Orchestral Music • L'Œuvre Orchestrale • Sämtliche Orchesterwerke • Composizioni Per Orchestra

Released in 1979 by CBS Masterworks, this comprehensive box set serves as a definitive collection of Maurice Ravel's orchestral output. The recordings feature the renowned conductor Pierre Boulez leading the New York Philharmonic and The Cleveland Orchestra, two ensembles with whom Boulez maintained a close collaborative relationship during his influential tenure as a principal conductor and music director in the United States. This set emerged during a period when CBS was actively documenting Boulez's precise, analytical approach to the French impressionist repertoire.

The design of the collection reflects the minimalist, high-fidelity aesthetic common to CBS Masterworks releases of the late 1970s. By gathering these specific interpretations, the label aimed to showcase Boulez’s commitment to clarity, texture, and structural integrity, characteristics that distinguished his Ravel readings from the more romanticized performances of the mid-century era. Upon its release, the set was praised by critics for its technical transparency and the virtuosity of the combined orchestras, cementing its status as a staple for listeners interested in modern perspectives on twentieth-century orchestration.