Chantal Juillet, Pascal Rogé, Truls Mork - Ravel: 3 Sonates pour Violon, Tzigane, Habanera, Berceuse (1996)

This excellent disc brings together, as far as I know, all of Ravel's chamber music for the violin with various one-instrument accompaniment (and in the case of the sonata for violin and cello not merely accompaniment). It is, quite simply, a delight from beginning to end.

To start with the shorter works, the Kaddisch and Berceuse are poignantly played and the Habanera is lightly and subtly varied in texture and color. Juillet's singing, smooth tone is as deliciously perfect as I could possibly imagine, and the playing is, even more importantly, exquisitely phrased. In the two sonatas, the playing is equally nuanced and poised. And in all the works she is more than ably partnered by Rogé, whose light and clear playing is a delight in itself. In Tzigane, Rogé even handles the piano lutheal with equal mastery (and Juillet's playing is a idiomatic and brilliant as in the other works).

In the sonata for violin and cello Mørk is a perfect match, and the playing is truly spirited and rhythmically keen. Overall, the performers take a rather cool (but always involved), impressionistic view, eschewing any trace of romantic pathos or fire, but these works are none the worse for that. Sound quality, too, exhibits many of the same qualities, airy and open and somewhat cool. Strongly recommended.