Ravel's Piano Trio is one of those works that must be heard live in concert to fully appreciate (its magical qualities), as it's an unforgettable experience, which no recording can quite duplicate. Nevertheless, here's a list of my 7 favorite recordings over the decades, listed in no particular order of preference:
--Trio Dali:
In Trio Dali's recording of Ravel's Piano Trio, the pianist Amadine Savary makes the piano line sound more distant and far off from the cello and violin parts, at times. It has the effect of sounding like the rumbling of distant, far off artillery fire, or perhaps bombs exploding. I also think that I can occasionally hear the whining monotone drone of high altitude bombers in the string parts (as something separate from the melody)--possibly enemy aircraft, as well as the sound of a siren warning at one point. I can't say for certain that Ravel intended this, but there are quite a few flat lining monotone notes within the mix. And when Ravel composed the piano trio, he was headed off to war, where he served as an ambulance driver during World War I.
Therefore, it makes me wonder if these were sounds that Ravel heard distantly during the days when he completed his piano trio, and incorporated them into his "modere" movement? If so, then what Trio Dali does here is very special (& it's a great performance anyway). At least, I've not heard another ensemble bring out these ominous sounding distant and flat lining notes to quite the same degree, or use the same instrumental balance to produce these effects. So, I wonder if they were consciously doing so? or just unusually 'in tune' with the subtleties of Ravel's score,
https://www.amazon.com/Ravel-Piano-...O&keywords=trio+dali+ravel&qid=1640115815&sprefix=trio+dali+ravel,aps,85&sr=8-1
The Arden Piano Trio and the Florestan Piano Trio are similarly first rate in this music, as are the Capuçon brothers with pianist Frank Braley (who offer one of the finest performances on record, IMO), and Trio Wanderer, if anyone's interested in doing some fascinating comparative listening:
--Arden Trio:
--Renaud Capuçon, Gautier Capuçon, & Frank Braley:
--Florestan Trio (available on CD and Hybrid SACD):
https://www.amazon.com/Debussy-Piano-Trio-Ravel-Faure/dp/B003XWFLVK
https://www.amazon.com/Faure-Debussy-Ravel-Piano-Trios/dp/B00004R61Q
Trio Wanderer:
Among older, non-digital recordings, I also like the 1973 Kantorow-Muller-Rouvier recording very much. Their Erato recording was used to great effect in the French film, "Un Coeur en Hiver" (translated, "A Heart in Winter"), which served as my introduction to Ravel's Piano Trio many years ago (and to his other sonatas):
Here's a series of clips from "Un Coeur en Hiver", with the trio played over them:
Another great favorite in regards to Ravel's Piano Trio is the Nash Ensemble's 1986 recording on CRD (which I may slightly prefer to their later 1994 recording on Virgin Classics, with the same trio line up). Suffice it to say, it's a desert island disc in my Ravel collection (along with Trio Dali's, & one or two others). Although I admit that this was the first recording that I imprinted on many years ago (apart from the film, "Un Coeur de Hiver"), so I may be slightly biased here. Nevertheless, it's a wonderful performance & program of music, and the recorded sound is first rate, which is a significant advantage in this music:
https://www.amazon.com/Ravel-Introduction-Allegro-Sonata-Violin/dp/B0012WWGDO
https://www.prestomusic.com/classic...8621--ravel-introduction-allegro-for-harp-flute-clarinet-and-string-quartet-etc