Ever since Angela Hewitt's recording of the complete Ravel solo piano music (Hyperion CDA67341/2) was released in 2002 it has been considered among the best, "the version of record," according to one critic. Now Hyperion has released another set to compete with Hewitt's.

Perhaps compete isn't quite the word, though. The two pianists' appproaches are so different that Ravel enthusiasts might want to have both. As a rule, Hewitt's project detail a little more while Osborne's are more impressionistic. Perhaps the best example is the Pavane pour une enfante défunte, in which Osborne's tenderness stands in contrast to the more stately Hewitt approach.

In Ondine, the first movement of Gaspard de la Nuit, Osborne provides more of a shimmer, but Hewitt's clarity is an equally valuable quality. Similarly, there is a bit more delicacy in his Valses nobles et sentimentales than in hers, which concentrates more on the drama.

Which is the better set? They're both very good indeed and the best choice would be to have both. Failing that you might have to flip a coin if the remarks above don't help you decide. There are two advantages to the Osborne, though: the recorded sound is a little better and it includes La valse. The latter isn't exactly a defect in the Hewitt collection, though. The piano piece is merely a transcription of the original for orchestra.