cueing gorgeous string lines for the Spinning-Wheel's Mendelssohnian second theme (disc 1, at around 3:56 into track 1). By contrast, Harnoncourt brings on the colder sweat, especially in those scary fluttering string figurations around four minutes into "The Wild Dove". Of the two, Harnoncourt's set is definitely more the witches' brew, whereas Rattle's outgoing approach keeps hocus-pocus at bay.

Rattle's refined ear frequently benefits Debussy's La Mer (EMI 5 58045 ****), another new BPO production, at its ravishing best near the close of the second movement, "The Play of the Waves", with its quietly caressing harp, woodwinds and light percussion. Again, one marvels at how Rattle restores his canvas, but while his Dvorák was reluctant to dance, his La Mer is short on cross-winds and sea-spray. His trump card is his make-weights, a languid and linear Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, a playful rendition of the Caplet-orchestrated ballet La Boîte a Joujoux and world premiere recordings of three piano Préludes orchestrated by Colin Matthews.

Turning to Debussy's Préludes (Onyx ONYX 4004 *****) in their original form, Pascal Rogé launches his projected Debussy series with a superb disc of both books. How refreshing to hear a pianist who, rather than overwork the pedals in pursuit of Impressionist "atmosphere", moulds and shapes the music, allows it time to breathe (try "Voiles" or "Feuilles mortes"), relishing the harmonic moment without allowing the line to sag. Rogé is just as impressive in the swifter, more capricious Préludes, such as "Ondine" and "Les fées sont d'exquises danseuses". Onyx has happily granted him a full and realistic recording, and I eagerly await further instalments, especially the Etudes and Images.

r.cowan@independent.co.uk