French Orchestral Works
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Hector Berlioz, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Paul (Abraham) Dukas, Camille Saint-Saëns, (Alexis-)Emmanuel Chabrier
Label: Philips
Magazine Review Date: 11/1984
Media Format: Vinyl
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 412 131-1PH

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
(La) Damnation de Faust, Movement: ~ |
Hector Berlioz, Composer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Hector Berlioz, Composer Neville Marriner, Conductor |
Pavane pour une infante défunte |
Maurice Ravel, Composer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Maurice Ravel, Composer Neville Marriner, Conductor |
(L')Apprenti sorcier, '(The) Sorcerer's Apprentice |
Paul (Abraham) Dukas, Composer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Neville Marriner, Conductor Paul (Abraham) Dukas, Composer |
Danse macabre |
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer Neville Marriner, Conductor |
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune |
Claude Debussy, Composer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Claude Debussy, Composer Neville Marriner, Conductor |
Joyeuse marche |
(Alexis-)Emmanuel Chabrier, Composer
(Alexis-)Emmanuel Chabrier, Composer Academy of St Martin in the Fields Neville Marriner, Conductor |
Composer or Director: Hector Berlioz, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Paul (Abraham) Dukas, Camille Saint-Saëns, (Alexis-)Emmanuel Chabrier
Label: Philips
Magazine Review Date: 11/1984
Media Format: Cassette
Media Runtime: 0
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: 412 131-4PH

Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
(La) Damnation de Faust, Movement: ~ |
Hector Berlioz, Composer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Hector Berlioz, Composer Neville Marriner, Conductor |
Pavane pour une infante défunte |
Maurice Ravel, Composer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Maurice Ravel, Composer Neville Marriner, Conductor |
(L')Apprenti sorcier, '(The) Sorcerer's Apprentice |
Paul (Abraham) Dukas, Composer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Neville Marriner, Conductor Paul (Abraham) Dukas, Composer |
Danse macabre |
Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Camille Saint-Saëns, Composer Neville Marriner, Conductor |
Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune |
Claude Debussy, Composer
Academy of St Martin in the Fields Claude Debussy, Composer Neville Marriner, Conductor |
Joyeuse marche |
(Alexis-)Emmanuel Chabrier, Composer
(Alexis-)Emmanuel Chabrier, Composer Academy of St Martin in the Fields Neville Marriner, Conductor |
Author: Edward Greenfield
By comparison, Berlioz's Hungarian March is neat and rhythmic but lacks a little in panache (though the bass drum is superbly caught), the Pavane is coolly beautiful at just the right tempo with the right degree of espressivo and the Dukas is superbly sprung with textures light and clear, though Marriner is not always consistent in his speed.
The Saint-Saens, taken rather fast, with splendid solo violin playing from Alan Loveday, becomes more of a devil's waltz than usual, and again the speeds are not always quite consistent. The Debussy like the Ravel is sensuously beautiful, clear of texture but well moulded with the antique cymbals finely balanced in the closing section, and I am only sorry that the outstanding flute soloist is not identified. My only serious reservation is that at under 42 minutes the programme is rather short measure, and I remain mystified by the sleeve design of a clockwork clown balancing on enormous inverted commas.'
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